Winter Storm in Tennessee, December 23 to 24, 1998

Name: Winter Storm in Tennessee, December 23 to 24, 1998
Start: 1998-12-23T07:30
End: 1998-12-24T22:00
Location: Tennessee

December 23 to 24, 1998 · NWS OHX · 40 events in 37 counties and zones

Newspaper accounts reported trecherous driving conditions across Franklin county. 1/2 to 3/4 inch of ice was observed at 105 PM on December 24 and there was one injury.

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
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Wind
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Winter weather
Heat and drought
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Fire, smoke and dust
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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 11
Property damage: $1.5 million
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 OHX wrote it up.

Newspaper accounts reported trecherous driving conditions across Franklin county. 1/2 to 3/4 inch of ice was observed at 105 PM on December 24 and there was one injury. In Fentress county, 40 percent of the county was without power and numerous trees were down. 1/2 to 3/4 inch of ice reported as of 1200 PM over Pickett county. Trees were down and power outages along with 11/2 inch of ice reported at 1200 PM over DeKalb county. The Cookville NOAA Weather Radio was knocked off the air, due to ice on power lines in Putnam county. In Overton county there was a car accident with 2 injuries near Alpine. 1/2 inch of ice at 1200 PM at Alpine and 1 inch of ice at Livingston in Overton county. 3 to 4 inches of sleet and ice with 2000 homes without power reported in Cannon county. There was a 1/2 inch of ice at 1110 AM CST in Murfreesboro with several fender benders. Also, 1/2 to 3/4 inch of ice on the ground by 1100 AM CST in Hartsville along with numerous car wrecks. Widespread trees and power lines were down in Warren county. Warren and Coffee counties were the hardest hit counties in this winter storm. Caney Fork Electric estimated it cost 1.5 million dollars to restore downed utility poles and power lines. Most of the cost was for labor especially over the Christmas holiday. The damage was worst than the February Ice Storm of 1994 by three fold for Warren county. Cataclysmic tree and power line damage with one inch of ice in Coffee county. 80 percent of the residents were without power. Most of the damage was done when trees and power lines were coated with an inch of ice. The weight of the ice caused tree limbs and power lines to fall. This storm was considered worse than the February Ice Storm in 1994 for Coffee county.The NWS office at Old Hickory had 0.7 inch of ice at 1100 AM CST. Nashville had 1/2 inch of ice from the storm. Centerville 1 inch and Ashland City received 1 to 2 inches of ice. Major tractor trailer pileup on I-40 eastbound at Mt. Eagle Mountain with 3 injuries in Overton county.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

40 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Rutherford

When: December 23, 7:30 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Rutherford forecast zone
Injuries: 5 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.843, -86.417 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous wrecks with I-24 closed down between mile marker 62 and 78 from 730 AM to noon. This stretch of I-24 was from Murfreesboro to Lavergne. One inch of ice on the ground by 1130 AM CST.

Winter Storm, Cannon

When: December 23, 11:00 AM CST to December 24, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Cannon forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.809, -86.062 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

3 to 4 inches of sleet and ice with 2000 homes without power in Cannon county.

Winter Storm, Overton

When: December 23, 12:00 PM CST to December 24, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Overton forecast zone
Injuries: 3 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.345, -85.288 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Major tractor trailer pileup on I-40 eastbound at Mt. Eagle Mountain.

Winter Storm, Moore

When: December 23, 11:35 PM CST to December 24, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Moore forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.285, -86.359 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Widespread trees and power lines down. Caney Fork Electric estimated it cost 1.5 million dollars to restore downed utility poles and power lines. Most of the cost was for labor especially over the Christmas holiday. The damage was worst than the February Ice Storm of 1994 by three fold.

Winter Storm, Lewis

When: December 24, 12:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Lewis forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.527, -87.493 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One inch of ice was on the ground at Hohenwald with large tree limbs down.

Winter Storm, Marshall

When: December 24, 12:00 AM CST to 12:10 PM CST
Where: Marshall forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.469, -86.765 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Trees were down with about 1/2 of ice on the ground at Lewisburg.

Winter Storm, Van Buren

When: December 24, 12:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Van Buren forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.696, -85.453 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

1/2 inch of ice on the ground at Spencer with tree damage and power outages. The hardest hit area was Rocky River where utility poles were snapped in half under the weight of the ice and trees.

Winter Storm, Bedford

When: December 24, 12:00 AM CST to 6:00 AM CST
Where: Bedford forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.514, -86.459 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Widespread trees and power lines down.

Winter Storm, Warren

When: December 24, 12:00 AM CST to 8:00 AM CST
Where: Warren forecast zone
Property damage: $1.5 million
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.679, -85.778 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Coffee

When: December 24, 12:00 AM CST to 8:00 AM CST
Where: Coffee forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.491, -86.075 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cataclysmic tree and power line damage with one inch of ice. 80 percent of the residents were without power. Coffee county was one of the hardest hit county in Middle Tennessee from this winter storm. Most of the damage was done when trees and power lines were coated with an inch of ice. The weight of the ice caused tree limbs and power lines to fall. This storm was considered worse than the February Ice Storm in 1994 for Coffee county.

Winter Storm, White

When: December 24, 12:00 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where: White forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.926, -85.455 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Power outages and trees down mainly near Sparta.

Winter Storm, Maury

When: December 24, 12:00 AM CST to 11:15 AM CST
Where: Maury forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.617, -87.077 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous trees and power lines down. Numerous vehicular accidents.

