Virginia, 1998

Ice Storm in Virginia, February 4 to 6, 1998

February 4 to 6, 1998 · NWS RNK · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

Freezing rain and freezing drizzle from the early afternoon hours on the 4th through around noon on the 6th at elevations above 2800 feet resulted in major accumulations of ice on exposed objects. At elevations above 3600 feet, ice accumulations were up to 5 inches thick.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

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.

Freezing rain and freezing drizzle from the early afternoon hours on the 4th through around noon on the 6th at elevations above 2800 feet resulted in major accumulations of ice on exposed objects. At elevations above 3600 feet, ice accumulations were up to 5 inches thick. The weight of the ice brought down power lines, power poles, and trees. Power and phone service was out for several days in most areas and up to a week in some areas. The worst hit area was on Poor Mountain near Roanoke where several transmission towers were damaged or destroyed and several radio antennas were destroyed. More than half the trees in this area were severely damaged.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Bedford / Bedford

When
February 4, 1:00 PM EST to February 6, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Bedford / Bedford forecast zone
Coordinates
37.315, -79.524 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Carroll / Galax

When
February 4, 1:00 PM EST to February 6, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Carroll / Galax forecast zone
Coordinates
36.697, -80.829 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Floyd

When
February 4, 1:00 PM EST to February 6, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Floyd forecast zone
Coordinates
36.932, -80.362 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Franklin

When
February 4, 1:00 PM EST to February 6, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Franklin forecast zone
Coordinates
36.992, -79.881 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Montgomery / Radford

When
February 4, 1:00 PM EST to February 6, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Montgomery / Radford forecast zone
Coordinates
37.174, -80.387 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Patrick

When
February 4, 1:00 PM EST to February 6, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Patrick forecast zone
Coordinates
36.678, -80.284 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Roanoke / Salem / Roanoke

When
February 4, 1:00 PM EST to February 6, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Roanoke / Salem / Roanoke forecast zone
Coordinates
37.258, -80.016 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Amherst

When
February 4, 5:00 PM EST to February 6, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Amherst forecast zone
Coordinates
37.605, -79.145 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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

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: 5635208, 5635209, 5635210, 5635211, 5635212, 5635213, 5635214, 5635207.