Ice Storm, Alleghany / Clifton Forge / Covington
- When
- February 4, 1:00 PM EST to February 6, 4:00 AM EST
- Where
- Alleghany / Clifton Forge / Covington forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 37.791, -80.000 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice Storm in Virginia, February 4 to 6, 1998
Freezing rain and freezing drizzle from the early afternoon hours on the 4th through the early morning hours on the 6th at elevations above 2800 feet resulted in major accumulations of ice on exposed objects. The weight of the ice brought down power lines, power poles, and trees.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 6
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 the early morning hours on the 6th at elevations above 2800 feet resulted in major accumulations of ice on exposed objects. The weight of the ice brought down power lines, power poles, and trees. Power and phone service was out for several days.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
6 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Ice Storm, Bath
- When
- February 4, 1:00 PM EST to February 6, 4:00 AM EST
- Where
- Bath forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 38.059, -79.741 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice Storm, Botetourt
- When
- February 4, 1:00 PM EST to February 6, 4:00 AM EST
- Where
- Botetourt forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 37.557, -79.812 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice Storm, Craig
- When
- February 4, 1:00 PM EST to February 6, 4:00 AM EST
- Where
- Craig forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 37.481, -80.212 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice Storm, Giles
- When
- February 4, 1:00 PM EST to February 6, 4:00 AM EST
- Where
- Giles forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 37.314, -80.704 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Ice Storm, Rockbridge / Buena Vista / Lexington
- When
- February 4, 1:00 PM EST to February 6, 4:00 AM EST
- Where
- Rockbridge / Buena Vista / Lexington forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 37.774, -79.418 (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
- Coastal Flood in Virginia, February 4 to 6, 1998
- Coastal Flood and High Wind in New Jersey, February 4 to 9, 1998
- Coastal Flood and High Wind in Delaware, February 4 to 9, 1998
- Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Virginia, February 4 to 5, 1998
- Flash Flooding and Coastal Flood in Maryland, February 4 to 5, 1998
- Coastal Flood in Maryland, February 4 to 6, 1998
- Flooding in Georgia, February 4 to 8, 1998
- Flash Flooding in Virginia, February 4 to 5, 1998
- Storm Surge in Ohio, February 4 to 5, 1998
- Heavy Rain in Virginia, February 4 to 6, 1998
- High Wind in Puerto Rico, February 4, 1998
- Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, February 4 to 5, 1998
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: 5635215, 5635216, 5635217, 5635358, 5635359, 5635360.