Alert archive / Massachusetts / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 51, NWS Boston/Norton, MA
NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 9, 1997, 3:52 PM EDT for Middlesex County, Massachusetts. It was in force for 68 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 9, 1997, 3:52 PM EDT (19:52 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 9, 1997, 5:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 68 min
- Issued by
- NWS Boston/Norton, MA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Middlesex County, MA
The radar
The Boston radar (KBOX), 63 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:53 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 9, 4:12 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind 50 | Pepperell, MA | |
| Jul 9, 5:00 PM EDT | Hail 0.75 | Groton, MA |
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 watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 9, 1:15 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Chatham, MA (KCHH), launched 12:00Z, 7.9 hours before the alert went out and 148 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1094 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 32 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 88 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 85 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.5
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KBOS 091952 RRA SVRBOS MAC017-092100- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 352 PM EDT WED JUL 9 1997 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 500 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN EAST CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS ...NORTHERN MIDDLESEX COUNTY AT 350 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING ASHBY AND TOWNSEND IN NORTHWESTERN MIDDLESEX COUNTY. THESE STORMS HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER FROM THE WEATHER IN A STRONG BUILDING. DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN... AND DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE ALL POSSIBLE IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. STAY INSIDE AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. DRV/WGH
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 9, 11:19 AM EDT, 4 hours 33 minutes before
NHZ011>012-MAZ002>024-MAZ501>504-CTZ002>004-RIZALL-100000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED LAST SENTENCE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 1120 AM EDT WED JUL 9 1997 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS...NORTHERN CONNECTICUT AND SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE... A WARM MOIST AIRMASS AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT WILL PRODUCE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE...PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS. THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE ACROSS CENTRAL AND WESTERN AREAS OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND INTO SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER INTO EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS WELL. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE BERKSHIRES AND SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE AFTER 2 PM...THEN PUSH INTO CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS AND NORTHERN CONNECTICUT AFTER 4 PM. THE FRONT WILL MOVE SLOWLY SOUTHEAST INTO EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND TONIGHT...SO SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON FRIDAY. THE SEVERE WEATHER WILL DIMINISH ACROSS THE REGION LATE TONIGHT. STAY TUNED TO YOUR FAVORITE RADIO OR TELEVISION STATIONS OR LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST STATEMENTS OR ANY WATCHES OR WARNINGS THAT THE NATIONAL WEATHEZR SERVICE MAY ISSUE ON THIS WEATHER SITUATION. VALLIER-TALBOT
Special weather statement, Jul 9, 11:20 AM EDT, 4 hours 32 minutes before
NHZ011>012-MAZ002>024-MAZ501>504-CTZ002>004-RIZALL-100000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED LAST SENTENCE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 1120 AM EDT WED JUL 9 1997 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS...NORTHERN CONNECTICUT AND SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE... A WARM MOIST AIRMASS AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT WILL PRODUCE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE...PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS. THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE ACROSS CENTRAL AND WESTERN AREAS OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND INTO SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER INTO EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS WELL. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE BERKSHIRES AND SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE AFTER 2 PM...THEN PUSH INTO CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS AND NORTHERN CONNECTICUT AFTER 4 PM. THE FRONT WILL MOVE SLOWLY SOUTHEAST INTO EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND TONIGHT...SO SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON FRIDAY. THE SEVERE WEATHER WILL DIMINISH ACROSS THE REGION LATE TONIGHT. STAY TUNED TO YOUR FAVORITE RADIO OR TELEVISION STATIONS OR LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST STATEMENTS OR ANY WATCHES OR WARNINGS THAT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MAY ISSUE ON THIS WEATHER SITUATION. VALLIER-TALBOT
