Flash Flooding and Flooding in Ohio, January 8 to 11, 1998

Name: Flash Flooding and Flooding in Ohio, January 8 to 11, 1998
Start: 1998-01-08T22:00
End: 1998-01-11T10:00
Location: Ohio

January 8 to 11, 1998 · NWS RLX · 10 events in 6 counties and zones

The final period of heavy rain deposited a half inch to an inch, in less than 3 hours, over saturated ground. In Meigs County, 80 percent of the roads in Rutland Township were affected by high water.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 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: $180,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 10

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.

The final period of heavy rain deposited a half inch to an inch, in less than 3 hours, over saturated ground. In Meigs County, 80 percent of the roads in Rutland Township were affected by high water. Sunday Creek in Athens County surrounded homes in Glouster, Jacksonville, and Trimble. The Hocking River went into flood across Athens County. The river crested at 21.5 feet in the city of Athens during the late morning hours of the 9th. Flood stage is 20 feet. Yet, the flood control project protects the city to 27 feet, The most serious flooding along the Hocking River was in the Chauncey vicinity. Here water got into many homes and was 1 to 2 feet deep on the roads. Minor river flooding finally occurred on the mainstem of the Ohio River from the mouth of the Hocking River to the mouth of the Kanawha River. Racine Lock and Dam crested at 42.7 feet. Pomeroy crested at 46.1 feet. Roads, parking lots, and parks were flooded, but not homes or businesses. This level was about 4 to 5 feet lower than in March of 1997.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 flash flood, 3 flood, 2 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Lawrence

When: January 8, 10:00 PM EST
Where: Lawrence County, South Pt
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 38.420, -82.580

Hail, Lawrence

When: January 8, 10:05 PM EST
Where: Lawrence County, Willow Wood
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 38.570, -82.470

Flood, Athens

When: January 9, 12:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Athens forecast zone
Property damage: $100,000
Coordinates: 39.334, -82.045 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When: January 9, 12:15 AM EST
Where: Washington County, Newport
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 39.400, -81.650

Several trees were blown down.

Flash Flood, Athens

When: January 9, 12:30 AM EST to 3:00 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 9, 12:30 AM EST to 3:00 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, Perry

When: January 9, 12:30 AM EST to 3:00 AM EST
Where: Perry County, Countywide
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 39.737, -82.236 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Washington

When: January 9, 12:40 AM EST to 3:00 AM EST
Where: Washington County, Countywide
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 39.455, -81.495 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Meigs

When: January 10, 12:00 AM EST to January 11, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Meigs forecast zone
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 39.082, -82.023 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Gallia

When: January 10, 12:00 AM EST to January 11, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Gallia forecast zone
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 38.825, -82.317 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
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

Every storm in Ohio in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings 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: 5627965, 5627966, 5627972, 5627967, 5627968, 5627969, 5627970, 5627971, 5627973, 5627974.