Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, February 16, 1998

Name: Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, February 16, 1998
Start: 1998-02-16T15:54
End: 1998-02-16T18:50
Location: Texas

February 16, 1998 · NWS HGX · 20 events in 10 counties and zones

13 hail, 4 thunderstorm wind, 3 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: 4
Property damage: $3.8 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 20

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.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

13 hail, 4 thunderstorm wind, 3 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Colorado

When: February 16, 3:54 PM CST
Where: Colorado County, Frelsburg
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.870, -96.550

Hail, Austin

When: February 16, 4:15 PM CST
Where: Austin County, New Ulm
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.900, -96.480

Hail, Waller

When: February 16, 4:44 PM CST to 4:47 PM CST
Where: Waller County, Brookshire
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 29.820, -95.930

Hail, Harris

When: February 16, 5:05 PM CST
Where: Harris County, Katy
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.800, -95.800

Hail, Fort Bend

When: February 16, 5:12 PM CST
Where: Fort Bend County, Fulshear
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.680, -95.900

Hail, Fort Bend

When: February 16, 5:18 PM CST
Where: Fort Bend County, Sugarland
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.620, -95.630

Tornado, Fort Bend

When: February 16, 5:25 PM CST to 5:28 PM CST
Where: Fort Bend County, Sugarland
Rating: F1
Path length: 1.2 mi
Path width: 200 yd
Injuries: 4 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $3.7 million
Coordinates: 29.620, -95.630

Tornado touched down at the First Colony Mall. Dillards downwind wall was torn down along with minor structural damage to other stores. The tornado then crossed HWY 59 And damaged the Aerodrome (ice skating rink) and other nearby stores and signs. The tornado path ended on the south side of HWY 6 at Williams Grant Rd. 4 minor injuries from flying glass

Hail, Matagorda

When: February 16, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Matagorda County, Bay City
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 28.980, -95.950

Hail, Matagorda

When: February 16, 5:45 PM CST
Where: Matagorda County, Wadsworth
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 28.830, -95.920

Thunderstorm Wind, Harris

When: February 16, 5:49 PM CST
Where: Harris County, Houston
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph)
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.730, -95.370

59 mph wind measured at Harris County OEM.

Thunderstorm Wind, Harris

When: February 16, 5:50 PM CST
Where: Harris County, Houston
Property damage: $7,000
Coordinates: 29.730, -95.370

Numerous trees blown down across central and southern portions of Houston.

Tornado, Brazoria

When: February 16, 6:03 PM CST to 6:05 PM CST
Where: Brazoria County, Rosharon
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.2 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Property damage: $30,000
Coordinates: 29.350, -95.450

Tornado destroyed trailer on CR 62 & CR 48. Many trees and powerlines down in the same area.

Hail, Galveston

When: February 16, 6:10 PM CST
Where: Galveston County, Kemah
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.530, -95.020

Hail, Galveston

When: February 16, 6:10 PM CST
Where: Galveston County, Bacliff
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.500, -94.980

Hail, Galveston

When: February 16, 6:20 PM CST
Where: Galveston County, Dickinson
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.470, -95.050

Thunderstorm Wind, Montgomery

When: February 16, 6:25 PM CST
Where: Montgomery County, 5 mi SE of Conroe
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 30.270, -95.380

Trees blown down across FM 1314 & FM 242.

Tornado, Galveston

When: February 16, 6:40 PM CST to 6:41 PM CST
Where: Galveston County, Jamaica Beach
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Coordinates: 29.180, -94.970

Sheriff reported tornado touchdown on Jamaica Beach. No damage or injuries.

Thunderstorm Wind, Galveston

When: February 16, 6:48 PM CST
Where: Galveston County, Galveston
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.300, -94.820

60 mph gusts at 25th St & Seawall Blvd.

Hail, Liberty

When: February 16, 6:50 PM CST
Where: Liberty County, Cleveland
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 30.350, -95.100

Hail, Liberty

When: February 16, 6:50 PM CST
Where: Liberty County, Hardin
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 30.150, -94.730

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Texas, 1998 Warnings in Texas, February 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: 5634267, 5634266, 5634268, 5634269, 5634272, 5634273, 5634274, 5634275, 5634276, 5634270, 5634271, 5634277, 5634278, 5634279, 5634280, 5634285, 5634281, 5634282, 5634283, 5634284.