Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Texas, January 21 to 28, 1998

Name: Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Texas, January 21 to 28, 1998
Start: 1998-01-21T13:42
End: 1998-01-28T17:20
Location: Texas

January 21 to 28, 1998 · NWS HGX · 43 events in 15 counties and zones

30 hail, 6 tornado, 5 flash flood, 2 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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: $704,000
Crop damage: $200,000
Events: 43

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 Houston radar (KHGX), 122 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:39 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

30 hail, 6 tornado, 5 flash flood, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Colorado

When: January 21, 1:42 PM CST
Where: Colorado County, Eagle Lake
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 29.580, -96.330

Hail, Burleson

When: January 21, 3:05 PM CST
Where: Burleson County, Deanville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 30.430, -96.750

Hail, Burleson

When: January 21, 3:40 PM CST
Where: Burleson County, Caldwell
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 30.530, -96.680

Tornado, Jackson

When: January 21, 3:40 PM CST to 3:41 PM CST
Where: Jackson County, La Salle
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Coordinates: 28.780, -96.670

Union Pacific Railroad officials reported brief tornado touchdown on the railroad tracks. No damage reported.

Hail, Burleson

When: January 21, 3:43 PM CST
Where: Burleson County, Lyons
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 30.380, -96.570

Hail, Matagorda

When: January 21, 3:43 PM CST
Where: Matagorda County, Sargent
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 28.830, -95.650

Hail, Burleson

When: January 21, 3:48 PM CST
Where: Burleson County, 2 mi N of Somerville
Measured: 2 in hail
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 30.380, -96.530

Hail, Burleson

When: January 21, 4:08 PM CST
Where: Burleson County, Lyons
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 30.380, -96.570

Hail, Brazos

When: January 21, 4:25 PM CST
Where: Brazos County, 4 mi NW of Millican
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 30.500, -96.250

Tornado, Brazos

When: January 21, 4:44 PM CST to 4:50 PM CST
Where: Brazos County, Millican to 3 mi E of Millican
Rating: F0
Path length: 3 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Property damage: $35,000
Coordinates: 30.480, -96.230

Tornado broke and lifted 2-by-6's off a barn roof 2.5 WSW Millican. As the tornado reached Millican, it tore a front porch of a house off, and also peeled a house and barn roof off.

Hail, Grimes

When: January 21, 5:20 PM CST to January 28, 5:20 PM CST
Where: Grimes County, Shiro
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 30.620, -95.900

Tornado, Madison

When: January 21, 5:25 PM CST to 5:28 PM CST
Where: Madison County, Madisonville to 9 mi N of Madisonville
Rating: F0
Path length: 1 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 31.070, -95.930

Tornado tore roof off Yellow Rose Cattle Company Restaurant at OSR & I-45.

Tornado, Grimes

When: January 21, 5:29 PM CST to 5:31 PM CST
Where: Grimes County, Richards
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.5 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 30.530, -95.850

Tornado downed trees and powerlines in Richards. As the tornado moved into Montgomery County along FM 149, a barn roof was damaged 3 miles east of Richards, and a tree limb was blown through the metal on a car door. The storm continued moving to the east-northeast downing trees to the Mongomery/Walker County line near FM1791.

Hail, Fort Bend

When: January 21, 5:32 PM CST to 5:42 PM CST
Where: Fort Bend County, Needville
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 29.400, -95.830

Hail covering 90% of the ground.

Tornado, Montgomery

When: January 21, 5:34 PM CST to 5:46 PM CST
Where: Montgomery County, Dobbin to 14 mi N of Montgomery
Rating: F0
Path length: 6.5 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 30.550, -95.830

Tornado moved in from Grimes County along FM 149. Barn roof damaged 3 miles east of Richards, tree limb blown through metal of a car door. Storm continued moving east-northeast downing trees to the Montgomery/Walker County line near FM 1791.

Tornado, Walker

When: January 21, 5:49 PM CST to 6:10 PM CST
Where: Walker County, New Waverly to 10 mi W of New Waverly
Rating: F1
Path length: 3 mi
Path width: 200 yd
Property damage: $200,000
Crop damage: $200,000
Coordinates: 30.530, -95.670

Tornado continued from the Montgomery/Walker County line moving to the east-northeast through Sam Houston National Forest. This tornado snapped numerous trees along its path, some 18 inches in diameter. Timber loss was estimated at $200,000. Most significant number of trees down along FR 208 & 208A. In addition to downed trees, numerous camping shelters were destroyed in Huntsville State Park causing that area of the forest to be closed to campers for weeks.

