Flash Flooding and Lightning Strike in Rhode Island, February 18, 1998

Name: Flash Flooding and Lightning Strike in Rhode Island, February 18, 1998
Start: 1998-02-18T00:00
End: 1998-02-18T14:00
Location: Rhode Island

February 18, 1998 · NWS BOX · 11 events in 6 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 11 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: $408,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 11

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 BOX wrote it up.

A strong low pressure system that moved to the northeast along the Mid Atlantic coast and then passed southeast of Cape Cod brought heavy rainfall, isolated flash floods, and thunderstorms to mainly central and southern Rhode Island. Strong northeast winds gusting to 30 to 40 mph occurred across the south portion of Narragansett Bay and along the south coast from Little Compton to Westerly. Rainfall totals for this storm were in the range from 2.0 to 3.5 inches during a 12-hour period. Some totals (not necessarily complete storm totals) included: Tiverton, 3.4 inches; Middletown, 3.1 inches; Newport, 2.98 inches; North Kingstown, 2.7 inches; Ashaway, 2.58 inches; and T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, 2.16 inches.In Middletown, the Maidford River rose out of its banks flooding a part of a neighborhood. In South Kingstown, California Jim's Pond Dam broke damaging a portion of Route 108 as well as several homes in the Peace Dale section of town. Damage was $400,000; $325,000 for the dam and $75,000 in payouts to local residents, according to town officials.In Little Compton, a lightning bolt struck in the center of town resulting in an estimated 5 to 10 thousand dollars damage to a house. In Tiverton, fire crews pumped out many basements. There were reports of minor street flooding in Middletown and Newport. There was considerable flooding in poor drainage areas in southeast Rhode Island.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 heavy rain, 2 strong wind, 2 flash flood, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Southeast Providence

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Southeast Providence forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.871, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Bristol

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Bristol forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.706, -71.286 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Eastern Kent

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Kent forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.673, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Newport

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Newport forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.500, -71.281 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Washington

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Washington forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.397, -71.620 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Western Kent

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Western Kent forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.673, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Washington

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Washington forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.397, -71.620 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Newport

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Newport forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.500, -71.281 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning, Newport

When: February 18, 5:30 AM EST
Where: Newport County, Little Compton
Property damage: $8,000
Coordinates: 41.500, -71.281 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Newport

When: February 18, 8:20 AM EST
Where: Newport County, Middletown
Coordinates: 41.500, -71.281 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Washington

When: February 18, 2:00 PM EST
Where: Washington County, Southeast Portion
Property damage: $400,000
Coordinates: 41.397, -71.620 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Strong Wind: Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.
Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
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 Rhode Island in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in Rhode Island, 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: 5632533, 5632534, 5632535, 5632536, 5632537, 5632691, 5632692, 5632693, 5632694, 5632695, 5632696.