Vermont, 1998

Flash Flood in Vermont, March 28 to 31, 1998

March 28 to 31, 1998 · NWS BTV · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Unseasonably warm weather resulted in dramatic snowmelt with rapid rises on rivers the last few days of March. In addition, showers and thunderstorms with heavy downpours moved across the area on the 30th enhancing the runoff into the rivers.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
$250,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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 BTV wrote it up.

Unseasonably warm weather resulted in dramatic snowmelt with rapid rises on rivers the last few days of March. In addition, showers and thunderstorms with heavy downpours moved across the area on the 30th enhancing the runoff into the rivers. Among the streams and rivers flooding were the Missisquoi from Richford to Swanton and the Trout River in and around Montgomery. A few houses were flooded in Swanton on March 28th and 29th. A number of roads were also closed due to flood waters. These rivers continued to exceed flood stage through the end of the month.

The radar

The Burlington radar (KCXX), 44 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:22 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Franklin

When
March 28, 10:23 PM EST to March 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Franklin County, Countywide
Property damage
$250,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.858, -72.912 (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 Vermont in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Vermont, March 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: 5656842.