Alert archive / Massachusetts / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 12, NWS Boston/Norton, MA

October 18, 1990Middlesex County, Norfolk County, Massachusetts

NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Oct 18, 1990, 10:41 PM EDT for Middlesex County, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. It was in force for 64 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Oct 18, 1990, 10:41 PM EDT (02:41 UTC)
Expired
Oct 18, 1990, 11:45 PM EDT
In force
64 min
Issued by
NWS Boston/Norton, MA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Middlesex County, MA, Norfolk 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, 2.7 hours before the alert went out and 131 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 1990-10-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 00:00Z on 1990-10-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 153 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1118 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
153 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
172 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 190241
SVRBOS
MAC021-017-190345-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOSTON MA
1041 PM EDT THU OCT 18 1990

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1145 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTIES

   IN THE EXTREME EAST PART OF MASSACHUSETTS
      WESTERN NORFOLK...

   IN THE EAST CENTRAL PART OF MASSACHUSETTS
      MIDDLESEX...

AT 1030 PM A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS RACING ACROSS WORCESTER
COUNTY AT AROUND 45 MPH.  WINDS IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH HAVE BEEN
REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS AS WELL AS NUMEROUS REPORTS OF TREE
DAMAGE AND POWER OUTAGES.  IN ADDITION VERY HEAVY RAINFALL REDUCING
VISIBILITIES TO NEAR ZERO HAVE OCCURRED WITH LOCALIZED URBAN
FLOODING.

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.

 WYLLIE

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, Oct 18, 5:49 PM EDT, 4 hours 52 minutes before
MAZALL-190200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR MASSACHUSETTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOSTON MA
550 PM EDT THU OCT 18 1990

A HIGH WIND WARNING CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHERN NEW
ENGLAND EARLY TONIGHT.

WINDS BETWEEN 50 AND 60 MPH OCCURRED BETWEEN 4 AND 5 PM FROM MASSENA
NEW YORK TO SCRANTON PENNSYLVANIA TO WASHINGTON DC.

GUSTY SOUTH WINDS BETWEEN 25 AND 40 MPH IN NEW ENGAND THIS EVENING
WILL INCREASE TO BETWEEN 40 AND 50 MPH. A FEW LOCATIONS ALONG THE
COASTAL PLAIN OF EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS...AS WELL IN THE CONNECTICUT
RIVER VALLEY...AND THE HIGHEST TERRAIN OF BOTH THE BERKSHIRES AND
HIGHER TERRAIN AROUND WORCESTER SHOULD EXPERIENCE AN HOUR OR 2 OF
GUSTY WINDS BETWEEN 55 AND 60 MPH.

THE MOST FAVORABLE TIME FOR DAMAGING 60 MPH WIND GUSTS IN WESTERN
MASSACHUSETTS IS BETWEEN 6 PM AND 9 PM AND IN EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS
BETWEEN 8 PM AND MIDNIGHT.

A COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS RACING NORTHEAST FROM EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA
AND MARYLAND WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN NEW ENGLAND BETWEEN 6 AND 9 PM.

THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL BE STRONGEST NEAR ANY
THUNDERSTORMS THAT MAY OCCUR EARLY TONIGHT.

CAUTION IS ADVISED FOR ALL PEOPLE TRAVELING IN HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES
OR WALKING ABOUT EARLY TONIGHT.  POWER OUTAGES MAY OCCUR FROM TREE
LIMBS BREAKING WIRES AND LOOSE DEBRIS WILL BE ON THE MOVE.

WINDS WILL DIMINISH RAPIDLY AFTER A WIND SHIFT TO WEST BEGINNING IN
WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS AROUND 9 OR 10 PM AND IN EAjSTERN MASSACHUSETTS
AROUND MIDNIGHT.

DRAG
Special weather statement, Oct 18, 6:37 PM EDT, 4 hours 4 minutes before
RIZALL-190400

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR RHODE ISLAND
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PROVIDENCE RI
635 PM EDT THU OCT 18 1990

...VERY STRONG WINDS WILL BATTER THE OCEAN STATE LATER TONIGHT...

...A HIGH WIND WARNING CONTINUES FOR ALL OF RHODE ISLAND...

STRONG SOUTH WINDS ARE PRECEDING A STRONG COLD FRONT RACING ACROSS
CENTRAL NEW YORK AND EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA AT 6 PM.  GUSTY WINDS BETWEEN
40 AND 60 MPH HAVE BEEN REPORTED ACROSS PORTIONS OF NEW YORK STATE AND
PENNSYLVANIA LATE THIS AFTERNOON.  HERE IN THE OCEAN STATE...WINDS HAVE
BEEN GUSTING TO 30 MPH.  LATER TONIGHT...BETWEEN 9 PM AND MIDNIGHT...
WINDS WILL INCREASE TO BETWEEN 40 AND 50 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL HIGHER
GUSTS POSSIBLE.  THE STRONG WINDS MAY DOWN POWER LINES AND TREE LIMBS
RESULTING IN POWER OUTAGES.

WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE WEST AND DIMINSH TO 10 TO 20 MPH AROUND OR JUST
AFTER MIDNIGHT AS THE FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE OCEAN STATE.
.
IF YOU WILL BE TRAVELING ACROSS THE OCEAN STATE LATER TONIGHT...BE
ALERT FOR DOWNED POWER LINES AND BRANCHES.  LOOSE OBJECTS WHICH ARE
KEPT OUTDOORS SHOULD BE SECURED OR BROUGHT INSIDE NOW.

