Flash Flooding and Flood in Virginia, February 17, 1998

Name: Flash Flooding and Flood in Virginia, February 17, 1998
Start: 1998-02-17T13:30
End: 1998-02-17T20:00
Location: Virginia

February 17, 1998 · NWS RNK · 4 events in 3 counties and zones

In Rockbridge County, the South River flooded route 608 one mile southwest of Riverside and just north of Vesuvius. A house was flooded and damaged about 6 miles west-southwest of Cave Springs in Roanoke County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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: $10,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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 morning and afternoon hours on the 17th resulted in flash flooding and urban/small stream flooding in portions of southwest Virginia.In Rockbridge County, the South River flooded route 608 one mile southwest of Riverside and just north of Vesuvius. A house was flooded and damaged about 6 miles west-southwest of Cave Springs in Roanoke County. In Pittsylvania County, 16 roads were closed because creeks and streams were out of their banks.

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 29 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:32 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 flash flood, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Roanoke

When: February 17, 1:30 PM EST to 3:30 PM EST
Where: Roanoke County, 6 mi WSW of Cave Spg
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 37.209, -80.051 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Rockbridge

When: February 17, 1:45 PM EST to 6:30 PM EST
Where: Rockbridge County, 1 mi SW of Riverside
Coordinates: 37.815, -79.448 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Rockbridge

When: February 17, 2:00 PM EST to 6:30 PM EST
Where: Rockbridge County, 1 mi N of Vesuvius
Coordinates: 37.815, -79.448 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Pittsylvania

When: February 17, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Pittsylvania County, Countywide
Coordinates: 36.821, -79.397 (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.
Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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, February 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: 5635365, 5635364, 5635366, 5635367.