Virginia, 1998

Flash Flooding and Heavy Rain in Virginia, January 23, 1998

January 23, 1998 · NWS LWX · 16 events in 16 counties and zones

Low- and mid-level flow of deep moisture, overrunning a chilly surface air mass, produced a prolonged period of moderate to heavy rain across north central Virginia during the morning of the 23rd. 46 inches) fell at Dulles Airport (VAZ042).

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 13 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
16

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 LWX wrote it up.

Low- and mid-level flow of deep moisture, overrunning a chilly surface air mass, produced a prolonged period of moderate to heavy rain across north central Virginia during the morning of the 23rd. Rainfall totals across the area ranged from 1 to 2 inches; a record daily total (1.46 inches) fell at Dulles Airport (VAZ042). The long duration allowed a slow rise among area streams and creeks. Most remained in their banks. However, several locations in Madison and Greene Co reported closed roads from high water and creek overflows. Elsewhere, nuisance ponding and local high standing water was observed.

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 161 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:58 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

14 heavy rain, 2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Augusta / Staunton / Waynesborro

When
January 23, 4:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where
Augusta / Staunton / Waynesborro forecast zone
Coordinates
38.109, -78.974 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Rockingham / Harrisonburg

When
January 23, 4:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where
Rockingham / Harrisonburg forecast zone
Coordinates
38.481, -78.872 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Page

When
January 23, 4:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where
Page forecast zone
Coordinates
38.620, -78.484 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Warren

When
January 23, 4:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where
Warren forecast zone
Coordinates
38.909, -78.207 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Clarke

When
January 23, 4:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where
Clarke forecast zone
Coordinates
39.112, -77.997 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Nelson

When
January 23, 4:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where
Nelson forecast zone
Coordinates
37.787, -78.887 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Albemarle / Charlotttesville

When
January 23, 4:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where
Albemarle / Charlotttesville forecast zone
Coordinates
38.029, -78.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Rappahannock

When
January 23, 4:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where
Rappahannock forecast zone
Coordinates
38.685, -78.159 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Fauquier

When
January 23, 4:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where
Fauquier forecast zone

Heavy Rain, Loudoun

When
January 23, 4:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where
Loudoun forecast zone

Heavy Rain, Culpeper

When
January 23, 4:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where
Culpeper forecast zone
Coordinates
38.486, -77.956 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Prince William / Manassas

When
January 23, 4:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where
Prince William / Manassas forecast zone

Heavy Rain, Fairfax

When
January 23, 4:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where
Fairfax forecast zone
Coordinates
38.841, -77.291 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Arlington / Alexandria / Falls Church

When
January 23, 4:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where
Arlington / Alexandria / Falls Church forecast zone
Coordinates
38.855, -77.106 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Madison

When
January 23, 6:00 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where
Madison County, Countywide
Property damage
$3,000
Coordinates
38.414, -78.279 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Greene

When
January 23, 6:00 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where
Greene County, Countywide
Property damage
$3,000
Coordinates
38.298, -78.467 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Rain
Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
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.

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, January 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: 5627877, 5627878, 5627879, 5627880, 5627881, 5627882, 5627883, 5627884, 5627885, 5627886, 5627887, 5627888, 5627889, 5627890, 5627875, 5627876.