Ohio, 1998

Flash Flooding in Ohio, January 7 to 8, 1998

January 7 to 8, 1998 · NWS RLX · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

5 to over 3 inches fell along a frontal boundary in 12 to 18 hours. The heaviest rains in southeast Ohio were over Perry, Vinton, and Jackson Counties.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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
$170,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

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 RLX wrote it up.

Rains of 1.5 to over 3 inches fell along a frontal boundary in 12 to 18 hours. The heaviest rains in southeast Ohio were over Perry, Vinton, and Jackson Counties. McArthur reported 3.25 inches of rain. The Middle Fork of Salt Creek flooded around Ratcliffsburg in Vinton County. Some evacuations were required in western Vinton County. Many roads were closed across the 8 counties.

The radar

The Cincinnati radar (KILN), 116 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:06 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Vinton

When
January 7, 7:00 PM EST to January 8, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Vinton County, Countywide
Property damage
$40,000
Coordinates
39.251, -82.485 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Lawrence

When
January 7, 7:00 PM EST to January 8, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Lawrence County, Countywide
Property damage
$10,000
Coordinates
38.599, -82.537 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Jackson

When
January 7, 7:00 PM EST to January 8, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Jackson County, Countywide
Property damage
$40,000
Coordinates
39.020, -82.618 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Perry

When
January 7, 7:00 PM EST to January 8, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Perry County, Countywide
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
39.737, -82.236 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Athens

When
January 7, 7:00 PM EST to January 8, 7:00 AM EST
Where
Athens County, Countywide
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
39.334, -82.045 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Meigs

When
January 7, 8:00 PM EST to January 8, 2:00 AM EST
Where
Meigs County, Countywide
Property damage
$10,000
Coordinates
39.082, -82.023 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Gallia

When
January 7, 8:00 PM EST to January 8, 2:00 AM EST
Where
Gallia County, Countywide
Property damage
$10,000
Coordinates
38.825, -82.317 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Morgan

When
January 7, 8:15 PM EST to January 8, 2:00 AM EST
Where
Morgan County, Countywide
Property damage
$10,000
Coordinates
39.620, -81.853 (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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Ohio in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, 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: 5627952, 5627953, 5627954, 5627955, 5627956, 5627957, 5627958, 5627959.