Iowa, 1998

Ice Storm in Iowa, January 4, 1998

January 4, 1998 · NWS ARX · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

A glaze of ice 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch thick coated northeast Iowa, causing slick roads and numerous accidents. Only minor injuries were reported and since winds were light, only a few power outages occurred due to falling tree limbs.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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
1
Property damage
$20,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

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 ARX wrote it up.

A glaze of ice 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch thick coated northeast Iowa, causing slick roads and numerous accidents. Only minor injuries were reported and since winds were light, only a few power outages occurred due to falling tree limbs.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Allamakee

When
January 4, 1:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Allamakee forecast zone
Property damage
$9,000
Coordinates
43.284, -91.378 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Chickasaw

When
January 4, 1:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Chickasaw forecast zone
Coordinates
43.060, -92.318 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Clayton

When
January 4, 1:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Clayton forecast zone
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$4,000
Coordinates
42.845, -91.341 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Fayette

When
January 4, 1:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Fayette forecast zone
Coordinates
42.863, -91.844 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Floyd

When
January 4, 1:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Floyd forecast zone
Property damage
$7,000
Coordinates
43.060, -92.789 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Howard

When
January 4, 1:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Howard forecast zone
Coordinates
43.357, -92.317 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Mitchell

When
January 4, 1:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Mitchell forecast zone
Coordinates
43.356, -92.789 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Winneshiek

When
January 4, 1:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Winneshiek forecast zone
Coordinates
43.291, -91.844 (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

More

Every storm in Iowa in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, January 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: 5628255, 5628256, 5628257, 5628258, 5628259, 5628260, 5628261, 5628262.