Washington, 1998

Flash Flooding in Washington, May 26 to 27, 1998

May 26 to 27, 1998 · NWS OTX · 5 events in 4 counties and zones

5 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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
$4.0 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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.

The radar

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

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Event by event

5 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Ferry

When
May 26, 6:00 PM PST to May 27, 7:00 AM PST
Where
Ferry County, Republic
Property damage
$3.5 million
Coordinates
48.470, -118.516 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

5-6 inches of rain overnight. Highways washed out in and around Republic

Flash Flood, Pend Oreille

When
May 26, 6:00 PM PST to May 27, 7:00 AM PST
Where
Pend Oreille County, Cusick
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
48.532, -117.274 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Roads flooded in and around Cusick

Flash Flood, Stevens

When
May 26, 6:00 PM PST to May 27, 7:00 AM PST
Where
Stevens County, Chewelah
Property damage
$50,000
Coordinates
48.399, -117.855 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Roads flooded in and around Chewelah

Flash Flood, Okanogan

When
May 26, 6:00 PM PST to May 27, 7:00 AM PST
Where
Okanogan County, Conconully
Property damage
$100,000
Coordinates
48.549, -119.741 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

2.25" of rain overnight. Salmon Creek being sandbagged. Some evacuations in Conconully.

Flash Flood, Okanogan

When
May 26, 6:00 PM PST to May 27, 7:00 AM PST
Where
Okanogan County, Loomis
Property damage
$50,000
Coordinates
48.549, -119.741 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Toats Creek out of its banks.

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.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Washington in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, May 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: 5643321, 5643322, 5643323, 5643324, 5643325.