Alert archive / Massachusetts / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2002
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 25, NWS Albany, NY
NWS Albany, NY issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 31, 2002, 4:22 PM EDT for Berkshire County, Massachusetts. It was in force for 53 min. 1 report 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
- May 31, 2002, 4:22 PM EDT (20:22 UTC)
- Expired
- May 31, 2002, 5:15 PM EDT
- In force
- 53 min
- Issued by
- NWS Albany, NY
- Area
- Whole counties
County Berkshire County, MA
The radar
The Albany radar (KENX), 74 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 5:00 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind | Becket, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 2:15 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Albany, NY (KALY), launched 12:00Z, 8.4 hours before the alert went out and 62 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
- 59 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -161 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 835 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 30 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 138 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 141 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
988 WUUS51 KALY 312022 SVRALY MAC003-312115- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 422 PM EDT FRI MAY 31 2002 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALBANY HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... BERKSHIRE COUNTY IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS * UNTIL 515 PM EDT * AT 417 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM FLORIDA TO 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF SOUTH EGREMONT...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. * SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR... LENOX AND DALTON AT 425 PM EDT SOUTH EGREMONT AND SAVOY AT 430 PM EDT LEE AND GREAT BARRINGTON AT 435 PM EDT EAST WINDSOR AT 445 PM EDT MONTEREY AND BECKET AT 450 PM EDT OTIS AT 505 PM EDT THE GREATEST THREAT FROM THIS STORM IS DAMAGING WINDS. TAKE COVER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THE STORM PASSES. $$ WASULA/CEMPA
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.
NWS Albany, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 31, 3:54 PM EDT, 28 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 31, 3:54 PM EDT, 28 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 355 PM AM EDT FRI MAY 31 2002 WORKZONES AVAILABLE. ZONES OUT THE DOOR BY 4. .DISC...ITS DEJA-VOUS...FROM 4 YEARS AGO THOUGH WE WILL MAY NOT ISSUE WELL OVER 40 WARNINGS LIKE THAT DAY...WE HAVE ALREADY ISSUE 19 WARNINGS...WITH MANY OF THEM VERIFYING WITH WIND AND HAIL. (SEE THE LATEST ALBLSRALY FOR ALL THE DETAILS). THERE MIGHT BE A SECOND ROUND OF SVR AS ANOTHER SERIES OF LINES ARE STILL FIRING UP AHEAD OF THE REAL FRONT WHICH IS ONLY NOW ENTERING WRN NY STATE. WILL OBVIOUSLY INCLUDE AN EARLY UPDATE TO INCLUDE ONGOING WX. MODELS ALL INDICATE THAT THE ACTIVITY SHOULD BE OVER BY 8PM...JUST AS THE TONIGHT PERIOD REALLY GETS GOING. THE FRONT SHOULD BE CROSSING THE REGION BY THEN...WITH ALL THE ENERGY AND LIFT EXITING THE REGION TO THE SE. EXPECT A QUIET NIGHT WITH CLEARING AND LOWERING HUMIDITY AS THE WIND SHIFTS INTO THE W AND PICKS UP. THE WEEKEND WILL FEATURE DRIER WX (FOR A CHANGE). HOWEVER...ANOTHER COLD FRONT...FROM THE STILL MOSTLY FROZEN WATERS OF THE HUDSON BAY REGION WILL SLIP SOUTH BY LATE IN THE DAY/EVENING HOURS ON SAT. THE MESO-ETA GIVES A CAPE UP TO NEARLY 500 J/KG N OF KALB BY THE AFTERNOON...AND AT LEAST 300 ELSEWHERE. DIVERGENCE WITH THE RFQ OF THE UPPER JETLET WILL SKIM ACROSS OUR NRN SXNS BY LATE IN THE DAY. HAVE DECIDED TO INCLUDE A CHC TSRA/SHRA LATE IN THE NORTHERN ZONES BUT WILL KEEP THEM OUT FROM KALB SWD. (THE DIFFERENCE IN POPS BETWEEN THE MAV AND FWC ARE NEARLY 50...WITH THE MAVS HIGH). BELIEVE ANY STORMS THAT DO DEVELOP FROM THE CD ON SOUTHWARD WILL BE ISOLATED IN THE 20 PERCENT RANGE...AND NOT WORTH MENTIONING ATTM. WILL CONFINE A CHC OF SHRAS/TSRA FOR THE EVENING HOURS ONLY ON SAT AS THE ATMOSPHERE STABILIZES LATER ON. NO LIFT LEFT...AND SOME DRYING...SO WILL FORECAST DRY FOR OVERNIGHT. H8 TEMPS PROGGED TO DROP TO ABOUT 3C BY SUNDAY PM...QUITE UNSEASONABLY COOL FOR THE TIME OF YEAR. AM CONCERN THERE WILL LOTS OF SC (AND POSSIBLE MOUNTAIN SHOWERS) FOR SUNDAY...BUT WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP DRY WITH A PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY SKY. UA FLOW LOOKS SOMEWHAT ZONAL AS WE HEAD INTO NEXT WEEK. THE FLOW ACTUALLY REMAINS WNW ENOUGH TO POSSIBLY KEEP NEXT SHORT WAVE TO THE SOUTH...BUT WILL KEEP CHC FROM ABOUT KALB SOUTH SINCE THERE IS STILL SOME UNCERTAINTY. UNCERTAINTY IS DEFINITELY THERE CONCERNING THE FOLLOWING SHORT WAVE FOR LATER TUE/WED...BUT AGAIN WILL CONFINE S...WHILE THE THIRD ONE COULD BRING