Alert archive / New Hampshire / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1996

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 21, NWS Gray, ME

July 14, 1996Rockingham County, Strafford County, New Hampshire

NWS Gray, ME issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 14, 1996, 9:29 PM EDT for Rockingham County, Strafford County, New Hampshire. It was in force for 46 min. 2 reports 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 14, 1996, 9:29 PM EDT (01:29 UTC)
Expired
Jul 14, 1996, 10:15 PM EDT
In force
46 min
Issued by
NWS Gray, ME
Area
Whole counties

Counties Rockingham County, NH, Strafford County, NH

The radar

The Portland,ME radar (KGYX), 106 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:29 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 14, 10:05 PM EDTHail 1Strafford, NH
Jul 14, 10:10 PM EDTHail 1Barrington, NH

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.

The nearest sounding before it

Gray, ME (KGYX), launched 00:00Z, 1.5 hours before the alert went out and 105 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, Gray, ME at 00:00Z on 1996-07-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 86 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, Gray, ME at 00:00Z on 1996-07-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 32 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
86 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-115 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1141 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
32 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
78 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 KPWM 150130
SVRPWM
NHC015-017-150215-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
929 PM EDT SUN JUL 14 1996
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAY HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1015 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN  NEW HAMPSHIRE
 
   ...NORTHERN ROCKINGHAM COUNTY...STRAFFORD COUNTY
 
AT 925 PM...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR LOCATED IN GRAY MAINE
INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER NORTHERN ROCKINGHAM COUNTY AND
HEADING FOR STRAFFORD COUNTY. THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH
AND WILL MOVE TO NEAR CENTER STRAFFORD BY 10 PM.
 
THIS STORM WILL CONTAIN LARGE HAIL...POSSIBLE DAMAGING WINDS AND
TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS AS WELL AS FREQUENT LIGHTNING.  THE TORRENTIAL
DOWNPOURS MAY LEAD TO LOCALIZED FLOODING.
 
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.

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 14, 5:21 PM EDT, 4 hours 8 minutes before
NHZ005-007-150000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
520 PM EDT SUN JUL 14 1996

...VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE INTO SOUTHERN GRAFTON COUNTY AS
   WELL AS SULLIVAN COUNTY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE...

AT 515 PM...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN GRAY MAINE
INDICATED VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED OVER WINDSOR COUNTY
VERMONT. THESE VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEASTWARD
AT 25 MPH AND WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHERN GRAFTON COUNTY AND SULLIVAN
COUNTY BETWEEN LEBANON AND CHARLESTOWN BETWEEN 430 PM AND 5 PM.

THOSE PERSONS OUT OF DOORS THIS AFTERNOON WILL WANT TO WATCH FOR
THREATENING SKIES AND BE READY TO MAKE FOR SAFE SHELTER.  BOATERS
SHOULD MAKE rFOR SHORE AT THE FIRST SIGN OF THREATENING SKIES.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS NECESSARY.
Special weather statement, Jul 14, 5:37 PM EDT, 3 hours 52 minutes before
NHZ005-007-150000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
520 PM EDT SUN JUL 14 1996

...VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE INTO SOUTHERN GRAFTON COUNTY AS
   WELL AS SULLIVAN COUNTY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE...

AT 515 PM...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN GRAY MAINE
INDICATED VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED OVER WINDSOR COUNTY
VERMONT. THESE VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEASTWARD
AT 25 MPH AND WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHERN GRAFTON COUNTY AND SULLIVAN
COUNTY BETWEEN LEBANON AND CHARLESTOWN BETWEEN 530 PM AND 6 PM.

THOSE PERSONS OUT OF DOORS THIS AFTERNOON WILL WANT TO WATCH FOR
THREATENING SKIES AND BE READY TO MAKE FOR SAFE SHELTER.  BOATERS
SHOULD MAKE FOR SHORE AT THE FIRST SIGN OF THREATENING SKIES.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS NECESSARY.
Special weather statement, Jul 14, 6:06 PM EDT, 3 hours 23 minutes before
NHZ003>010-013-014-150300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
605 PM EDT SUN JUL 14 1996

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST
NEW HAMPSHIRE UNTIL 11 PM...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES BELKNAP...MERRIMACK...ROCKINGHAM
...STRAFFORD AND SULLIVAN COUNTIES.  THE WATCH MEANS THERE IS THE
POTENTIAL FOR THUNDERSTORMS TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND/OR DAMAGING WINDS
IN AND CLOSE TO THESE COUNTIES.

VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALREADY FIRING UP ACROSS SOUTHERN AND
CENTRAL NEW HAMPSHIRE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AS INDICATED BY WEATHER
RADAR.  THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST BETWEEN 15 AND 20 MPH
ACROSS SULLIVAN...MERRIMACK AND SOUTHERN GRAFTON COUNTIES AT 6 PM.
RADAR INDICATED THESE STORMS CONTAINED HEAVY RAIN AND HAIL.

PEOPLE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE SHOULD BE ALERT TO ANY THREATENING WEATHER.  BE
PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IF A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES YOUR AREA.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS NEEDED.

SJC/NWS GRAY ME
Special weather statement, Jul 14, 7:51 PM EDT, 1 hour 38 minutes before
NHZ003>010-013-014-150300-MEZ007-012-018-019-023-150300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
750 PM EDT SUN JUL 14 1996

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST
   NEW HAMPSHIRE UNTIL 11 PM...

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR BELKNAP COUNTY HAS EXPIRED...

THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER EASTERN NEW HAMPSHIRE AS OF 745 PM.
NO MORE SEVERE WEATHER WAS BEING ENCOUNTERED AT THIS TIME...BUT THERE
IS STILL A POTENTIAL FOR LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...HEAVY DOWNPOURS
AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING OVER SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW HAMPSHIRE.

THE HEAVIEST ACTIVITY WAS LOCATED FROM NORTHERN GRAFTON COUNTY TO
SOUTHERN ROCKINGHAM COUNTY.  THIS ACTIVITY WILL BE MOVING INTO
SOUTHWEST MAINE BETWEEN 8 PM AND 830 PM.

THOSE PERSONS OUTDOORS THIS EVENING SHOULD BE ALERT TO ANY THREATENING
WEATHER AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IF A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES
THEIR AREA.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WILL BE RISSUED AS NECESSARY.
Special weather statement, Jul 14, 9:11 PM EDT, 18 minutes before
NHZ003>010-013-014-150300-MEZ007-012-018-019-023-150400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
910 PM EDT SUN JUL 14 1996

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST
   NEW HAMPSHIRE UNTIL 11 PM...

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR STRAFFORD COUNTY HAS EXPIRED...

THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER EASTERN NEW HAMPSHIRE AS OF 9 PM AND WERE
JUST ENTERING SOUTHWESTERN MAINE.

NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS BEING REPORTED AT THIS TIME...BUT EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS WERE REPORTING LOCALIZED FLOODING DUE TO THE
ASSOCIATED HEAVY DOWNPOURS...COUPLED WITH YESTERDAY'S GENEROUS
RAINFALL FROM TROPICAL STORM BERTHA.  THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER
STILL EXIST OVER SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW HAMPSHIRE UNTIL 11 PM.

ALSO...NUMEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES WERE BEING REPORTED WHICH LED TO
ROOF FIRES AND SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES.

THE HEAVIEST ACTIVITY HAD JUST ENTERED SOUTHWESTERN MAINE AND APPEARED
TO BE EASING UP...BUT STILL COULD PRODUCE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS... AS IT
APPROACHES THE COAST.  THIS ACTIVITY WAS LOCATED BETWEEN SANFORD AND
KENNEBUNK AND WILL MOVE OFFSHORE BY 10 PM.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS NECESSARY.
Special weather statement, Jul 14, 9:12 PM EDT, 17 minutes before
NHZ003>010-013-014-150300-MEZ007-012-018-019-023-150400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
910 PM EDT SUN JUL 14 1996

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST
   NEW HAMPSHIRE UNTIL 11 PM...

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR STRAFFORD COUNTY HAS EXPIRED...

THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER EASTERN NEW HAMPSHIRE AS OF 9 PM AND WERE
JUST ENTERING SOUTHWESTERN MAINE.

NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS BEING REPORTED AT THIS TIME...BUT EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS WERE REPORTING LOCALIZED FLOODING DUE TO THE
ASSOCIATED HEAVY DOWNPOURS...COUPLED WITH YESTERDAY'S GENEROUS
RAINFALL FROM TROPICAL STORM BERTHA.  THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER
STILL EXIST OVER SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW HAMPSHIRE UNTIL 11 PM.

ALSO...NUMEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES WERE BEING REPORTED WHICH LED TO
ROOF FIRES AND SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES.

THE HEAVIEST ACTIVITY HAD JUST ENTERED SOUTHWESTERN MAINE AND APPEARED
TO BE EASING UP...BUT STILL COULD PRODUCE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS... AS IT
APPROACHES THE COAST.  THIS ACTIVITY WAS LOCATED BETWEEN SANFORD AND
KENNEBUNK AND WILL MOVE OFFSHORE BY 10 PM.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS NECESSARY.

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in New Hampshire, 1996Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1996

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.