Alert archive / Massachusetts / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1986

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 17, NWS Boston/Norton, MA

August 7, 1986Plymouth County, Massachusetts

NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 7, 1986, 7:35 PM EDT for Plymouth County, Massachusetts. It was in force for 55 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 7, 1986, 7:35 PM EDT (23:35 UTC)
Expired
Aug 7, 1986, 8:30 PM EDT
In force
55 min
Issued by
NWS Boston/Norton, MA
Area
Whole counties

County Plymouth County, MA

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Chatham, MA (KCHH), launched 12:00Z, 11.6 hours before the alert went out and 73 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Chatham, MA at 12:00Z on 1986-08-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 8 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Chatham, MA at 12:00Z on 1986-08-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 26 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
8 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-244 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1119 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
20 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
26 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
30 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KBOS 072335
SVRBOS
MAC023-080030-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOSTON MA
735 PM EDT THU AUG 7 1986

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND 
SPECIAL MARINE WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 830 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE 
FOLLOWING COUNTY OF

SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS...NORTHERN PLYMOUTH
...THIS WARNING ALSO INCLUDES THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS FOR THE
COUNTY JUST MENTIONED

AT 730 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSSETTS FROM THE
TAUNTON AREA EAST TO THE BRIDGEWATER BROCKTON AREA.  THE
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE MARSHFIELD
PLYMOUTH AREA AND THE COAST WATERS BETWEEN 730 AND 830 PM.

   THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY VERY HEAVY RAIN WHICH
 WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF LOW LYING ROADS AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS..
 HAIL..FREQUENT LIGHTING AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS.
                                                   DILLEY

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 7, 2:19 PM EDT, 5 hours 16 minutes before
^BOSSPSPVD

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR RHODE ISLAND
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PROVIDENCE RI
217 PM EDT  THU  AUG 7 1986

... THUNDERSTORMS  WITH HAIL MOVING INTO RHODE ISLAND ...

AT 210 PM EDT WORCHESTER WEATHER RADAR SHOWED EXTREMELY HEAVY
THUNDERSTORMS JUST OVER THE WESTERN RHODE ISLAND BOARDER IN
CONNECTICUT.  SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS CONTAIN HAIL AND MAY BE
ACCOMPANIED BY DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS AND STRONG..
SQUALLY WINDS.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOVING THROUGH
NORTHWESTERN RHODE ISLAND..IN THE FOSTER..GLOCESTER..BURRIVILLE AREA
DURING THE NEXT HOUR.

PEOPLE LIVING IN NORTHWESTERN RHODE ISLAND SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER AN TAKE COVER AS IT wAPPROACHES.

CARBONE
Special weather statement, Aug 7, 2:45 PM EDT, 4 hours 50 minutes before
BOSSPSORH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE  WORCESTER MA
245 PM EDT THU AUG 7 1986

AT 240 PM EDT THE WEATHER RADAR AT WORCESTER SHOWED EXTREMELY HEAVY
THUNDERSTORMS JUST ENTERING THE STATE IN A LINE FROM BRIMFIELD TO
CENTRAL RHODE ISLAND.  THE HEAVIEST STORMS WERE ABOUT 10 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF THE CITY WORCESTER.  SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS CONTAIN
HAIL AND MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY DANGFEROUS LIGHTNING..TORRENTIAL
DOWNPOURS AND STRONG WIND.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOVING THROUGH
WORCESTER WITHIN THE HALF HOUR.

 PEOPLE IN THIS PORTION OF WORCESTER COUNTY SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER AND TAKE COVER AS IT APPROACHES.

FOOSE
Special weather statement, Aug 7, 3:19 PM EDT, 4 hours 16 minutes before
^BOSSPSPVD

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR RHODE ISLAND
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PROVIDENCE RI
317 PM EDT  THU  AUG 7 1986

... HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH RHODE ISLAND ...

AT 310 PM EDT CHATHAM WEATHER RADAR SHOWED VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS IN
NORTHWESTERN RHODE ISLAND IN THE FOSTER..GLOCESTER..BURRIVILLE SECTION
OF THE STATE.   SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY CONTAIN HAIL AND MAY BE
ACCOMPANIED BY TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS CAUSING STREET AND LOWLAND FLOODING.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY ALSO CONTAIN DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..AND STRONG..
SQUALLY WINDS.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE FORMING IN SOUTHEASTERN CONNECTICUT.  THEY
WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE INTO NORTHWESTERN RHODE ISLAND FOR AT LEST THE
NEXT HOUR OR TWO.

PEOPLE LIVING IN NORTHWESTERN RHODE ISLAND SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER AND TAKE COVER AS IT APPROACHES.  PEOPLE IN THE
REST OF THE STATE CAN EXPECT THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE INTO THEIR AREAS
LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

CARBONE
Special weather statement, Aug 7, 5:29 PM EDT, 2 hours 6 minutes before
^BOSSPSPVD

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR RHODE ISLAND
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PROVIDENCE RI
530 PM EDT  THU  AUG 7 1986

... HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MOVED NORTHEAST OUT OF RHODE ISLAND...

AT 430 PM EDT CHATHAM WEATHER RADAR SHOWED VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS
JUST WEST OF PROVIDENCE.  THIS STORM HAS NOW MOVED INTO MASSACHUSSETTS
NORTHEAST OF PROVIDENCE. THE PUBLIC REPORTED POSSIBLE TORNADO IN
CUMBERLAND WITH THIS STORM.  NUMEROUS MODERATE TO HEAVY ,RAIN AND
THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE IN MOST OF RHODE ISLAND AND SHOULD CONTINUE FOR
THE NEXT FEW HOURS.

PEOPLE LIVING IN RHODE ISLAND SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER AND TAKE COVER AS IT APPROACHES.

KOWALZYK
Local storm report, Aug 7, 7:10 PM EDT, 25 minutes before
^BOSLSRPVD

STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PROVIDENCE RI
650 PM EDT THU AUG 7 1986

TIME DATE                              EVENT:
530 PM EDT AUG 7 1986                  A TORNADO STRUCK DOWNTOWN
                                       PROVIDENCE IN THE BROAD STREET
                                       AREA.

STATE CIVIL DEFENCE REPORTED SEVERAL FIRES..MUCH DAMAGE AND INJURIES.

KOWALZYK

The office that day

Everything else NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 7, 3:31 PM EDTTornado WarningBOXEssex, Middlesex59 min
Aug 7, 4:29 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXNorfolk, Suffolk61 min
Aug 7, 4:29 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXBristol61 min
Aug 7, 5:42 PM EDTTornado WarningBOXBristol58 min
Aug 7, 6:33 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXPlymouth57 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Massachusetts, 1986Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1986

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.