PCPN EVERYWHERE LATER IN THE WEEK. NO HEAT WAVES ARE IN THE OFFING...TEMPS WILL RETURN TO SLIGHTLY BELOW SEASONABLE LEVELS DURING THIS TIME FRAME. .HYDROLOGICAL STATUS...KENX RADAR SHOWS STORM TOTALS TO BE MAX OUT ABOUT 2 INCHES ACROSS THE MOHAWK VALLEY WITH LESSER AMOUNTS ELSEWHERE. TOTALS MIGHT BE SOMEWHAT HAIL CONTAMINATED. EITHER WAY...STORMS HAVE BEEN MOVING QUICKLY (UP TO 50 MPH) AND RAINFALL THUS FAR HAS NOT BEEN THE MAIN PROBLEM. WILL HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE SECOND BATCH WHICH MIGHT DELIVERY UP TO AN INCH OR 2 MORE RAINFALL BUT ANY ANY FLOODING THAT MIGHT OCCUR WITH THE NEXT LINE WOULD BE EXTREMELY LOCALIZED AND NOT WARRANTED A FFA AT THIS TIME. .ALY...SVR THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR ALL ZONES UNTIL 7 OR 8 EDT.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 31, 2:32 PM EDT, 1 hour 50 minutes before
MAZ001-NYZ060-061-311915- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 232 PM EDT FRI MAY 31 2002 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN BERKSHIRE AND COLUMBIA COUNTIES... AT 230 PM EDT DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES NORTHWEST OF ANCRAM...OR 12 MILES SOUTH OF HUDSON...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. THIS THUNDERSTORM...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH...POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL...AND HEAVY RAIN...WILL BE NEAR... COPAKE AT 240 PM EDT... SOUTH EGREMONT AND SHEFFIELD AT 250 PM EDT... GREAT BARRINGTON AND HOUSATONIC AT 255 PM EDT... MONTEREY AT 300 PM EDT... SANDISFIELD AT 305 PM EDT... OTIS AT 310 PM EDT... RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL VARY FROM ONE TENTH TO ONE THIRD OF AN INCH FROM THIS THUNDERSTORM. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR EASTERN NEW YORK. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. WASULA/CEMPA
Special weather statement, May 31, 3:15 PM EDT, 1 hour 7 minutes before
CTZ001-MAZ001-NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-058>061-063>066-VTZ013-014- 010230- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 315 PM EDT FRI MAY 31 2002 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH EASTERN NEW YORK AND ADJACENT WESTERN NEW ENGLAND THROUGH THIS EVENING. IN ADVANCE OF THIS FRONT...MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR IS IN PLACE...FUELING SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REGION. A SERIES OF LINES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MOVED THROUGH NEW YORK STATE AND VERMONT THIS AFTERNOON. THESE STORMS HAVE PRODUCED STRONG GUSTY WINDS...HAIL AND CAUSED NUMEROUS TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN THROUGHOUT EASTERN NEW YORK. ANOTHER LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP IN ADVANCE OF THE COLD FRONT AND BRING MORE SEVERE WEATHER TO NORTHERN NEW YORK AND VERMONT. A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS JUST WEST OF THE NORTHERN ADIRONDACKS AND MOHAWK VALLEY WILL CONTINUE INCREASE IN INTENSITY AND MOVE ACROSS NEW YORK...SOUTHERN VERMONT...THE BERKSHIRES AND LITCHFIELD COUNTY BETWEEN 300 PM AND 800 PM. THESE STORMS WILL CONTAIN STRONG GUSTY WINDS...DOWNPOURS AND LARGE HAIL. THE STORMS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL EVENTUALLY DISSIPATE LATE THIS EVENING AS A COLD FRONT MOVES OUT OF THE REGION. DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS WILL BE THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT THROUGH THIS EVENING. STAY ALERT FOR THE LATEST UPDATES FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ...AND PREPARE NOW FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR ANY MEDIA OUTLET THAT PROVIDES YOU WITH THE LATEST PRODUCTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR EASTERN NEW YORK. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. VTK
Special weather statement, May 31, 3:18 PM EDT, 1 hour 4 minutes before
NYZ032-033-311945- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 318 PM EDT FRI MAY 31 2002 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN HAMILTON AND HERKIMER COUNTIES... AT 318 PM EDT DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF INLET TO 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF HOFFMEISTER TO 3 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BARNEVELD...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 12 MILES EAST OF OLD FORGE TO 22 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SPECULATOR TO 11 MILES NORTH OF UTICA...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. THESE THUNDERSTORMS...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH...POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL...AND HEAVY RAIN...WILL BE NEAR... HOFFMEISTER AT 330 PM EDT... SPECULATOR AND SABAEL AT 345 PM EDT... A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR EASTERN NEW YORK. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND SOUTHERN VERMONT.