Special weather statement, Jul 9, 2:30 PM EDT, 1 hour 22 minutes before
NHZ011>012-MA002>024-501>504-CTZ002>004-RIZALL-100000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 230 PM EDT WED JUL 9 1997 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM FOR ALL OF CONNECTICUT...ALL OF RHODE ISLAND...AND ALL OF MASSACHUSETTS EXCEPT CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS AND CHESHIRE AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTIES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE... AS OF 230 PM...THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING INTO THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE BERKSHIRES AND SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE. THEY WILL CONTINUE AN EASTWARD TRACK INTO CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS AND NORTHERN CONNECTICUT AFTER 3 PM...AND INTO EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND AFTER 4 PM. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 80 MPH...AND TORRENTIAL RAIN. AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. STAY TUNED TO YOUR FAVORITE RADIO OR TELEVISION STATIONS OR LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR WARNINGS THAT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MAY ISSUE ON THIS DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION. JL
Special weather statement, Jul 9, 2:33 PM EDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before
NHZ011>012-MA002>024-501>504-CTZ002>004-RIZALL-100000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 230 PM EDT WED JUL 9 1997 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM FOR ALL OF CONNECTICUT...ALL OF RHODE ISLAND...AND ALL OF MASSACHUSETTS EXCEPT CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS AND CHESHIRE AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTIES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE... AS OF 230 PM...THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING INTO THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE BERKSHIRES AND SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE. THEY WILL CONTINUE AN EASTWARD TRACK INTO CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS AND NORTHERN CONNECTICUT AFTER 3 PM...AND INTO EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND AFTER 4 PM. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 80 MPH...AND TORRENTIAL RAIN. AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. STAY TUNED TO YOUR FAVORITE RADIO OR TELEVISION STATIONS OR LIxSTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR WARNINGS THAT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MAY ISSUE ON THIS DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION. JL
Local storm report, Jul 9, 3:33 PM EDT, 19 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MASSACHUSETTS
333 PM EDT WED JUL 9 1997
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0250 PM BLANDFORD MA .75 INCH HAIL
07/09/97 HAMPDEN DIME SIZE HAIL
PER SKYWARN SPOTTER
0258 PM CHESTER MA WIND DAMAGE
07/09/97 HAMPDEN TREES DOWN PER RUSSELL
STATE POLICE BARRACKS
0300 PM HUNTINGTON MA .75 INCH HAIL
07/09/97 HAMPSHIRE DIME SIZE HAIL
PER SKYWARN SPOTTER
0325 PM NORTHAMPTON MA WIND DAMAGE
07/09/97 HAMPSHIRE TREES AND POWER LINES
DOWN AND TREE FELL ON HOUSE
PER SKYWARN SPOTTER
EVTLocal storm report, Jul 9, 3:34 PM EDT, 18 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MASSACHUSETTS
333 PM EDT WED JUL 9 1997
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0250 PM BLANDFORD MA .75 INCH HAIL
07/09/97 HAMPDEN DIME SIZE HAIL
PER SKYWARN SPOTTER
0258 PM CHESTER MA WIND DAMAGE
07/09/97 HAMPDEN TREES DOWN PER RUSSELL
STATE POLICE BARRACKS
0300 PM HUNTINGTON MA .75 INCH HAIL
07/09/97 HAMPSHIRE DIME SIZE HAIL
PER SKYWARN SPOTTER
0325 PM NORTHAMPTON MA WIND DAMAGE
07/09/97 HAMPSHIRE TREES AND POWER LINES
DOWN AND TREE FELL ON HOUSE
` PER SKYWARN SPOTTER
EVTThe office that day
Everything else NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 9, 2:42 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOX | Hampden, Hampshire | 63 min |
| Jul 9, 2:42 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOX | Franklin | 63 min |
| Jul 9, 3:28 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOX | Worcester | 62 min |
| Jul 9, 3:41 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOX | Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire | 64 min |
| Jul 9, 4:11 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOX | Worcester | 64 min |
| Jul 9, 4:35 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOX | Middlesex | 55 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Massachusetts, 1997Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1997
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.