Flash Flood, Marion
- When
- August 3, 5:30 PM CST to 9:00 PM CST
- Where
- Marion County, Countywide
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 38.650, -88.919 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flood in Illinois, August 3, 1998
A small complex of thunderstorms formed over Marion County late in the afternoon and remained nearly stationary for several hours. Rainfall reports from across the county ranged from 3 to 6 inches.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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 LSX wrote it up.
A small complex of thunderstorms formed over Marion County late in the afternoon and remained nearly stationary for several hours. Rainfall reports from across the county ranged from 3 to 6 inches. Numerous small streams and creeks rose over their banks. Crooked Creek rose 10 to 12 feet. Roads were closed across the county, including Routes 37, 50 and 161. In Salem, streets flooded quickly, stranding many vehicles. From 20 to 30 properties were damaged in Salem, mainly flooded basements.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- 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.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Heat in Texas, August 3 to 13, 1998
- Heat in Texas, August 3, 1998
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Kansas, August 3 to 27, 1998
- Heat in Oklahoma, August 3, 1998
- Lightning Strike in Arkansas, August 3, 1998
- Flooding and Hail in Kansas, August 3 to 28, 1998
- Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Texas, August 3 to 30, 1998
- Tornado in Texas, August 3, 1998
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, August 3, 1998
- Damaging Wind in Texas, August 3, 1998
- Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, August 3, 1998
- Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in Texas, August 3, 1998
More
Every storm in Illinois in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, August 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: 5660700.