Rhode Island, 1998

Strong Wind and Heavy Rain in Rhode Island, February 23 to 25, 1998

February 23 to 25, 1998 · NWS BOX · 13 events in 7 counties and zones

The second powerful nor'easter to affect the region in less than a week brought heavy rainfall and strong northeast winds to much of Rhode Island. An extremely intense low pressure system moving to the northeast and passing just to the southeast of Nantucket had a central barometric pressure just under 29 inches of mercury.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 13 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
13

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.

The second powerful nor'easter to affect the region in less than a week brought heavy rainfall and strong northeast winds to much of Rhode Island. An extremely intense low pressure system moving to the northeast and passing just to the southeast of Nantucket had a central barometric pressure just under 29 inches of mercury. Rainfall totals for this storm exceeded 2 inches over the eastern and northern part of the state. A total of 2.03 inches was reported from Foster while 2.00 fell in Coventry. Strong northeast winds gusted to 40 to 56 mph across the state. Some peak gusts included: Providence, 56 mph; Charlestown and Tiverton, 52 mph; and Newport and North Smithfield, 47 mph.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 strong wind, 6 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Northwest Providence

When
February 23, 11:00 PM EST to February 24, 11:00 PM EST
Where
Northwest Providence forecast zone
Coordinates
41.871, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Bristol

When
February 23, 11:00 PM EST to February 24, 11:00 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 23, 11:00 PM EST to February 24, 11:00 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 23, 11:00 PM EST to February 24, 11:00 PM EST
Where
Newport forecast zone
Coordinates
41.500, -71.281 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Southeast Providence

When
February 23, 11:00 PM EST to February 24, 11:00 PM EST
Where
Southeast Providence forecast zone
Coordinates
41.871, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Western Kent

When
February 23, 11:00 PM EST to February 24, 11:00 PM EST
Where
Western Kent forecast zone
Coordinates
41.673, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Northwest Providence

When
February 24, 12:00 AM EST to February 25, 3:00 PM EST
Where
Northwest Providence forecast zone
Coordinates
41.871, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Bristol

When
February 24, 12:00 AM EST to February 25, 3:00 PM EST
Where
Bristol forecast zone
Coordinates
41.706, -71.286 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Kent

When
February 24, 12:00 AM EST to February 25, 3:00 PM EST
Where
Eastern Kent forecast zone
Coordinates
41.673, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Newport

When
February 24, 12:00 AM EST to February 25, 3:00 PM EST
Where
Newport forecast zone
Coordinates
41.500, -71.281 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Southeast Providence

When
February 24, 12:00 AM EST to February 25, 3:00 PM EST
Where
Southeast Providence forecast zone
Coordinates
41.871, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Washington

When
February 24, 12:00 AM EST to February 25, 3:00 PM EST
Where
Washington forecast zone
Coordinates
41.397, -71.620 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Kent

When
February 24, 12:00 AM EST to February 25, 3:00 PM EST
Where
Western Kent forecast zone
Coordinates
41.673, -71.579 (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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Rhode Island in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings 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: 5632697, 5632698, 5632699, 5632700, 5632701, 5632702, 5632703, 5632704, 5632705, 5632706, 5632707, 5632708, 5632709.