Ice Storm in Tennessee, December 23 to 24, 1998

Name: Ice Storm in Tennessee, December 23 to 24, 1998
Start: 1998-12-23T09:30
End: 1998-12-24T05:00
Location: Tennessee

December 23 to 24, 1998 · NWS MEG · 11 events in 11 counties and zones

An ice storm moved into west Tennessee. Many counties in West Tennessee saw ice accumulation of between 1/4" and 1/2" with up to 2 inches of ice accumulation reported in Fayette county.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $11,000
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 MEG wrote it up.

An ice storm moved into west Tennessee. Many counties in West Tennessee saw ice accumulation of between 1/4" and 1/2" with up to 2 inches of ice accumulation reported in Fayette county. A few trees were knocked down because of the ice. One person was killed in Fayette while driving on Interstate 40 which had ice on it.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Chester

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Chester forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.422, -88.613 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Crockett

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Crockett forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.814, -89.139 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Fayette

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Fayette forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.197, -89.414 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Hardeman

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Hardeman forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.207, -88.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Hardin

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Hardin forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.199, -88.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Haywood

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Haywood forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.583, -89.284 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Henderson

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Henderson forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.654, -88.388 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Lauderdale

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Lauderdale forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.761, -89.631 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Madison

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.608, -88.838 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, McNairy

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 5:00 AM CST
Where: McNairy forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.175, -88.564 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Tipton

When: December 23, 9:30 AM CST to December 24, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Tipton forecast zone
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.497, -89.759 (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: 5674366, 5674367, 5674368, 5674369, 5674370, 5674371, 5674372, 5674373, 5674374, 5674375, 5674376.