Virginia, 1998

Flash Flooding and Flood in Virginia, February 4, 1998

February 4, 1998 · NWS RNK · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

Moderate to occasionally heavy rainfall during the morning and early afternoon hours and snow melt resulted flash flooding and urban and small stream flooding. Numerous creeks and streams in the eastern part of Montgomery County, in the eastern part of Patrick County, and in all of Franklin County were out of their banks and flooding roads.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 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
$5,000
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.

What happened

The episode as NWS RNK wrote it up.

Moderate to occasionally heavy rainfall during the morning and early afternoon hours and snow melt resulted flash flooding and urban and small stream flooding. Numerous creeks and streams in the eastern part of Montgomery County, in the eastern part of Patrick County, and in all of Franklin County were out of their banks and flooding roads. The north fork of the Roanoke River at Elliston in Montgomery County was above flood stage through 1800 EST. Route 460 in the eastern portion of Montgomery County was partially blocked by water.Several creeks and streams were out of their banks in Botetourt County with one home flooded in Blue Ridge and a mobile home park flooded in Coyner Springs. In the southern portion of Rockbridge County, several roads were under water because of flooded creeks. In Glasgow, route 501 and the Glasgow firehouse were flooded. A family was evacuated along Back Run Creek near Cave Mountain Lake. The creek damaged their home and car. Another family was evacuated in the Glasgow area. The saturated ground lead to a train derailment about a mile north of Glasgow that sent train engines into the Maury River. In Bedford County, Goose Creek in Montvale was flooded which resulted in road closings. Several roads in Salem City and in Pittsylvania County were flooded by creeks and streams that were out of their banks. Mud Lick Creek flooded roads in Caves Springs in Roanoke County and Roanoke City.

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 19 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:58 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Flash Flood, Montgomery

When
February 4, 9:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Montgomery County, East Portion
Coordinates
37.174, -80.387 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Salem (C)

When
February 4, 9:30 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Salem (C) County, Salem (C)
Coordinates
37.294, -80.055 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Roanoke

When
February 4, 9:45 AM EST to 4:30 PM EST
Where
Roanoke County, Cave Spg
Coordinates
37.209, -80.051 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Roanoke (C)

When
February 4, 9:45 AM EST to 4:30 PM EST
Where
Roanoke (C) County, Roanoke
Coordinates
37.271, -79.941 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Botetourt

When
February 4, 10:15 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Botetourt County, Countywide
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.557, -79.812 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Patrick

When
February 4, 10:45 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Patrick County, East Portion
Coordinates
36.678, -80.284 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Pittsylvania

When
February 4, 10:45 AM EST to 4:00 PM EST
Where
Pittsylvania County, Countywide
Coordinates
36.821, -79.397 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Franklin

When
February 4, 11:00 AM EST to 2:45 PM EST
Where
Franklin County, Countywide
Coordinates
36.992, -79.881 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Rockbridge

When
February 4, 11:15 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Rockbridge County, South Portion
Coordinates
37.815, -79.448 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Bedford

When
February 4, 12:00 PM EST to 4:00 PM EST
Where
Bedford County, Montvale
Coordinates
37.315, -79.524 (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

More

Every storm in Virginia in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings 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: 5635180, 5635182, 5635186, 5635187, 5635179, 5635184, 5635188, 5635183, 5635181, 5635185.