Local storm report, May 31, 4:04 PM EDT, 18 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
404 PM EDT FRI MAY 31 2002
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0115 PM ILION NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 HERKIMER NUMEROUS TREE LIMBS DOWN.
ILION DPW.
0155 PM JOHNSTOWN NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 FULTON PART OF ROOF BLOWN OFF AT
HOLIDAY INN AT JOHNSTOWN
0155 PM GLOVERSVILLE NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 FULTON POWER LINES AND TREES DOWN
0155 PM JOHNSTOWN NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 FULTON POWERLINES AND TREES DOWN
0223 PM NEW PALTZ NY 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 ULSTER GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL
0224 PM SARATOGA SPGS NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 SARATOGA NUMEROUS TREES DOWN
0224 PM FT ANN NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 WASHINGTON TREES DOWN
0229 PM GLENS FALLS NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 WARREN TREES DOWN
0229 PM WHITEHALL NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 WASHINGTON TREES DOWN
0230 PM FT JOHNSON NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 MONTGOMERY NUMEROUS TREES AND WIRES
DOWN...ROADS CLOSED
0255 PM ROTTERDAM NY 60 MPH TSTM GUST
05/31/02 SCHENECTADY MEASURED WIND 55 TO 60 MPH
0320 PM HOOSICK NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 RENSSELAER TREES AND WIRES DOWN
0325 PM SALT PT NY .75 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 DUTCHESS DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
0358 PM GOSHEN CT .75 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 LITCHFIELD DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
NNNN
KOLECISpecial weather statement, May 31, 4:08 PM EDT, 14 minutes before
MAZ001-312045- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 408 PM EDT FRI MAY 31 2002 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN BERKSHIRE COUNTY... AT 407 PM EDT DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM WILLIAMSTOWN TO 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF NEW LEBANON...OR 6 MILES WEST OF NORTH ADAMS 9 MILES WEST OF PITTSFIELD...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. THESE THUNDERSTORMS...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH...POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL...AND HEAVY RAIN...WILL BE NEAR... PITTSFIELD AND CHESHIRE AT 415 PM EDT... FLORIDA AND DALTON AT 420 PM EDT... SAVOY AT 425 PM EDT... EAST WINDSOR AT 430 PM EDT... A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. WASULA/CEMPA
Local storm report, May 31, 4:16 PM EDT, 6 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
416 PM EDT FRI MAY 31 2002
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0115 PM ILION NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 HERKIMER NUMEROUS TREE LIMBS DOWN.
ILION DPW.
0155 PM JOHNSTOWN NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 FULTON PART OF ROOF BLOWN OFF AT
HOLIDAY INN AT JOHNSTOWN
0155 PM GLOVERSVILLE NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 FULTON POWER LINES AND TREES DOWN
0155 PM JOHNSTOWN NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 FULTON POWERLINES AND TREES DOWN
0223 PM NEW PALTZ NY 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 ULSTER GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL
0224 PM SARATOGA SPGS NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 SARATOGA NUMEROUS TREES DOWN
0224 PM FT ANN NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 WASHINGTON TREES DOWN
0229 PM GLENS FALLS NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 WARREN TREES DOWN
0229 PM WHITEHALL NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 WASHINGTON TREES DOWN
0230 PM FT JOHNSON NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 MONTGOMERY NUMEROUS TREES AND WIRES
DOWN...ROADS CLOSED
0255 PM ROTTERDAM NY 60 MPH TSTM GUST
05/31/02 SCHENECTADY MEASURED WIND 55 TO 60 MPH
0320 PM HOOSICK NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 RENSSELAER TREES AND WIRES DOWN
0325 PM SALT PT NY .75 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 DUTCHESS DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
0358 PM GOSHEN CT .75 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 LITCHFIELD DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
0400 PM BAKERSVILLE CT .75 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 LITCHFIELD DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
0410 PM TORRINGTON CT 1 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 LITCHFIELD QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED
0415 PM CORNWALL CT .75 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 LITCHFIELD DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
NNNNThe office that day
Everything else NWS Albany, NY issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 5:58 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ALY | Berkshire | 62 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Massachusetts, 2002Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2002
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.