Minnesota, 1998

Ice Storm in Minnesota, January 4 to 5, 1998

January 4 to 5, 1998 · NWS MPX · 12 events in 12 counties and zones

Freezing rain produced ice accumulations ranging from one-quarter to three-quarters of an inch. Numerous car accidents were reported, one of which resulted in a fatality near Fairmont in Martin County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 12 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
12

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 MPX wrote it up.

Freezing rain produced ice accumulations ranging from one-quarter to three-quarters of an inch. Numerous car accidents were reported, one of which resulted in a fatality near Fairmont in Martin County. Little wind occurred with this system, therefore no damage to power lines or trees was reported.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Blue Earth

When
January 4, 2:00 PM CST to January 5, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Blue Earth forecast zone
Coordinates
44.035, -94.067 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Dakota

When
January 4, 2:00 PM CST to January 5, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Dakota forecast zone
Coordinates
44.672, -93.065 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Faribault

When
January 4, 2:00 PM CST to January 5, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Faribault forecast zone
Coordinates
43.674, -93.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Freeborn

When
January 4, 2:00 PM CST to January 5, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Freeborn forecast zone
Coordinates
43.674, -93.349 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Goodhue

When
January 4, 2:00 PM CST to January 5, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Goodhue forecast zone
Coordinates
44.410, -92.723 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Le Sueur

When
January 4, 2:00 PM CST to January 5, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Le Sueur forecast zone
Coordinates
44.371, -93.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Martin

When
January 4, 2:00 PM CST to January 5, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Martin forecast zone
Coordinates
43.674, -94.551 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Rice

When
January 4, 2:00 PM CST to January 5, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Rice forecast zone
Coordinates
44.354, -93.297 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Scott

When
January 4, 2:00 PM CST to January 5, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Scott forecast zone
Coordinates
44.649, -93.536 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Steele

When
January 4, 2:00 PM CST to January 5, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Steele forecast zone
Coordinates
44.022, -93.226 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Waseca

When
January 4, 2:00 PM CST to January 5, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Waseca forecast zone
Coordinates
44.022, -93.587 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Washington

When
January 4, 2:00 PM CST to January 5, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Washington forecast zone
Coordinates
45.039, -92.884 (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 Minnesota in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, 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: 5627599, 5627600, 5627601, 5627602, 5627603, 5627604, 5627605, 5627606, 5627607, 5627608, 5627609, 5627610.