Wisconsin, 1998

Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Wisconsin, January 4 to 5, 1998

January 4 to 5, 1998 · NWS GRB · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

Nearly 12 hours of freezing rain and drizzle coated streets and sidewalks across central and northeast Wisconsin. Even though ice accumulations were near one-half inch in the hardest hit areas, little damage was reported, probably due to light winds.

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
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
13

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 GRB wrote it up.

Nearly 12 hours of freezing rain and drizzle coated streets and sidewalks across central and northeast Wisconsin. Even though ice accumulations were near one-half inch in the hardest hit areas, little damage was reported, probably due to light winds. Only scattered power outages occurred. Many rural school districts were closed on the 5th. Icy roads resulted in numerous traffic accidents.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 ice storm, 5 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Marathon

When
January 4, 5:00 PM CST to January 5, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Marathon forecast zone
Coordinates
44.898, -89.759 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Langlade

When
January 4, 5:00 PM CST to January 5, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Langlade forecast zone
Coordinates
45.262, -89.072 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Oconto

When
January 4, 5:00 PM CST to January 5, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Oconto forecast zone
Coordinates
44.999, -88.221 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Marinette

When
January 4, 5:00 PM CST to January 5, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Marinette forecast zone
Coordinates
45.351, -88.002 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Menominee

When
January 4, 5:00 PM CST to January 5, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Menominee forecast zone
Coordinates
45.004, -88.710 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Shawano

When
January 4, 5:00 PM CST to January 5, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Shawano forecast zone
Coordinates
44.789, -88.765 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Portage

When
January 4, 5:00 PM CST to January 5, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Portage forecast zone
Coordinates
44.476, -89.501 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Waupaca

When
January 4, 5:00 PM CST to January 5, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Waupaca forecast zone
Coordinates
44.470, -88.965 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Forest

When
January 4, 5:00 PM CST to January 5, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Forest forecast zone
Coordinates
45.667, -88.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Brown

When
January 4, 5:00 PM CST to January 5, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Brown forecast zone
Coordinates
44.474, -87.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Wood

When
January 4, 5:00 PM CST to January 5, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Wood forecast zone
Coordinates
44.455, -90.042 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Waushara

When
January 4, 5:00 PM CST to January 5, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Waushara forecast zone
Coordinates
44.113, -89.243 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Winnebago

When
January 4, 5:00 PM CST to January 5, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Winnebago forecast zone
Coordinates
44.069, -88.645 (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.
Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Wisconsin in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5627491, 5627492, 5627493, 5627494, 5627495, 5627496, 5627497, 5627498, 5627499, 5627500, 5627501, 5627502, 5627503.