Connecticut, 1998

Flash Flooding and Flood in Connecticut, March 8 to 12, 1998

March 8 to 12, 1998 · NWS BOX · 9 events in 3 counties and zones

A powerful storm system moving slowly northeast from the Ohio Valley to the eastern Great Lakes brought strong winds and heavy rainfall to Connecticut, which resulted in urban street flooding, basement flooding, small stream flooding, and main stem river flooding. At times, the rainfall was torrential, especially in thunderstorms during the evening of March 9th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
9

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS BOX wrote it up.

A powerful storm system moving slowly northeast from the Ohio Valley to the eastern Great Lakes brought strong winds and heavy rainfall to Connecticut, which resulted in urban street flooding, basement flooding, small stream flooding, and main stem river flooding. At times, the rainfall was torrential, especially in thunderstorms during the evening of March 9th. Rainfall totals of 3 to 5 inches were reported across northern Connecticut. Some of the greatest totals included: Storrs, 4.86"; Willimantic, 4.50"; South Windsor, 4.00"; Glastonbury, 3.86"; Woodstock, 3.80"; Wethersfield, 3.77"; Newington and Scotland, 3.60"; and Southington, 3.56". A new record daily rainfall total for March 9th was established at Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, with 2.40". Several small streams flooded. The Quinnipiac River at Southington reached flood stage of 3.5 feet at 1:00 PM on March 9th, crested at 5.0 feet at 9:45 PM and then fell below flood stage at 11:00 AM on March 10th. One unidentified stream reached flood stage at 1:20 PM on March 9th at West Hartford. Another unidentified stream reached flood stage in Newington at 1:25 PM on March 9th. In Windham County, at Warrenville, the Mount Hope River reached flood stage of 7 feet at 1:00 PM on March 9th, crested at 8.5 feet at 12:00 AM on March 10th, then fell below flood stage at 6:00 AM on March 10th. The Connecticut River reached flood stage of 16 feet at Hartford at 1 PM on March 11th, crested at 16.9 feet at 10 AM on March 12th, then fell below flood stage at 11 PM on the 12th. The Farmington River at Simsbury crested at 11.7 feet at 9 PM on the 10th, just shy of flood stage, which is 12 feet. Strong south winds occurred after the passage of a warm front during the mid to late morning hours. Winds gusted to 40 to 55 mph.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 heavy rain, 3 strong wind, 2 flash flood, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Hartford

When
March 8, 4:00 PM EST to March 9, 10:00 PM EST
Where
Hartford forecast zone
Coordinates
41.819, -72.572 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Tolland

When
March 8, 4:00 PM EST to March 9, 10:00 PM EST
Where
Tolland forecast zone

Heavy Rain, Windham

When
March 8, 4:00 PM EST to March 9, 10:00 PM EST
Where
Windham forecast zone
Coordinates
41.827, -71.977 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Hartford

When
March 9, 8:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Hartford forecast zone
Coordinates
41.819, -72.572 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Tolland

When
March 9, 8:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Tolland forecast zone

Strong Wind, Windham

When
March 9, 8:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Windham forecast zone
Coordinates
41.827, -71.977 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Hartford

When
March 9, 1:00 PM EST to March 10, 1:00 PM EST
Where
Hartford County, West Hartford
Coordinates
41.819, -72.572 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Windham

When
March 9, 4:00 PM EST
Where
Windham County, Warrenville
Coordinates
41.827, -71.977 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Hartford

When
March 11, 1:00 PM EST to March 12, 11:00 PM EST
Where
Hartford forecast zone
Coordinates
41.819, -72.572 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Rain
Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Strong Wind
Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.
Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Connecticut in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Connecticut, March 1998

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5643082, 5643083, 5643084, 5643085, 5643086, 5643087, 5643088, 5643089, 5643090.