Winter Storm, Grant
- When
- February 4, 6:00 AM EST to February 5, 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Grant forecast zone
- Property damage
- $5,000
Winter Storm in West Virginia, February 4 to 5, 1998
A powerful nor'easter, laden with tropical moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, dumped moderate to heavy snow across all of eastern West Virginia beginning early on the 4th. In the eastern Panhandle (VAZ051>053), the snow changed to rain by midday over most areas, with the exceptions being locations above 1500 feet, where a mix of snow and freezing rain continued well into the 5th.
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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $12,000
- 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 LWX wrote it up.
A powerful nor'easter, laden with tropical moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, dumped moderate to heavy snow across all of eastern West Virginia beginning early on the 4th. In the eastern Panhandle (VAZ051>053), the snow changed to rain by midday over most areas, with the exceptions being locations above 1500 feet, where a mix of snow and freezing rain continued well into the 5th. In the Potomac Highlands, precipitation remained a mix of rain, sleet, and snow at lower elevations throughout the event. However, above 1500 feet in the Highlands, mainly snow fell.Accumulations were highly dependent on elevation. For example, elevations in and near the town of Petersburg (WVZ048) range roughly from 500 to 1000 feet (not including surrounding mountains). One resident, living at an elevation of around 600 feet, reported 6 inches early on the 5th; a nearby neighbor whose elevation was closer to 1000 feet reported 10 inches. In general, 4 to 8 inches fell below 1000 feet; 8 to 12 inches fell from 1000 to 1500 feet, and 12 to 20 inches fell above 1500 feet.Scattered power outages and fallen trees likely occurred throughout the Potomac Highlands, with problems most prevalent in the higher mountains.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
8 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Storm, Mineral
- When
- February 4, 6:00 AM EST to February 5, 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Mineral forecast zone
Winter Storm, Hampshire
- When
- February 4, 6:00 AM EST to February 5, 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Hampshire forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 39.317, -78.614 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Pendleton
- When
- February 4, 6:00 AM EST to February 5, 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Pendleton forecast zone
- Property damage
- $7,000
Winter Storm, Hardy
- When
- February 4, 6:00 AM EST to February 5, 2:00 PM EST
- Where
- Hardy forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 39.008, -78.858 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Morgan
- When
- February 4, 6:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
- Where
- Morgan forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 39.560, -78.258 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Berkeley
- When
- February 4, 6:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
- Where
- Berkeley forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 39.464, -78.027 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Jefferson
- When
- February 4, 6:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
- Where
- Jefferson forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 39.308, -77.863 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
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 West Virginia in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in West 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: 5635957, 5635958, 5635959, 5635960, 5635961, 5635962, 5635963, 5635964.