Winter Storm, Franklin

When: December 24, 12:00 AM CST to 11:15 AM CST
Where: Franklin forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.155, -86.092 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Widespread trees and power lines down with about 1/2 of ice on the ground near Winchester and 1 inch of ice near St. Andrews. 14 weather related car accidents were reported in Franklin county. At one point, 80 percent of the residents were without power.

Winter Storm, Giles

When: December 24, 12:00 AM CST to 11:50 AM CST
Where: Giles forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.202, -87.035 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Widespread trees and power lines down. As bad as if not worse than the February 1994 ice storm.

Winter Storm, Grundy

When: December 24, 12:00 AM CST to 11:50 AM CST
Where: Grundy forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.388, -85.723 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One inch of ice on the ground at Grundy. Widespread trees and poer lines were down.

Winter Storm, Lawrence

When: December 24, 12:00 AM CST to 11:55 AM CST
Where: Lawrence forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.217, -87.396 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One inch of ice on the ground at Lawrenceburg with widespread trees and power lines down.

Winter Storm, Lincoln

When: December 24, 12:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.141, -86.589 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous trees and power lines were down with one inch of ice at Fayetteville.

Winter Storm, Cumberland

When: December 24, 12:30 AM CST to 8:00 AM CST
Where: Cumberland forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.950, -84.998 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Crossville Airport had 1/2 inch of ice. The midnight shift had 7 hours with no power.

Winter Storm, Cheatham

When: December 24, 6:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Cheatham forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.261, -87.087 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

1 to 2 inches of ice reported around Ashland City.

Winter Storm, Davidson

When: December 24, 8:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Davidson forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.171, -86.777 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

1/2 inch of ice was reported at Nashville Cornelia Fort Airport and Nashville Metro Airport. Numerosu wrecks around town.

Winter Storm, Dickson

When: December 24, 8:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Dickson forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.149, -87.357 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

3/4 inch of ice was reported around Dickson.

Winter Storm, Hickman

When: December 24, 8:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Hickman forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.803, -87.473 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

1 inch of ice was reported at Centerville at 1050 AM CST.

Winter Storm, Wilson

When: December 24, 8:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Wilson forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 36.155, -86.298 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

NWS office at Old Hickory had 0.7 inch of ice at 1100 AM CST.

Winter Storm, Williamson

When: December 24, 8:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Williamson forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.894, -86.899 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

1/4 to 1/2 inch of ice was observed at Franklin.

Winter Storm, Trousdale

When: December 24, 8:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: Trousdale forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.392, -86.157 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

1/2 to 3/4 inch of ice on the ground by 1100 AM CST in Hartsville. Numerous car wrecks.

Winter Storm, Rutherford

When: December 24, 8:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Rutherford forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.843, -86.417 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

1/2 inch of ice at 1110 AM CST in Murfreesboro with several fender benders.

Winter Storm, Clay

When: December 24, 8:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Clay forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.551, -85.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

1 to 11/2 inch of ice was reported at 1155 AM.

Winter Storm, Perry

When: December 24, 8:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Perry forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.643, -87.859 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

1/2 to 3/4 inch of ice was reported at 1155 AM.

Winter Storm, Overton

When: December 24, 8:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Overton forecast zone
Injuries: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.345, -85.288 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Car accident with 2 injuries near Alpine. 1/2 inch of ice at 1200 PM at Alpine and 1 inch at Livingston.

Winter Storm, Putnam

When: December 24, 8:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Putnam forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.141, -85.495 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

1/2 inch of ice at 1200 PM. Power outages and car wrecks. Cookeville NWR knocked off the air.

Winter Storm, Dekalb

When: December 24, 8:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Dekalb forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.980, -85.833 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Trees down and power outages. 11/2 inch of ice reported at 1200 PM.

Winter Storm, Pickett

When: December 24, 8:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Pickett forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.558, -85.075 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

1/2 to 3/4 inch of ice reported as of 1200 PM.

Winter Storm, Fentress

When: December 24, 8:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Fentress forecast zone
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.381, -84.932 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

1/2 to 3/4 inch of ice was observed at 105 PM and there was one injury. 40 percent of the county was without power. Numerous trees were down.

Winter Storm, Franklin

When: December 24, 8:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Franklin forecast zone
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 35.155, -86.092 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Newspaper accounts of trecherous driving conditions.

Winter Storm, Montgomery

When: December 24, 9:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Montgomery forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.497, -87.383 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

1/4 inch of ice on the ground at Clarksville.

Winter Storm, Robertson

When: December 24, 9:15 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Robertson forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.526, -86.871 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

1/4 inch of ice on the ground at Springfield.

Winter Storm, Sumner

When: December 24, 9:15 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Sumner forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.469, -86.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

1/4 inch of ice at Gallatin.

Winter Storm, Houston

When: December 24, 10:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Houston forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.286, -87.717 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

1/4 inch of ice was reported around Erin. Trees were down.

Winter Storm, Benton

When: December 24, 11:15 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Benton forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.070, -88.068 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

1/4 inch of ice was reported at 1115 AM.

Winter Storm, Macon

When: December 24, 11:30 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Macon forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.532, -86.007 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

1/4 inch of ice was reported at 1130 AM.

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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: 5674617, 5674915, 5674618, 5674785, 5674502, 5674503, 5674504, 5674786, 5674787, 5674788, 5674790, 5674791, 5674902, 5674903, 5674904, 5674905, 5674906, 5674789, 5674907, 5674622, 5674909, 5674910, 5674911, 5674912, 5674913, 5674914, 5674918, 5674919, 5674920, 5674921, 5675054, 5675055, 5675056, 5675057, 5674619, 5674620, 5674621, 5674908, 5674916, 5674917.