Alert archive / Massachusetts / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1989

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 22, NWS Boston/Norton, MA

July 28, 1989Barnstable County, Massachusetts

NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 28, 1989, 1:05 AM EDT for Barnstable County, Massachusetts. It was in force for 55 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 28, 1989, 1:05 AM EDT (05:05 UTC)
Expired
Jul 28, 1989, 2:00 AM EDT
In force
55 min
Issued by
NWS Boston/Norton, MA
Area
Whole counties

County Barnstable 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 00:00Z, 5.1 hours before the alert went out and 25 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 00:00Z on 1989-07-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 68 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 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 00:00Z on 1989-07-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -25 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
68 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-203 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
964 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
10 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-25 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
21 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 280505
SVRBOS
MAC001-019-280600-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOSTON MA
105 AM EDT FRI JUL 28 1989

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 200 AM EDT FOR 
PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES

   IN THE SOUTHEAST PART OF MASSACHUSETTS
      BARNSTABLE...DUKES

...THIS WARNING ALSO INCLUDES THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS FOR THE
COUNTIES JUST MENTIONED

AT 1 AM EDT A THUNDERSTORM WITH HEAVY RAIN AND VIVID LIGHTNING WAS
MOVING ACROSS BUZZARDS BAY TOWARD BARNSTABLE AND DUKES COUNTIES.
STONG GUSTY WINDS TO 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 55
MPH...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.
FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.  HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADWAYS QUICKLY...
AVOID DRIVING INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

 SIMS

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, 7:45 PM EDT, 5 hours 20 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, 5 hours 1 minute 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
Special weather statement, Jul 27, 9:44 PM EDT, 3 hours 21 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARTFORD, CT
935 PM EDT THU JUL 27 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR ALL OF CONNECTICUT AND
HAMPDEN COUNTY OF MASSACHUSETTS UNTILL 1 AM EDT FRIDAY...

AT 915 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT BRADLEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
INDICATED AN AREA OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM KEENE NEW
HAMPSHIRE TO 20 MILES EAST OF PITTSFIELD MASSACHUSETTS. THESE STORMS WERE
MOVING EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL PASS TO THE NORTH OF HAMPDEN
COUNTY. ANOTHER AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS OVER EASTERN NEW YORK STATE
AND WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR. THESE STORMS WILL MOVE
INTO WESTERN CONNECTICUT DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS8.

PERSONS IN OR NEAR 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
Special weather statement, Jul 27, 10:56 PM EDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR MASSACHUSETTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOSTON MA
1045 PM EDT THU JUL 27 1989

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

A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDS FROM SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE INTO
CENTRAL AND SOUTHWESTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND IS MOVING EAST AROUND 25
MILES AN HOUR.  VIVID INTENSE LIGHTNING...STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN
CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS LINE AS IT MOVES EAST INTO THE MERRIMACK
VALLEY AND WORCESTER AREAS BY 1130 PM.  IT IS POSSIBLE THAT ONE OR TWO
OF THESE STORMS COULD CONTAIN DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.  BECAUSE
OF THIS POTENTIAL...IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT ALL PERSONS IN THE AFFECTED
AREA REMAIN ALERET AND BE READY TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IN CASE A WARNING
IS ISSUED OR THE WEATHER BECOMES THREATENING.

DORR
Special weather statement, Jul 27, 11:55 PM EDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARTFORD, CT
1145 PM EDT THU JUL 27 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR ALL OF CONNECTICUT AND
HAMPDEN COUNTY OF MASSACHUSETTS UNTILL 1 AM EDT FRIDAY...

AT 1140 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT BRADLEY INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NEWBURYPORT
MASSACHUSETTS THROUGH SPRINGFIELD MA TO 20 MILES NORTH OF TORRINGTON
CONNECTICUT. THESE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE OVER NORTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS...HOWEVER THE
POTENTIAL STILL EXISTS FOR SEVERE WEATHER FOR ALL OF HAMPDEN COUNTY
MASSACHUSETTS AND ALL OF CONNECTICUT.

PERSONS IN OR NEAR TkHE 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 IS ISSUED.
DUNHAM

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 27, 9:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXFranklin, Hampshire90 min
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, 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.