Drought, Amelia
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Amelia forecast zone
- Crop damage
- $2.0 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 37.336, -77.976 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Drought in Virginia, October 1 to 31, 1998
A very dry period from July through October resulted in drought-like conditions across much of the eastern piedmont and northern neck of Virginia. 06 inches.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 15 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
- $39 million
- Events
- 20
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 AKQ wrote it up.
A very dry period from July through October resulted in drought-like conditions across much of the eastern piedmont and northern neck of Virginia. Monthly rainfall departures from normal for Richmond included: July/-2.66 inches, August/-2.50, September/0.56 inches, and October/-3.06 inches. This caused significant crop damage throughout much of the area which was estimated to be around $38.8 million.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
20 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Drought, Brunswick
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Brunswick forecast zone
- Crop damage
- $2.0 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 36.765, -77.859 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Drought, Caroline
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Caroline forecast zone
- Crop damage
- $2.5 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 38.027, -77.347 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Drought, Cumberland
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Cumberland forecast zone
- Crop damage
- $5.3 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 37.512, -78.245 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Drought, Dinwiddie / Petersburg
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Dinwiddie / Petersburg forecast zone
- Crop damage
- $2.0 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 37.076, -77.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Drought, Fluvanna
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Fluvanna forecast zone
- Crop damage
- $1.0 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 37.842, -78.277 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Drought, Goochland
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Goochland forecast zone
- Crop damage
- $1.0 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 37.722, -77.916 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Drought, Hanover
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Hanover forecast zone
- Crop damage
- $1.0 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
Drought, Henrico / Richmond
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Henrico / Richmond forecast zone
- Crop damage
- $1.0 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
Drought, King and Queen
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- King and Queen forecast zone
- Crop damage
- $2.0 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
Drought, King William
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- King William forecast zone
- Crop damage
- $1.0 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
Drought, Lancaster
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Lancaster forecast zone
- Crop damage
- $1.0 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 37.702, -76.420 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Drought, Louisa
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Louisa forecast zone
- Crop damage
- $2.0 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
Drought, Middlesex
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Middlesex forecast zone
- Crop damage
- $1.0 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 37.597, -76.578 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Drought, Northumberland
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Northumberland forecast zone
- Crop damage
- $2.0 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 37.882, -76.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Drought, Nottoway
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Nottoway forecast zone
- Crop damage
- $2.0 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 37.143, -78.051 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Drought, Powhatan
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Powhatan forecast zone
- Crop damage
- $2.0 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 37.550, -77.915 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Drought, Prince Edward
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Prince Edward forecast zone
- Crop damage
- $3.0 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 37.224, -78.441 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Drought, Richmond
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Richmond forecast zone
- Crop damage
- $1.0 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 37.937, -76.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Drought, Westmoreland
- When
- October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Westmoreland forecast zone
- Crop damage
- $4.0 million
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 38.113, -76.800 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Drought
- A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Drought in Texas, October 1 to 31, 1998
- Drought in Virginia, October 1 to 31, 1998
- Strong Wind in New York, October 1, 1998
- Flash Flooding in Kansas, October 1, 1998
- High Wind and Strong Wind in Massachusetts, October 1, 1998
- High Wind in New York, October 1, 1998
- Drought in West Virginia, October 1 to 31, 1998
- Damaging Wind and High Wind in New York, October 1, 1998
- Tornado and Hail in Texas, October 1 to 2, 1998
- High Wind in Pennsylvania, October 1, 1998
- Strong Wind in New Hampshire, October 1, 1998
- Strong Wind in New Hampshire, October 1, 1998
More
Every storm in Virginia in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, October 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5673291, 5673292, 5673293, 5673294, 5673295, 5673296, 5673297, 5673298, 5673299, 5673300, 5673301, 5673302, 5673303, 5673304, 5673305, 5673306, 5673307, 5673308, 5673309, 5673310.