Flash Flooding in Virginia, April 17, 1998

Name: Flash Flooding in Virginia, April 17, 1998
Start: 1998-04-17T03:45
End: 1998-04-17T05:00
Location: Virginia

April 17, 1998 · NWS RNK · 2 events in 1 county or zone

A residence a half a mile west northwest of Raven was evacuated due to rising water. In Richlands, several roads were closed because small streams flooded the roads.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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 RNK wrote it up.

Heavy rainfall during the late evening hours on the 16th and early morning hours on the 17th resulted in flash flooding in Tazewell County.A residence a half a mile west northwest of Raven was evacuated due to rising water. In Richlands, several roads were closed because small streams flooded the roads.

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 115 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:46 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Tazewell

When: April 17, 3:45 AM EST to 5:00 AM EST
Where: Tazewell County, Richlands
Coordinates: 37.125, -81.561 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Tazewell

When: April 17, 3:45 AM EST to 5:00 AM EST
Where: Tazewell County, 1 mi WNW of Raven
Coordinates: 37.125, -81.561 (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

Every storm in Virginia in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in Virginia, April 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: 5643024, 5643025.