Pennsylvania, 1998

Strong Wind in Pennsylvania, February 4 to 5, 1998

February 4 to 5, 1998 · NWS PHI · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

The strongest northeaster of the winter season for coastal areas brought strong winds into Southeastern Pennsylvania from the late afternoon of the 4th into the mid day hours on the 5th. The strongest winds occurred within a few hours of midnight on either side and were between 40 and 50 mph in most locations.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
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 PHI wrote it up.

The strongest northeaster of the winter season for coastal areas brought strong winds into Southeastern Pennsylvania from the late afternoon of the 4th into the mid day hours on the 5th. The strongest winds occurred within a few hours of midnight on either side and were between 40 and 50 mph in most locations. The strongest wind gusts included 45 mph in Souderton (Montgomery County) and 44 mph at the Philadelphia International Airport. The storm system developed in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico during the night of February 1st and moved northeast. At 7 a.m. EST on the 3rd it was centered near Appalachicola, Florida and at 7 a.m. EST on the 4th it was located near Charlestown, South Carolina. From there it continued to move northeast and intensify and was just east of Cape Hatteras at 7 p.m. EST on the 4th. The northeaster took a more easterly track overnight on the 4th and by 7 a.m. EST on the 5th was located about 150 miles southeast of Indian River Inlet. The storm then accelerated and was well east of the Delmarva Peninsula the morning of the 6th.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Bucks

When
February 4, 4:00 PM EST to February 5, 5:00 PM EST
Where
Bucks forecast zone

Strong Wind, Chester

When
February 4, 4:00 PM EST to February 5, 5:00 PM EST
Where
Chester forecast zone

Strong Wind, Delaware

When
February 4, 4:00 PM EST to February 5, 5:00 PM EST
Where
Delaware forecast zone
Coordinates
39.917, -75.399 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Montgomery

When
February 4, 4:00 PM EST to February 5, 5:00 PM EST
Where
Montgomery forecast zone

Strong Wind, Philadelphia

When
February 4, 4:00 PM EST to February 5, 5:00 PM EST
Where
Philadelphia forecast zone
Coordinates
40.008, -75.134 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Strong Wind
Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Pennsylvania in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, February 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: 5631944, 5631945, 5631946, 5631947, 5631948.