Kansas, 1998Ice Storm in Kansas, December 20 to 21, 1998
December 20 to 21, 1998 · NWS TOP · 10 events in 10 counties and zones
A wintry mix of light snow, freezing drizzle and some freezing rain spread over the listed counties from the morning of the 20th through the early morning of the 21st. Roads became slick and icy as a result and many accidents occurred.
Every event with a place to put it; 10 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
Open the live radar over this ground
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 10
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.
A wintry mix of light snow, freezing drizzle and some freezing rain spread over the listed counties from the morning of the 20th through the early morning of the 21st. Roads became slick and icy as a result and many accidents occurred. Four people were killed in accidents (mentioned below). One law enforcement officer described U.S. Highway 40 as a "skating rink". Very cold conditions accompanied the wintry mix of precipitation and wind chills in many areas were below zero. Several schools were closed the day after the storm.
Ice Storm, Dickinson
- When
- December 20, 7:00 AM CST to December 21, 3:00 AM CST
- Where
- Dickinson forecast zone
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 38.867, -97.153 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A mixture of light snow, freezing drizzle and some freezing rain spread over the listed counties from the morning of the 20th until the early morning of the 21st. Most roads in the area were slick and resulted in numerous vehicle accidents. Four people were killed (mentioned previously). One law enforcement official compared U.S. Highway 40 to a "skating rink". Cold weather accompanied the wintry mix of precipitation and sent wind chills below zero in many areas. Several schools were closed the Monday after the storm.
Ice Storm, Coffey
- When
- December 20, 7:00 AM CST to December 21, 3:00 AM CST
- Where
- Coffey forecast zone
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 38.237, -95.734 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice Storm, Douglas
- When
- December 20, 7:00 AM CST to December 21, 3:00 AM CST
- Where
- Douglas forecast zone
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 38.885, -95.293 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice Storm, Geary
- When
- December 20, 7:00 AM CST to December 21, 3:00 AM CST
- Where
- Geary forecast zone
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 39.002, -96.752 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice Storm, Jefferson
- When
- December 20, 7:00 AM CST to December 21, 3:00 AM CST
- Where
- Jefferson forecast zone
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 39.236, -95.383 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice Storm, Lyon
- When
- December 20, 7:00 AM CST to December 21, 3:00 AM CST
- Where
- Lyon forecast zone
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 38.456, -96.153 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice Storm, Morris
- When
- December 20, 7:00 AM CST to December 21, 3:00 AM CST
- Where
- Morris forecast zone
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 38.687, -96.650 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice Storm, Osage
- When
- December 20, 7:00 AM CST to December 21, 3:00 AM CST
- Where
- Osage forecast zone
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 38.652, -95.727 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice Storm, Shawnee
- When
- December 20, 7:00 AM CST to December 21, 3:00 AM CST
- Where
- Shawnee forecast zone
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 39.042, -95.756 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice Storm, Wabaunsee
- When
- December 20, 7:00 AM CST to December 21, 3:00 AM CST
- Where
- Wabaunsee forecast zone
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 38.953, -96.205 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A mixture of light snow, freezing drizzle and some freezing rain fell across the area. Roads became icy and numerous accidents were the result. One law enforcement official described U.S. Highway 40 as a "skating rink". Four fatal accidents occurred (mentioned below). Cold conditions accompanied the wintry mix of precipitation with wind chills below zero in many areas. Several schools were closed the day after the storm.
- 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.
- Ice Storm in Kansas, December 20, 19984 deaths · 3 events
- Ice Storm and Heavy Snow in California, December 20 to 21, 19982 deaths · $1.0 million · 2 events
- Cold in California, December 20 to 27, 1998$596 million · 2 events
- Rip Current in Florida, December 20, 19981 death · 2 injured · 1 event
- Ice Storm in Oklahoma, December 20 to 21, 199848 events
- Winter Storm in Missouri, December 20 to 21, 199834 events
- Cold in Nebraska, December 20 to 23, 199824 events
- High Wind in Nevada, December 20, 19981 injured · $15,000 · 1 event
- Cold in Kansas, December 20 to 23, 19986 events
- Winter Storm in Colorado, December 20 to 21, 19986 events
- Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, December 20, 19984 events
- Winter Storm in Kansas, December 20 to 21, 19983 events
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: 5670280, 5670281, 5670282, 5670283, 5670284, 5670285, 5670286, 5670287, 5670288, 5670289.