Oklahoma, 1998

Ice Storm in Oklahoma, January 4, 1998

January 4, 1998 · NWS AMA · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A disturbance in the upper atmosphere over the South Plains of Texas moving slowly northeast and a moist flow at the surface behind a cold front combined to produce light to moderate freezing rain across the central and eastern Oklahoma Panhandle. One quarter to one inch of ice accumulated on exposed surfaces.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
2

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 AMA wrote it up.

A disturbance in the upper atmosphere over the South Plains of Texas moving slowly northeast and a moist flow at the surface behind a cold front combined to produce light to moderate freezing rain across the central and eastern Oklahoma Panhandle. One quarter to one inch of ice accumulated on exposed surfaces.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Beaver

When
January 4, 12:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where
Beaver forecast zone
Coordinates
36.750, -100.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Texas

When
January 4, 12:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where
Texas forecast zone
Coordinates
36.748, -101.490 (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 Oklahoma in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, 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: 5629817, 5629818.