Mississippi, 1998

Flash Flooding and Flood in Mississippi, January 6 to 7, 1998

January 6 to 7, 1998 · NWS LIX · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Widespread rains of 3 to 5 inches occurred across the region during the morning hours. Considerable runoff occurred due to saturated soil from heavy rain during the previous two days resulted in widespread flooding of streets and secondary roadways.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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
$185,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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 LIX wrote it up.

Widespread rains of 3 to 5 inches occurred across the region during the morning hours. Considerable runoff occurred due to saturated soil from heavy rain during the previous two days resulted in widespread flooding of streets and secondary roadways. Poplarville, in Pearl River County, was hardest hit with 20 houses being flooded according to the Civil Defense Office. In Jackson County, two houses were flooded in Pascagoula and several houses in Helena.

The radar

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

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Event by event

4 flash flood, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Pike

When
January 6, 11:00 PM CST to January 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Pike County, Countywide
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
31.175, -90.404 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Pearl River

When
January 7, 2:00 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where
Pearl River County, Countywide
Property damage
$100,000
Coordinates
30.769, -89.590 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Hancock

When
January 7, 3:00 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where
Hancock County, Countywide
Property damage
$10,000
Coordinates
30.394, -89.475 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Harrison

When
January 7, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where
Harrison County, Countywide
Coordinates
30.416, -89.082 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Jackson

When
January 7, 5:00 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where
Jackson County, Countywide
Property damage
$50,000
Coordinates
30.463, -88.623 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
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 Mississippi in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Mississippi, 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: 5631511, 5631512, 5631513, 5631514, 5630127.