Ice Storm in Virginia, December 23 to 25, 1998

Name: Ice Storm in Virginia, December 23 to 25, 1998
Start: 1998-12-23T14:00
End: 1998-12-25T05:00
Location: Virginia

December 23 to 25, 1998 · NWS AKQ · 40 events in 40 counties and zones

A major ice storm affected central and eastern Virginia from Wednesday, December 23rd into Friday, December 25th. 00/ in many locations.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 29 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: $20 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 40

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 AKQ wrote it up.

A major ice storm affected central and eastern Virginia from Wednesday, December 23rd into Friday, December 25th. A prolonged period of freezing rain and some sleet resulted in ice accumulations of one half inch /0.50/ to one inch /1.00/ in many locations. The heavy ice accumulations on trees and power lines caused widespread power outages across the region. Approximately 400,000 customers were without power during the maximum outage period, Christmas Eve day. Some customers were without power for about ten days. Many accidents occurred due to slippery road conditions, especially bridges and overpasses. Many secondary roads were impassable due to fallen tree limbs and in a few cases, whole trees.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

40 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Fluvanna

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Fluvanna forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.842, -78.277 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Gloucester

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Gloucester forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.401, -76.523 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Goochland

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Goochland forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.722, -77.916 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Greensville / Emporia

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Greensville / Emporia forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.681, -77.551 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Hanover

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Hanover forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Ice Storm, Henrico / Richmond

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Henrico / Richmond forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Ice Storm, Isle of Wight

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Isle of Wight forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Ice Storm, James City / Williamsburg

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: James City / Williamsburg forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.292, -76.740 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, King and Queen

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: King and Queen forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Ice Storm, King William

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: King William forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Ice Storm, Lancaster

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Lancaster forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.702, -76.420 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Louisa

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Louisa forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Ice Storm, Lunenburg

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Lunenburg forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.946, -78.241 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Mathews

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Mathews forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.417, -76.271 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Mecklenburg

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Mecklenburg forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.680, -78.363 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Middlesex

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Middlesex forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.597, -76.578 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, New Kent

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: New Kent forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.505, -76.997 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Newport News

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Newport News forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Ice Storm, Northampton

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Northampton forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.301, -75.928 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Northumberland

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Northumberland forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.882, -76.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Nottoway

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Nottoway forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.143, -78.051 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Powhatan

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Powhatan forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.550, -77.915 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Prince Edward

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Prince Edward forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.224, -78.441 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Prince George / Hopewell

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Prince George / Hopewell forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.240, -77.304 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Richmond

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Richmond forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.937, -76.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Southampton / Franklin

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Southampton / Franklin forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.699, -77.014 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Suffolk

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Suffolk forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Ice Storm, Surry

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Surry forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.117, -76.888 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Sussex

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Sussex forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.922, -77.262 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Westmoreland

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Westmoreland forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 38.113, -76.800 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, York / Poquoson

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: York / Poquoson forecast zone
Property damage: $20 million
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Ice Storm, Accomack

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Accomack forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.765, -75.757 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Amelia

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Amelia forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.336, -77.976 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Brunswick

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Brunswick forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.765, -77.859 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Caroline

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Caroline forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 38.027, -77.347 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Charles City

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Charles City forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.354, -77.059 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Chesterfield / Colonial Heights

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Chesterfield / Colonial Heights forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Ice Storm, Cumberland

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Cumberland forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.512, -78.245 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Dinwiddie / Petersburg

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Dinwiddie / Petersburg forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.076, -77.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Essex

When: December 23, 2:00 PM EST to December 25, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Essex forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

What these are

Ice Storm: Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.

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, December 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: 5674382, 5674383, 5674384, 5674385, 5674386, 5674387, 5674388, 5674389, 5674390, 5674391, 5674392, 5674393, 5674394, 5674395, 5674396, 5674397, 5674398, 5674399, 5674400, 5674401, 5674402, 5674403, 5674404, 5674405, 5674406, 5674407, 5674408, 5674409, 5674410, 5674411, 5674412, 5674670, 5674671, 5674672, 5674673, 5674674, 5674675, 5674676, 5674677, 5674678.