Alert archive / Massachusetts / Flash Flood Warnings in 1992

Flash Flood Warning 12, NWS Boston/Norton, MA

August 9, 1992Barnstable County, Massachusetts

NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this flash flood warning at Aug 9, 1992, 7:54 PM EDT for Barnstable County, Massachusetts. It was in force for 2 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 9, 1992, 7:54 PM EDT (23:54 UTC)
Expired
Aug 9, 1992, 10:00 PM EDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Boston/Norton, MA
Area
Whole counties

County Barnstable County, MA

The nearest sounding before it

Chatham, MA (KCHH), launched 12:00Z, 11.9 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 12:00Z on 1992-08-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 7 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 1992-08-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 43 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
7 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-62 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
510 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
43 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
83 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 092350
FFWBOS
MAC001-100200-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOSTON MA
754 PM EDT SUN AUG 9 1992
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BOSTON HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1000 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS
 
   ...BARNSTABLE COUNTY
 
HEAVY RAIN HAS PRODUCED FLOODING OF ROADWAYS ALL ALONG THE CAPE.
POLICE REPORT FLOODING ALONG THE MID CAPE HIGHWAY. RADAR SHOWS MORE
RAIN WILL MOVE OVER THE CAPE DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS.
 
 
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS
IMMINENT.  MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.  DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO CROSS BRIDGES...DIPS...OR LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS
THE ROADWAY.  NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A SMALL
ONE...ON FOOT.  TO ESCAPE RISING WATER MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND.
 
JRS

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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 9, 5:04 PM EDT, 2 hours 50 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PROVIDENCE RI
503 PM EDT SUN AUG 9 1992

...THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE RHODE
ISLAND COAST...

AT 450 PM...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ACCOMPANIED BY
TORRENTIAL RAINS AFFECTING MUCH OF COASTAL RHODE ISLAND OVER WASHINGTON
AND NEWPORT COUNTIES.  THESE STORMS HAVE DUMPED VERY HEAVY AMOUNTS OF
RAIN...ESPECIALLY OVER NEWPORT COUNTY RESULTING IN STREET FLOODING.  A
WEATHER SPOTTER IN ADAMSVILLE REPORTED 2.1 INCHES OF RAIN IN 1 HOUR
BETWEEN 3 AND 4 PM.  ANOTHER SPOTTER IN TIVERTON REPORTED 3 INCHES IN
A 2 HOUR PERIOD BETWEEN 230 AND 430 PM.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 15 TO 20 MPH...AND
OCCASIONAL TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT WASHINGTON AND
NEWPORT COUNTIES THROUGH 6 PM.

IF YOU ARE TRAVELING ACROSS THE RHODE ISLAND COAST EARLY THIS EVENING...
USE EXTRA CAUTION AND TIME DUE TO VERY HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODED ROADS.

CADIMA
Special weather statement, Aug 9, 5:25 PM EDT, 2 hours 29 minutes before
CTZALL-092300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARTFORD CT
525 PM EDT SUN AUG 9 1992

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
AND WESTERN CONNECTICUT HAS EXPIRED...

AT 525 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTHEAST NEW LONDON COUNTY.
TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS HAVE CAUSED SOME POOR DRAINAGE PROBLEMS IN THE
NEW LONDON AND GROTON AREA AND ON UP INTO NORWICH.  THE MOVEMENT OF
PRECIPITATION HAS BEEN EAST AT 15 MILE AN HOUR.

OTHER SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS LITCHFIELD
COUNTY.  BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS CAN BE EXPECTED AS THIS LINE CONTINUES
TO MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS NORTHWEST CONNECTICUT.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS ROADWAYS IF WATER COVERS THE ROADS.
SEKELSKY
Special weather statement, Aug 9, 5:30 PM EDT, 2 hours 24 minutes before
CTZALL-092300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARTFORD CT
525 PM EDT SUN AUG 9 1992

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
AND WESTERN CONNECTICUT HAS EXPIRED...

AT 525 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTHEAST NEW LONDON COUNTY.
TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS HAVE CAUSED SOME POOR DRAINAGE PROBLEMS IN THE
NEW LONDON AND GROTON AREA AND ON UP INTO NORWICH.  THE MOVEMENT OF
PRECIPITATION HAS BEEN EAST AT 15 MILE AN HOUR.

OTHER SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS LITCHFIELD
COUNTY.  BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS CAN BE EXPECTED AS THIS LINE CONTINUES
TO MOVE EASTWARD AC6ROSS NORTHWEST CONNECTICUT.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS ROADWAYS IF WATER COVERS THE ROADS.
SEKELSKY
...CORRECTED FOR HEADER...
Special weather statement, Aug 9, 5:32 PM EDT, 2 hours 22 minutes before
CTZALL-092300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARTFORD CT
525 PM EDT SUN AUG 9 1992

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
AND WESTERN CONNECTICUT HAS EXPIRED...

AT 525 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTHEAST NEW LONDON COUNTY.
TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS HAVE CAUSED SOME POOR DRAINAGE PROBLEMS IN THE
NEW LONDON AND GROTON AREA AND ON UP INTO NORWICH.  THE MOVEMENT OF
PRECIPITATION HAS BEEN EAST AT 15 MILE AN HOUR.

OTHER SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS LITCHFIELD
COUNTY.  BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS CAN BE EXPECTED AS THIS LINE CONTINUES
TO MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS NORTHBWEST CONNECTICUT.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS ROADWAYS IF WATER COVERS THE ROADS.
SEKELSKY
...CORRECTED FOR HEADER...
Special weather statement, Aug 9, 6:54 PM EDT, 1 hour before
CTZ001-002-100100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARTFORD CT
650 PM EDT SUN AUG 9 1992

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING ACROSS NORTHWEST CONNECTICUT...

AT 645 PM...RADAR SHOWED A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN AND
POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL OVER EXTREME NORTHWEST LITCHFIELD COUNTY NEAR
SALISBURY AND CANAAN.  THE POWERFUL THUNDERSTORM WAS TRACKING SOUTHEAST
AT 20 MILES AND HOUR AND WILL REACH THE WINSTED/TORRINGTON AREA BY
720 PM.

THIS THUNDERSTORM WAS PART OF A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT
STRETCHED FROM SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE COUNTY OF MASSACHUSETTS...ACROSS
NORTHWEST CONNECTICUT TO JUST NORTH OF POUGHKEEPSIE IN EASTERN NEW
YORK STATE.  THIS LINE WAS ALSO MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA TAKE SHELTER INDOORS
Special weather statement, Aug 9, 7:27 PM EDT, 27 minutes before
MAZ004-100030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WORCESTER MA
726 PM EDT SUN AUG 9 1992

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS... AT 7.20
PM RADAR SHOWED AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORM OVER SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE
QUABBIN RESERVOIR. THE STORM WAS ABOUT 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF HARDWICK
IN WESTERN WORCESTER COUNTY.

THIS THUNDERSTORM CONTAINS VERY HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLE SOME SMALL
HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. IT WAS MOVINGx TOWARD THE EAST AT 15 MPH.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES GO TO A SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY. DO
NOT ATTEMOT TO DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADS.
KEHIR

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 9, 3:39 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningBOXBristol, Plymouth66 min
Aug 9, 4:45 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningBOXBristol, Plymouth60 min
Aug 9, 5:45 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningBOXBristol, Plymouth60 min
Aug 9, 6:45 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningBOXBristol, Plymouth2 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Massachusetts, 1992Every flash flood warning in 1992

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.