CADIMA
Special weather statement, Oct 18, 8:08 PM EDT, 2 hours 33 minutes before
CTZALL-MAZ005-190300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARTFORD CT
806 PM EDT THU OCT 18 1990

A HIGH WIND WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR CONNECTICUT AS WELL AS ALL
OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND.

GUSTY SOUTH WINDS BETWEEN 25 AND 40 MILES AN HOUR IN NEW ENGLAND THIS
EVENING WILL INCREASE TO BETWWEN 40 AND 50 MILE AN HOUR.  IN THE
CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY AND THE HIGHEST TERRIAN OF THE NORTHWEST HILLS
SHOULD EXPERIENCE AN HOUR OR 2 OF GUSTY WINDS BETWEEN 55 AND 60 MILE
AN HOUR.

A COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS RACING NORTHEAST FROM EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA
AND MARYLAND WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN CONNECTICUT BETWEEN 8 AND 10 PM.

THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL BE STRONGEST NEAR ANY
THUNDERSTORMS THAT MAY OCCUR EARLY TONIGHT.
.
THESE STRONG WINDS COULD EASILY PRESENT PROBLEMS TO TRAVELERS.  THE
HIGHER PROFILE VEHICLES SUCH AS CAMPERS AND ESPECIALLY TRACTOR-TRAILERS
WILL NEED TO EXCERCISE THE GREATEST CAUTION.  THE WINDS SHOULD ALSO BE
STRONG ENOUGH TO DOWN SMALL TREE LIMBS OR BRANCHES CAUSING SOME POWER
OUTAGES.

WINDS WILL DIMINISH RAPIDLY AFTER A WIND SHIFT TO THE WEST BEGINNING
AROUND MIDNIGHT.

WBK
Special weather statement, Oct 18, 9:10 PM EDT, 1 hour 31 minutes before
MAZALL-190200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR MASSACHUSETTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOSTON MA
850 PM EDT THU OCT 18 1990

A HIGH WIND WARNING CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHERN NEW
ENGLAND EARLY TONIGHT.

WINDS BETWEEN 50 AND 60 MPH HAVE OCCURRED THIS EVENING FROM EASTERN
NEW YORK STATE THROUGH PARTS OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA.  SOME TREE
DAMAGE AND POWER LINE DAMAGE HAS BEEN REPORTED IN SECTIONS OF
SOUTHEASTERN NEW YORK.  IN ADDITION BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAINS HAVE ALSO
BEEN REPORTED WITH UP TO AN INCH FALLING IN LESS THAN AN HOUR.  THIS
HAS RESULTED IN SOME LOCALIZED URBAN FLOODING IN SOME LOCATIONS.

GUSTY SOUTH WINDS BETWEEN 25 AND 40 MPH IN NEW ENGLAND WILL INCREASE
TO BETWEEN 40 AND 50 MPH JUST IN ADVANCE OF THE LINE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS THAT MOVED THROUGH BERKSHIRE COUNTY BETWEEN 840 AND 900
PM.  A FEW GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH COULD BE EXPERIENCED AND SOME
TREE DAMAGE AND EVEN POWER LINE DAMAGE COULD RESULT.

THE STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAINS SHOULD MOVE THROUGH THE CONNECTICUT
VALLEY BY 10 PM THEN TROUGH CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS BETWEEN 10 AND 11 PM
THEN ACROSS EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE STATE BETWEEN 11 PM AND MIDNIGHT
AND BE OFF THE COAST BY 1 AM.

CAUTION IS ADVIISED FOR ALL PEOPLE TRAVELING IN HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES
OR WALKING ABOUT TONIGHT.

WINDS WILL DIMINISH RAPIDLY AFTER A WIND SHIFT TO WEST BEGINNING IN
WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS SHORTLY AND IN EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AFTER
MIDNIGHT.

WYLLIE
Special weather statement, Oct 18, 10:22 PM EDT, 19 minutes before
RIZALL-190400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR RHODE ISLAND
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PROVIDENCE RI
1020 PM EDT THU OCT 18 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS ARE HEADING FOR RHODE ISLAND...

...A HIGH WIND WARNING CONTINUES FOR ALL OF RHODE ISLAND...

AT 1000 PM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME
SEVERE...ACROSS CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS AND CONNECTICUT.  THESE STORMS HAVE
BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY VERY STRONG DAMAGING WINDS.  THUNDERSTORMS WHICH
MOVED THROUGH HARTFORD PRODUCED A WIND GUST TO 72 MPH.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH...AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING
WINDS MAY BEGIN TO AFFECT WESTERN RHODE ISLAND BY 1100 PM.  IF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS BECOME IMMINENT FOR THE OCEAN STATE OR ACTUALLY OCCUR...
WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED.

RESIDENTS OF RHODE ISLAND SHOULD STAY ALERT FOR POSSIBLE DAMAGING WINDS
IN ANY THUNDERSTORMS.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER
STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

A HIGH WIND WARNING CONTINUES FOR ALL OF RHODE ISLAND FOR WIND GUSTS
BETWEEN 40 AND 50 MPH IN ADVANCE OF A COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS WESTERN
NEW ENGLAND.

CADIMA

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Oct 18, 9:05 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXFranklin, Hampshire55 min
Oct 18, 9:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXWorcester60 min
Oct 18, 11:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXEssex, Suffolk62 min
Oct 18, 11:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXNorfolk62 min
Oct 19, 12:44 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXBristol, Plymouth61 min
Oct 19, 12:44 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXDukes61 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Massachusetts, 1990Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1990

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.