Hail, Montgomery

When: January 21, 5:49 PM CST
Where: Montgomery County, 14 mi NNE of Dobbin
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Coordinates: 30.550, -95.670

Hail, Grimes

When: January 21, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Grimes County, Roans Prairie
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 30.580, -95.950

Hail, Walker

When: January 21, 6:27 PM CST to 6:35 PM CST
Where: Walker County, 4 mi S of Huntsville
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 30.670, -95.570

Hail, Grimes

When: January 21, 6:30 PM CST
Where: Grimes County, Richards
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 30.530, -95.850

Flash Flood, Grimes

When: January 21, 6:30 PM CST to 7:30 PM CST
Where: Grimes County, Central Portion
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 30.544, -95.985 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

HWY 30 between Carlos and Roans Prairie flooded.

Flash Flood, Walker

When: January 21, 6:30 PM CST
Where: Walker County, Countywide
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 30.739, -95.572 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Street flooding across the county.

Hail, Montgomery

When: January 21, 6:30 PM CST
Where: Montgomery County, 5 mi NW of Conroe
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 30.370, -95.520

Hail, San Jacinto

When: January 21, 6:50 PM CST
Where: San Jacinto County, Coldspring
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 30.600, -95.150

Hail, San Jacinto

When: January 21, 6:50 PM CST
Where: San Jacinto County, 7 mi S of Pointblank
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 30.650, -95.230

Thunderstorm Wind, San Jacinto

When: January 21, 6:50 PM CST
Where: San Jacinto County, Coldspring
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 30.600, -95.150

Large trees blown down on powerlines.

Hail, Harris

When: January 21, 6:53 PM CST
Where: Harris County, Houston
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.730, -95.370

Hail at Key Map location 532

Hail, Harris

When: January 21, 7:05 PM CST
Where: Harris County, Houston
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.730, -95.370

Hail 2 miles east of Hobby Airport.

Hail, Harris

When: January 21, 7:25 PM CST
Where: Harris County, Houston
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 29.730, -95.370

Hail 5 miles east of Hobby Airport.

Thunderstorm Wind, Polk

When: January 21, 7:25 PM CST
Where: Polk County, Livingston
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 30.700, -94.930

Trees blown down onto powerlines.

Hail, Harris

When: January 21, 7:40 PM CST
Where: Harris County, Morgans Pt
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.670, -95.000

Hail, Harris

When: January 21, 7:40 PM CST
Where: Harris County, La Porte
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 29.670, -95.020

Hail, Harris

When: January 21, 7:44 PM CST
Where: Harris County, Shoreacres
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.620, -95.020

Hail, Harris

When: January 21, 7:45 PM CST
Where: Harris County, Clear Lake City
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.550, -95.100

Hail, Chambers

When: January 21, 8:10 PM CST
Where: Chambers County, Cove
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 29.830, -94.780

Hail, Brazoria

When: January 21, 8:35 PM CST
Where: Brazoria County, Rosharon
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.350, -95.450

Hail, Chambers

When: January 21, 8:58 PM CST
Where: Chambers County, Anahuac
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 29.770, -94.680

Hail, Chambers

When: January 21, 8:58 PM CST
Where: Chambers County, Hankamer
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.850, -94.630

Hail, Chambers

When: January 21, 9:10 PM CST
Where: Chambers County, 7 mi W of Winnie
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 29.820, -94.500

Hail, Chambers

When: January 21, 9:44 PM CST
Where: Chambers County, Winnie
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 29.820, -94.380

Flash Flood, Chambers

When: January 21, 9:45 PM CST to January 22, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Chambers County, Countywide
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 29.708, -94.671 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Street flooding across the county. HWY 146 & I-10 flooded.

Flash Flood, Harris

When: January 21, 10:00 PM CST to January 22, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Harris County, Southeast Portion
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 29.857, -95.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Street flooding across the area, especially in the Pasadena area.

Flash Flood, Chambers

When: January 22, 4:30 AM CST to 6:55 AM CST
Where: Chambers County, Countywide
Coordinates: 29.708, -94.671 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Runoff from earlier heavy rains continued producing minor street flooding across the area.

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.
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.
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, January 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: 5627858, 5627859, 5627860, 5627864, 5627861, 5627863, 5627862, 5627865, 5627866, 5628340, 5628341, 5628339, 5628342, 5627628, 5627629, 5628343, 5628344, 5628346, 5628345, 5628347, 5628348, 5628349, 5628350, 5628351, 5628352, 5628353, 5628354, 5628355, 5628356, 5628361, 5628357, 5628358, 5628359, 5628360, 5628362, 5628363, 5627622, 5628364, 5627623, 5627625, and more.