Ice Storm in Wisconsin, January 4 to 5, 1998

Name: Ice Storm in Wisconsin, January 4 to 5, 1998
Start: 1998-01-04T14:00
End: 1998-01-05T02:00
Location: Wisconsin

January 4 to 5, 1998 · NWS ARX · 12 events in 12 counties and zones

Ice accumulations of 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch resulted in numerous accidents, but no serious injuries were reported. Only localized power outages occurred since light winds accompanied the storm.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 12 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: 14
Property damage: $67,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 12

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 ARX wrote it up.

Ice accumulations of 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch resulted in numerous accidents, but no serious injuries were reported. Only localized power outages occurred since light winds accompanied the storm.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Crawford

When: January 4, 2:00 PM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Crawford forecast zone
Coordinates: 43.240, -90.931 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Richland

When: January 4, 2:00 PM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Richland forecast zone
Coordinates: 43.376, -90.429 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Adams

When: January 4, 3:00 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where: Adams forecast zone
Property damage: $8,000
Coordinates: 43.970, -89.771 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Juneau

When: January 4, 3:00 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where: Juneau forecast zone
Coordinates: 43.924, -90.114 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, La Crosse

When: January 4, 3:00 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where: La Crosse forecast zone
Injuries: 10 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 43.907, -91.115 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Monroe

When: January 4, 3:00 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where: Monroe forecast zone
Property damage: $12,000
Coordinates: 43.946, -90.618 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Vernon

When: January 4, 3:00 PM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Vernon forecast zone
Property damage: $18,000
Coordinates: 43.594, -90.834 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Buffalo

When: January 4, 4:00 PM CST to January 5, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Buffalo forecast zone
Coordinates: 44.380, -91.754 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Jackson

When: January 4, 4:00 PM CST to January 5, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Jackson forecast zone
Coordinates: 44.319, -90.805 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Trempealeau

When: January 4, 4:00 PM CST to January 5, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Trempealeau forecast zone
Injuries: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $8,000
Coordinates: 44.304, -91.358 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Clark

When: January 4, 5:00 PM CST to January 5, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Clark forecast zone
Injuries: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $6,000
Coordinates: 44.735, -90.612 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Taylor

When: January 4, 7:00 PM CST to January 5, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Taylor forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.212, -90.501 (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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Wisconsin in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5628266, 5628271, 5628263, 5628268, 5628269, 5628270, 5628274, 5628264, 5628267, 5628273, 5628265, 5628272.