Ice Storm in Tennessee, December 22 to 24, 1998

Name: Ice Storm in Tennessee, December 22 to 24, 1998
Start: 1998-12-22T01:00
End: 1998-12-24T11:59
Location: Tennessee

December 22 to 24, 1998 · NWS MRX · 40 events in 40 counties and zones

The ice storm left minor accumulations of ice in valley locations due to warm ground temperatures. Most of the ice was on trees and bridges.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 40 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: 40

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 MRX wrote it up.

The ice storm left minor accumulations of ice in valley locations due to warm ground temperatures. Most of the ice was on trees and bridges. Most roads were only wet. In higher elevations, the ice was much heavier. Around 5,000 customers lost power in McMinn and Meigs counties. In Hamilton county, nearly 10,000 people lost power, mainly on Lookout Mountain, Signal Mountain, Mowbray Mountain and Elder Mountain. In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the storm snapped limbs and uprooted thousands of trees, costing upwards of $80,000 to clean up.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

40 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Anderson

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Anderson forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.118, -84.198 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Blount/Smoky Mountains

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Blount/Smoky Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.687, -83.925 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Bradley

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Bradley forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.154, -84.860 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Campbell

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Campbell forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.404, -84.149 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Claiborne

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Claiborne forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.486, -83.660 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Cocke/Smoky Mountains

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Cocke/Smoky Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.925, -83.121 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, East Polk

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: East Polk forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.120, -84.523 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Grainger

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Grainger forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.276, -83.510 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Hamblen

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Hamblen forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.217, -83.267 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Hamilton

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Hamilton forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.181, -85.165 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Hancock

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Hancock forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.524, -83.222 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Hawkins

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Hawkins forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.441, -82.945 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Jefferson

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Jefferson forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.051, -83.446 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Johnson

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Johnson forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.455, -81.852 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Knox

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Knox forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.993, -83.937 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Loudon

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Loudon forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.735, -84.312 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, McMinn

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: McMinn forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.425, -84.617 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Meigs

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Meigs forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.513, -84.813 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Morgan

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Morgan forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.135, -84.649 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, North Sevier

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: North Sevier forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.785, -83.524 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Northwest Blount

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Northwest Blount forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.687, -83.925 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Northwest Carter

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Northwest Carter forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.293, -82.127 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Northwest Cocke

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Northwest Cocke forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.925, -83.121 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Northwest Greene

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Northwest Greene forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.175, -82.846 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Northwest Monroe

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Northwest Monroe forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.443, -84.253 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Rhea

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Rhea forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.609, -84.924 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Roane

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Roane forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.848, -84.523 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Scott

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Scott forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.429, -84.503 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Sevier/Smoky Mountains

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Sevier/Smoky Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.785, -83.524 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Southeast Carter

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Southeast Carter forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.293, -82.127 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Southeast Greene

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Southeast Greene forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.175, -82.846 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Southeast Monroe

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Southeast Monroe forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.443, -84.253 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Sullivan

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Sullivan forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.513, -82.304 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Unicoi

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Unicoi forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.111, -82.432 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Union

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Union forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.288, -83.837 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Washington

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Washington forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.293, -82.497 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, West Polk

When: December 22, 1:00 AM EST to December 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where: West Polk forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.120, -84.523 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Bledsoe

When: December 22, 12:01 PM CST to December 24, 10:59 AM CST
Where: Bledsoe forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.596, -85.205 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Marion

When: December 22, 12:01 PM CST to December 24, 10:59 AM CST
Where: Marion forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.129, -85.622 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Sequatchie

When: December 22, 12:01 PM CST to December 24, 10:59 AM CST
Where: Sequatchie forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.371, -85.411 (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

Every storm in Tennessee in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in Tennessee, December 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: 5674276, 5674278, 5674279, 5674280, 5674281, 5674282, 5674283, 5674284, 5674285, 5674286, 5674287, 5674288, 5674289, 5674290, 5674291, 5674292, 5674294, 5674295, 5674296, 5674297, 5674298, 5674299, 5674300, 5674301, 5674302, 5674303, 5674304, 5674305, 5674307, 5674308, 5674426, 5674427, 5674428, 5674429, 5674430, 5674431, 5674432, 5674277, 5674293, 5674306.