Massachusetts, 1998

Flooding and Heavy Snow in Massachusetts, January 23 to 24, 1998

January 23 to 24, 1998 · NWS BOX · 13 events in 12 counties and zones

Snow accumulated to over 6 inches in parts of central and western Massachusetts before changing to sleet, freezing rain, and finally rain. State police responded to numerous reports of spinouts on Interstates 190, 290, and 495 as the combination of snow changing to freezing rain created very hazardous driving conditions.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 13 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
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
13

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 BOX wrote it up.

Snow accumulated to over 6 inches in parts of central and western Massachusetts before changing to sleet, freezing rain, and finally rain. State police responded to numerous reports of spinouts on Interstates 190, 290, and 495 as the combination of snow changing to freezing rain created very hazardous driving conditions. Some snowfall totals included: Granville, 7.5 inches; Ashburnham, 7.2 inches; Goshen, 6.5 inches; Huntington, North Amherst, and Lowell, all 6.0 inches. After a change to heavy rain, considerable urban and lowland flooding was reported, especially south of the Mass. Turnpike. Lowland flooding was reported along a small stream in Grafton, in Worcester County. Heavy rainfall occurred across central and eastern Massachusetts. Precipitation totals of one and one-half to three inches occurred, with a few places exceeding three inches. Some rainfall totals included: Plymouth, 3.54 inches; New Bedford, 3.42 inches; Foxboro, 3.10 inches; Maynard, 2.73 inches; West Medway, 2.67 inches; Natick, 2.58 inches; Taunton, 2.48 inches; and Worcester, 2.20 inches.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 heavy snow, 4 heavy rain, 2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Western Franklin

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where
Western Franklin forecast zone
Coordinates
42.583, -72.592 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Eastern Franklin

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where
Eastern Franklin forecast zone
Coordinates
42.583, -72.592 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Eastern Hampshire

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where
Eastern Hampshire forecast zone
Coordinates
42.340, -72.664 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Northern Worcester

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where
Northern Worcester forecast zone
Coordinates
42.351, -71.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Western Hampden

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where
Western Hampden forecast zone
Coordinates
42.135, -72.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Western Hampshire

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where
Western Hampshire forecast zone
Coordinates
42.340, -72.664 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Western Middlesex

When
January 23, 9:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where
Western Middlesex forecast zone
Coordinates
42.486, -71.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Worcester

When
January 23, 3:00 PM EST to January 24, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Worcester County, Countywide
Coordinates
42.351, -71.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Bristol

When
January 23, 3:00 PM EST to January 24, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Bristol County, Countywide
Coordinates
41.757, -71.088 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Middlesex

When
January 23, 3:00 PM EST to January 24, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Middlesex County, Countywide
Coordinates
42.486, -71.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Plymouth

When
January 23, 3:00 PM EST to January 24, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Plymouth County, Countywide
Coordinates
41.987, -70.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Worcester

When
January 23, 6:00 PM EST to January 24, 9:00 AM EST
Where
Worcester County, Countywide
Coordinates
42.351, -71.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Hampden

When
January 23, 6:00 PM EST to January 24, 9:00 AM EST
Where
Hampden County, Countywide
Coordinates
42.135, -72.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
Heavy Rain
Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Massachusetts in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Massachusetts, 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: 5635717, 5635718, 5635719, 5635720, 5635721, 5635722, 5635723, 5635726, 5635727, 5635728, 5635729, 5635724, 5635725.