Texas, 1998

Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Texas, October 17 to 18, 1998

October 17 to 18, 1998 · NWS HGX · 10 events in 8 counties and zones

7 flash flood, 2 tornado, 1 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 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
$170,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
10

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

7 flash flood, 2 tornado, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Brazos

When
October 17, 3:40 PM CST
Where
Brazos County, College Station to 5 mi NE of College Station
Rating
F1
Path length
3.5 mi
Path width
75 yd
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
30.600, -96.250

Utility poles downed and roof damage on the outskirts of Bryan College Station.

Flash Flood, Brazos

When
October 17, 6:50 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Brazos County, College Station
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
30.661, -96.302 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Street flooding in College Station as well as along frontage roads of HWY 6.

Flash Flood, Madison

When
October 17, 6:50 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Madison County, Madisonville
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
30.966, -95.928 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Street flooding in and around Madisonville. HWY 90 and FM 978 closed due to high water.

Tornado, Washington

When
October 17, 6:50 PM CST to 6:53 PM CST
Where
Washington County, 4 mi E of Brenham
Rating
F0
Path length
1 mi
Path width
25 yd
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
30.170, -96.330

DPS reported tornado. No damage reported.

Flash Flood, Houston

When
October 17, 8:30 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Houston County, Austonia
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
31.318, -95.423 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Street flooding in Austonio and Lovelady.

Flash Flood, Washington

When
October 17, 10:18 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Washington County, Brenham
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
30.215, -96.403 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Street flooding.

Flash Flood, Austin

When
October 17, 10:21 PM CST to October 18, 7:00 AM CST
Where
Austin County, Countywide
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
29.887, -96.278 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Major flooding across the county, especially the southern half near Sealy and San Felipe. HWY 36 flooded.I-10 closed near mile marker 725 with 15 to 20 rescues of stranded motorists by 236 am. San Felipe evacuated at 355 am.

Flash Flood, Colorado

When
October 17, 10:45 PM CST to October 18, 7:00 AM CST
Where
Colorado County, East Portion
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
29.621, -96.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Major flooding across the county, especially in Eagle Lake, Garwood, and Nada.

Flash Flood, Wharton

When
October 17, 11:00 PM CST to October 18, 7:00 AM CST
Where
Wharton County, Countywide
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
29.278, -96.222 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

FM 102 north of Egypt closed and water entering nearby homes. Major flooding across NW parts of county. Elm Grove subdivision in northern Wharton County had 1 foot of water in them.

Thunderstorm Wind, Harris

When
October 17, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Harris County, Katy
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
Coordinates
29.800, -95.800

Trees and powerlines blown down.

What these are

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

More

Every storm in Texas in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Texas, 1998Warnings in Texas, October 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: 5672650, 5672651, 5672652, 5672653, 5672657, 5672658, 5672654, 5672655, 5672032, 5672656.