Ice Storm, Jewell
- When
- March 15, 6:00 AM CST to March 17, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Jewell forecast zone
- Property damage
- $75,000
- Coordinates
- 39.785, -98.218 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice Storm in Kansas, March 15 to 17, 1998
As temperatures remained steady near the freezing mark, freezing rain left a thick coating of ice on just about everything in north central Kansas. The most significant icing occurred the night of the 16th.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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
- $75,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 6
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 GID wrote it up.
As temperatures remained steady near the freezing mark, freezing rain left a thick coating of ice on just about everything in north central Kansas. The most significant icing occurred the night of the 16th. Widespread power outages were reported from Mankato to Phillipsburg. Roads were nearly impassible with several minor accidents reported.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
6 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Ice Storm, Mitchell
- When
- March 15, 6:00 AM CST to March 17, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Mitchell forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 39.393, -98.209 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice Storm, Osborne
- When
- March 15, 6:00 AM CST to March 17, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Osborne forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 39.350, -98.768 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice Storm, Phillips
- When
- March 15, 6:00 AM CST to March 17, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Phillips forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 39.785, -99.347 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice Storm, Rooks
- When
- March 15, 6:00 AM CST to March 17, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Rooks forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 39.350, -99.325 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice Storm, Smith
- When
- March 15, 6:00 AM CST to March 17, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Smith forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 39.785, -98.785 (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 Kansas in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, March 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: 5634044, 5634045, 5634046, 5634047, 5634048, 5634049.