Alert archive / Massachusetts / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1994

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 60, NWS Boston/Norton, MA

July 30, 1994Essex County, Massachusetts

NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 30, 1994, 5:54 PM EDT for Essex County, Massachusetts. It was in force for 36 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 30, 1994, 5:54 PM EDT (21:54 UTC)
Expired
Jul 30, 1994, 6:30 PM EDT
In force
36 min
Issued by
NWS Boston/Norton, MA
Area
Whole counties

County Essex County, MA

The nearest sounding before it

Chatham, MA (KCHH), launched 12:00Z, 9.9 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 12:00Z on 1994-07-30Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 892 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 1994-07-30The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 2 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
892 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-10 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
546 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
32 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
2 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
65 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 302157 RRA
SVRBOS
MAC009-302245-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
554 PM EDT SAT JUL 30 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  645 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN  MASSACHUSETTS
 
   ...NORTHEASTERN ESSEX COUNTY
 
AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.
 
AT 550 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
ALONG THE NEW HAMPSHIRE BORDER NEAR AMESBURY.  AT 555 PM...MERRIMAC
POLICE REPORTED TREES DOWNED IN NORTH MERRIMAC NEAR THE NEW HAMPSHIRE
BORDER.  THIS STORM IS HEADING INTO SALISBURY AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL
WATERS.
 
 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND 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 ROADS QUICKLY SO
DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.
 
VALLIER-TALBOT
 
&

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 30, 3:17 PM EDT, 2 hours 37 minutes before
MAZ003-004-005-010-011-012-302015-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
315 PM EDT SAT JUL 30 1994

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR MUCH OF MASSACHUSETTS UNTIL 8 PM...

AT 315 PM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE
BORDER OF HAMPDEN AND HAMPSHIRE COUNTIES...NEAR CHICOPEE.  THESE
STORMS WERE PRODUCING LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND POSSIBLY SOME SMALL
HAIL.  THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH AND WILL BE
AFFECTING EASTERN HAMPSHIRE COUNTY NEAR GRANBY...BELCHERTOWN...AND WARE
BETWEEN 320 AND 4 PM.

OTHER STRONG STORMS WERE IN NORTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY FROM ATHOL TO
ASHBURNHAM.  THESE WERE MOVING NORTHEAST TOWARD SOUTHERN HILLSB{OROUGH
COUNTY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF
SAFETY.  STAY TUNED TO THE WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION
STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

FIELD
Special weather statement, Jul 30, 3:43 PM EDT, 2 hours 11 minutes before
MAZ003-004-005-006-007-010-011-012-013-014-015-016-501-502-302045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
343 PM EDT SAT JUL 30 1994

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR WESTERN...CENTRAL...AND NORTHEASTERN
MASSACHUSETTS UNTIL 8 PM...

AT 340 PM...RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO WESTERN
WORCESTER COUNTY NEAR PETERSHAM.  GUSTY WINDS TO 30 MPH HAVE BEEN
REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS.  THEY WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 35
MPH.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS...WITH LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS...CONTINUED TO
REDEVELOP IN NORTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY FROM ATHOL TO ASHBURNHAM.
RADAR ESTIMATED THAT BETWEEN 1 AND 2 INCHES OF RAIN HAD ALREADY FALLEN
NEAR WINCHENDON IN NORTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY.

AN ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORM HAD DEVELOPED IN EASTERN ESSEX COUNTY
NEAR IPSWICH.  THIS WILL BE MOVING OFF THE COASTAL WATERS BETWEEN 345 PM
AND 4 PM.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY.
REMEMBER...DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.
STAY TUNED TO THE WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION STATIONS
FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

FIELD
Special weather statement, Jul 30, 4:52 PM EDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before
MAZ002>016-501-502-302200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
452 PM EDT SAT JUL 30 1994

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM FOR WESTERN...
CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS...

AT 445 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR FROM TAUNTON SHOWED A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM NEAR LEOMINSTER.  THIS STORM WAS HEADING NORTHEAST AT 30
MPH.  THIS STORM WILL MOVE NEAR LUNENBURG...AYER AND GROTON BY 5 PM.
THIS STORM WILL CONTAIN HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND POSSIBLE GUSTY WINDS AND
HAIL.

RADAR SHOWED NO OTHER ACTIVITY THROUGH 445 PM ACROSS THE REST OF
MASSACHUSETTS.  A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MOST
OF MASSACHUSETTS THROUGH 8 PM.

STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS ISSUED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OVER NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR
TELEVISION STATION.

VALLIER-TALBOT
Special weather statement, Jul 30, 4:55 PM EDT, 59 minutes before
MAZ002>016-501-502-302200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
452 PM EDT SAT JUL 30 1994

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM FOR WESTERN...
CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS...

AT 445 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR FROM TAUNTON SHOWED A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM NEAR LEOMINSTER.  THIS STORM WAS HEADING NORTHEAST AT 30
MPH.  THIS STORM WILL MOVE NEAR LUNENBURG...AYER AND GROTON BY 5 PM.
THIS STORM WILL CONTAIN HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND POSSIBLE GUSTY WINDS AND
HAIL.

RADAR SHOWED NO OTHER ACTIVITY THROUGH 445 PM ACROSS THE REST OF
MASSACHUSETTS.  A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MOST
OF MASSACHUSETTS THROUGH 8 PM.

STAY TTUNED FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS ISSUED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OVER NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR
TELEVISION STATION.

VALLIER-TALBOT
Local storm report, Jul 30, 5:43 PM EDT, 11 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT...DELAYED REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOSTON MA
543 PM EDT SAT JUL 30 1994

110-125 PM EDT   FT. DEVENS        MAINLY NE WORCESTER CO...SEVERAL
                 MILITARY BASE     TREES BLOWN DOWN/UPROOTED.
                                   POSSIBLY AS MANY AS 3 BUILDINGS
                                   FLATTENED BY WINDS...1 BY FIRE.
                                   UNCONFIRMED REPORTS OF A TORNADO
                                   THAT MAY HAVE TOUCHED DOWN BRIEFLY.
                                   NWS WILL INVESTIGATE THIS DAMAGE
                                   FURTHER.

FIELD
Local storm report, Jul 30, 5:44 PM EDT, 10 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT...DELAYED REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BOSTON MA
543 PM EDT SAT JUL 30 1994

110-125 PM EDT   FT. DEVENS        MAINLY NE WORCESTER CO...SEVERAL
                 MILITARY BASE     TREES BLOWN DOWN/UPROOTED.
                                   POSSIBLY AS MANY AS 3 BUILDINGS
                                   FLATTENED BY WINDS...1 BY FIRE.
                                   UNCONFIRMED REPORTS OF A TORNADO
                                   THAT MAY HAVE TOUCHED DOWN BRIEFLY.
                                   NWS WILL INVESTIGATE THIS DAMAGE
                                   FURTHER.

FIELD

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Massachusetts, 1994Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1994

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.