Flash Flood, Bartholomew
- When
- July 20, 6:00 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST
- Where
- Bartholomew County, Countywide
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 39.206, -85.898 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flooding in Indiana, July 20, 1998
Rainfall amounts of two to over eight inches falling in a four to six hour time frame resulted in widespread flash flooding across these counties. The heaviest rainfall was near Columbus where over eight inches of rain fell during the early morning hours of the 20th.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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
- 4
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 IND wrote it up.
Rainfall amounts of two to over eight inches falling in a four to six hour time frame resulted in widespread flash flooding across these counties. The heaviest rainfall was near Columbus where over eight inches of rain fell during the early morning hours of the 20th. This turned out to be the worst flooding ever for parts of Bartholomew County. In Columbus, numerous homes and businesses were flooded, requiring evacuations in some cases. Despite the rapid and significant flooding, no injuries or deaths were reported. The rapid runoff also led to very quick flooding of the East Fork White River tributaries in the area.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
4 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Flash Flood, Decatur
- When
- July 20, 6:00 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST
- Where
- Decatur County, Southwest Portion
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 39.307, -85.501 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flood, Jackson
- When
- July 20, 6:00 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST
- Where
- Jackson County, Countywide
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 38.906, -86.037 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flood, Jennings
- When
- July 20, 6:00 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST
- Where
- Jennings County, West Portion
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 38.997, -85.628 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
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 Pennsylvania, July 20 to 23, 1998
- Heat in Maryland, July 20 to 23, 1998
- Heat in Arkansas, July 20 to 31, 1998
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Minnesota, July 20, 1998
- Flooding and Hail in Wisconsin, July 20, 1998
- Heat in Oklahoma, July 20, 1998
- Flash Flooding in Kentucky, July 20, 1998
- Flash Flood and Hail in North Carolina, July 20 to 21, 1998
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, July 20, 1998
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Georgia, July 20, 1998
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Iowa, July 20, 1998
- Heat in Delaware, July 20 to 24, 1998
More
Every storm in Indiana in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, July 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: 5657995, 5657996, 5657997, 5657998.