Texas, 1998

Ice Storm in Texas, December 21, 1998

December 21, 1998 · NWS OUN · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

A prolonged period of light freezing drizzle affected western portions of North Texas on the 21st, producing a thin layer of ice on most roads. Dozens of traffic accidents were reported across the area along with 2 fatal traffic accidents, both of which occurred in Archer County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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
8

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 OUN wrote it up.

A prolonged period of light freezing drizzle affected western portions of North Texas on the 21st, producing a thin layer of ice on most roads. Dozens of traffic accidents were reported across the area along with 2 fatal traffic accidents, both of which occurred in Archer County. Precipitation amounts were very light with Shepard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls (Wichita County) recording just one hundredth of an inch on the 21st.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Clay

When
December 21, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Clay forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
33.786, -98.208 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Archer

When
December 21, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Archer forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
33.615, -98.688 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Baylor

When
December 21, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Baylor forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
33.617, -99.213 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Foard

When
December 21, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Foard forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
33.975, -99.778 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Hardeman

When
December 21, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Hardeman forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
34.290, -99.746 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Knox

When
December 21, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Knox forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
33.606, -99.741 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Wichita

When
December 21, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Wichita forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
33.988, -98.704 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Wilbarger

When
December 21, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Wilbarger forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
34.081, -99.241 (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

More

Every storm in Texas in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, 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: 5678252, 5678253, 5678254, 5678255, 5678256, 5678257, 5678258, 5678259.