Texas, 1998

Flash Flooding in Texas, August 14, 1998

August 14, 1998 · NWS LCH · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Between three and five inches of rain fell in less than one hour across Jefferson and Orange Counties. Several roads were impassable, including many streets near Interstate 10.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
$20,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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 LCH wrote it up.

Between three and five inches of rain fell in less than one hour across Jefferson and Orange Counties. Several roads were impassable, including many streets near Interstate 10. Two to three feet of water was reported across many streets.

The radar

The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 95 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:59 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Jefferson

When
August 14, 1:00 PM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
Jefferson County, Beaumont
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
29.854, -94.153 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Orange

When
August 14, 1:00 PM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
Orange County, Orange
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
30.121, -93.894 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

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

More

Every storm in Texas in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, August 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: 5663750, 5663751.