Ice Storm in Georgia, December 23 to 24, 1998

Name: Ice Storm in Georgia, December 23 to 24, 1998
Start: 1998-12-23T20:00
End: 1998-12-24T07:00
Location: Georgia

December 23 to 24, 1998 · NWS FFC · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Another area of freezing rain moved across the extreme northwest Georgia counties later in the night. Ice was heavy enough to knock down some trees and power lines.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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: $10,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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 FFC wrote it up.

Another area of freezing rain moved across the extreme northwest Georgia counties later in the night. Ice was heavy enough to knock down some trees and power lines. The Park Ranger at Cloudland Canyon in Dade county reported power outages at the campground. Law enforcement officials and Ham Operators in Walker and Catoosa counties reported trees and a few power lines down, as well as roads iced over.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Walker

When: December 23, 8:00 PM EST to December 24, 7:00 AM EST
Where: Walker forecast zone
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 34.736, -85.301 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Dade

When: December 23, 10:00 PM EST to December 24, 7:00 AM EST
Where: Dade forecast zone
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 34.855, -85.504 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Catoosa

When: December 23, 10:00 PM EST to December 24, 7:00 AM EST
Where: Catoosa forecast zone
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 34.904, -85.138 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Ice Storm: Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Georgia in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in Georgia, December 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: 5670075, 5670074, 5670076.