Winter Storm in Nebraska, March 7 to 12, 1998

Name: Winter Storm in Nebraska, March 7 to 12, 1998
Start: 1998-03-07T00:00
End: 1998-03-12T12:00
Location: Nebraska

March 7 to 12, 1998 · NWS GID · 24 events in 24 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 24 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

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $100,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 24

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.

A strong, late season winter storm belted south central Nebraska with snowfall of 4 to 15 inches over the weekend. The storm developed in the southwest United States and then slowly moved northeast across the Central Plains. Widespread freezing rain and drizzle spread across the region by the morning of the 7th leaving an icy coating on area roads. The ice changed to snow Saturday afternoon and became heavy at times with lasting through the night. By midday on the 8th, amounts ranged from 4 inches at St. Paul to 15 inches at Deshler. A narrow band of snow in excess of one foot fell from Nelson to York. Another area of snowfall totallling near one foot was reported in the Ord area.By the evening of the 8th, a north wind gusting to 50 mph caused near blizzard conditions. Numerous roads were closed or impassable in the region, including Interstate 80. Drifts as high as ten feet were reported. Since there were accurate forecasts with ample lead time, many people stayed off the roads, thus limiting the number of accidents.Record cold followed the snow with temperatures dropping well below for three straight mornings beginning on March 9.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

24 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Harlan

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Harlan forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.177, -99.405 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Howard

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Howard forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.220, -98.517 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Kearney

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Kearney forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.507, -98.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Merrick

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Merrick forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.170, -98.038 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Nance

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Nance forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.397, -97.992 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Nuckolls

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Nuckolls forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.176, -98.047 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Phelps

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Phelps forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.511, -99.414 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Polk

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Polk forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.187, -97.568 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Sherman

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Sherman forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.221, -98.976 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Thayer

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Thayer forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.176, -97.595 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Valley

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Valley forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.567, -98.982 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Webster

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Webster forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.176, -98.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, York

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: York forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.873, -97.597 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Adams

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Adams forecast zone
Property damage: $100,000
Coordinates: 40.525, -98.501 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Buffalo

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Buffalo forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.855, -99.075 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Clay

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Clay forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.524, -98.051 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Dawson

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Dawson forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.870, -99.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Fillmore

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Fillmore forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.525, -97.596 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Franklin

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Franklin forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.176, -98.953 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Furnas

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Furnas forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.177, -99.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Gosper

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Gosper forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.515, -99.831 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Greeley

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Greeley forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.567, -98.521 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hall

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Hall forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.873, -98.502 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hamilton

When: March 7, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Hamilton forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.874, -98.023 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Nebraska in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in Nebraska, 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: 5634025, 5634026, 5634027, 5634028, 5634029, 5634030, 5634031, 5634032, 5634033, 5634034, 5634035, 5634036, 5634037, 5635105, 5635106, 5635107, 5635108, 5636044, 5636045, 5636046, 5636047, 5636048, 5636049, 5636050.