Alert archive / Massachusetts / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1989

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 18, NWS Boston/Norton, MA

July 27, 1989Franklin County, Hampshire County, Massachusetts

NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 27, 1989, 9:30 PM EDT for Franklin County, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. It was in force for 90 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jul 27, 1989, 9:30 PM EDT (01:30 UTC)
Expired
Jul 27, 1989, 11:00 PM EDT
In force
90 min
Issued by
NWS Boston/Norton, MA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Franklin County, MA, Hampshire County, MA

The radar

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

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 27, 9:35 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 50Franklin, MA

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Albany, NY (KALB), launched 00:00Z, 1.5 hours before the alert went out and 102 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, Albany, NY at 00:00Z on 1989-07-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 550 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, Albany, NY at 00:00Z on 1989-07-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 22 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
550 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-86 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1182 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
26 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
22 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
50 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 KORH 280126 RRA
SVRORH
MAC011-015-280300-

BULLETIN-IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WORCESTER MA
930 PM EDT THU JUL 27 1989 EXPIRES 1100 PM EDT

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1100 PM EDT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN

MASSACHUSETTS...SOUTHERN FRANKLIN AND NORTHWESTERN HAMPSHIRE

AT 930 PM RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IN NORTH CENTRAL
BERKSHIRE COUNTY. IT WAS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST AT 25 MPH AND
WILL BE PASSING INTO NORTHWESTERN PORTIONS OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY
AND THEN INTO FRANKLIN COUNTY DURING THE NEXT HOUR.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES GO TO A SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY. TO1
REPORT SEVERE WEATHER..PLEASE ASK YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
TO RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NEAREST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.
$$
KEHIR

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, Jul 27, 5:25 PM EDT, 4 hours 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARTFORD, CT
525 PM EDT THU JUL 27 1989

...THUNDERSTORMS RUMBLING ACROSS LITCHFIELD COUNTY...

AT 5:20 PM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT BRADLEY FIELD INDICATED
THUNDESTORMS OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LITCHFIELD COUNT. THE STRONGEST
STORM WAS LOCATED 10 MILES WEST OF TORRRINGTON. THESE STORMS MAY HAVE
HEAVY RAIN AND LOCALLY GUSTY WINDS. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES
YOU SHOULD TAKE SHELTER.

THESE THUNDER STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 20 MPH.

THIS WILL BE THE ONLY STATEMENT ON THESE STORMS UNLESS CONDITIONS
WARRANT.

DUNHAM/WSO HARTFORD
Special weather statement, Jul 27, 6:06 PM EDT, 3 hours 24 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARTFORD, CT
600 PM EDT THU JUL 27 1989

...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING FROM LITCHFIELD COUNTY INTO HARTFORD COUNTY...

AT 600 PM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT BRADLEY FIELD INDICATED
AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NORFOLK IN LITCHFIELD
COUNTY TO JUST WEST OF MERIDEN IN NEW HAVEN COUNTY. THESE STORMS ARE
MOVING TO THE EAST AT 20 MPH AND WILL BE OVER THE GREATER HARTFORD AREA
DURING THE NEXT HOUR.

THESE STORMS MAY HAVE HEAVY RAIN...STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL.
IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOU SHOULD TAKE SHELTER.

FURTHER STATEMENTS ON THESE STORMS WILL BE ISSUED AS NEEDED.

DUNHAM/WSO HARTFORD
Special weather statement, Jul 27, 6:26 PM EDT, 3 hours 4 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARTFORD, CT
625 PM EDT THU JUL 27 1989

...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO HARTFORD COUNTY...

AT 625 PM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT BRADLEY FIELD INDICATED
AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
SOUTHWICK IN HAMPDEN COUNTY MA TO 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF NEW BRITAIN IN
HARTFORD COUNTY. THESE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 20 MPH AND WILL
MOVE THROUGH THE GREATER HARTFORD AREA DURING THE NEXT HOUR.

THESE STORMS MAY HAVE HEAVY RAIN...STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL.
IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOU SHOULD TAKE SHELTER.

FURTHER STATEMENTS ON THESE STORMS WILL BE ISSUED AS NEEDED.

DUNHAM/WSO HARTFORD
Special weather statement, Jul 27, 7:45 PM EDT, 1 hour 45 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR MASSACHUSETTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOSTON MA
745 PM EDT THU JUL 27 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR ALL MASSACHUSETTS EXCEPT CAPE COD
UNTIL 1 AM EDT TONIGHT...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 638 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ALL OF
MASSACHUSETTS...EXCEPT CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS...EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1 AM
EDT.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOW OCCURRING OVER VERMONT AND EASTERN NEW YORK.
SEVERAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITHIN THIS
AREA...WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL.  THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING
INTO NORTHERN BERKSHIRE COUNTY AND WILL MOVE EASTWARD AT 20 TO 30
MILES AN HOUR ACROSS THE REST OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS
DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY MOVE INTO OR NEW
STORMS FORM OVER EASTERN PORTIONS LATER THIS EVENING WITH A SEVERE
STORM POSSIBLE.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS THAT SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAY
CONTAIN DAMAGING WINDS OF 60 MILES AN HOUR OR MORE AND LARGE HAIL OF
THREE-QUARTERS OF AN INCH IN DIAMETER OR GREATER.

PERSONS WITHIN OR NEAR THE WATCH AREA SHOULD KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON
THIS DEVELOPING AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION...AND BE PREPARED
TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IS CASE SEVERE WEATHER IS OBSERVED OR A WARNING
FOR THEIR AREA IS ISSUED.

THE NEXT STATEMENT ON THIS SITUATION WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN BOSTON AROUND 10 PM.

DORR
Special weather statement, Jul 27, 8:04 PM EDT, 1 hour 26 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARTFORD, CT
745 PM EDT THU JUL 27 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR ALL OF CONNECTICUT UNTILL 1 AM EDT
FRIDAY...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 638 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ALL OF
CONNECTICUT EFFECTIVE UNTILL 1 AM EDT.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOW OCCURRING OVER EASTERN NEY YORK. SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITHIN THIS AREA...DAMAGING WINDS AND
HAIL. THE THUNDERSTORMS AREA MOVING TO THE EAST AT 20 TO 30 MILES AN
HOUR AND WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN CONNECTICUT DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS.

PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD KEEP CLOSE WATCH ON THIS DEVELOPING
SITUATION AND BE PREPARRED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF SEVERE WEATHER IS
OBSERVED OR A WARNING ISSUED.

DUNHAM

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 27, 10:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXHampden65 min
Jul 28, 12:35 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXBristol, Plymouth55 min
Jul 28, 1:05 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXNantucket55 min
Jul 28, 1:05 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXBarnstable55 min
Jul 28, 2:05 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXFranklin, Hampshire70 min
Jul 28, 2:48 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXHampden57 min
Jul 28, 3:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXWorcester60 min
Jul 28, 3:15 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXMiddlesex60 min
Jul 28, 3:57 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXNorfolk63 min
Jul 28, 4:08 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXPlymouth52 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Massachusetts, 1989Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1989

Sources

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