Alert archive / Massachusetts / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2011

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 79, NWS Boston/Norton, MA

August 1, 2011Franklin County, Hampshire County, Worcester County, Massachusetts

NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 1, 2011, 1:34 PM EDT for Franklin County, Hampshire County, Worcester County, Massachusetts. It was in force for 19 min. 3 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Aug 1, 2011, 1:34 PM EDT (17:34 UTC)
Expired
Aug 1, 2011, 1:53 PM EDT
In force
19 min
Issued by
NWS Boston/Norton, MA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Franklin County, MA, Hampshire County, MA, Worcester County, MA

The radar

The Boston radar (KBOX), 111 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:37 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
Aug 1, 1:37 PM EDTHAIL 1Amherst, MAMEDIA
Aug 1, 1:38 PM EDTHAIL 1.75Amherst, MA
Aug 1, 1:48 PM EDTHAIL 1Amherst, MA

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Albany, NY (KALY), launched 12:00Z, 5.6 hours before the alert went out and 125 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, Albany, NY at 12:00Z on 2011-08-01Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1159 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Albany, NY at 12:00Z on 2011-08-01The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 96 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
1159 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-92 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
824 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
96 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
116 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.

701 
WUUS51 KBOX 011734
SVRBOX
MAC011-015-027-011830-
/O.NEW.KBOX.SV.W.0079.110801T1734Z-110801T1830Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
134 PM EDT MON AUG 1 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  EXTREME WEST CENTRAL WORCESTER COUNTY IN CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS...
  EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS...
  EAST CENTRAL HAMPSHIRE COUNTY IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF AMHERST...

* UNTIL 230 PM EDT

* AT 132 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL...AND
  DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR   
  AMHERST...AND WAS MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. A SPOTTER RECENTLY 
  REPORTED GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL AT UMASS AMHERST.

* SOME LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...PELHAM.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL...AS WELL
AS DEADLY LIGHTNING AND TORRENTIAL RAIN. GET TO SAFE SHELTER NOW...
INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING OR IN A VEHICLE. DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER
TREES. IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY
LIGHTNING. DRIVERS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR PONDING OF WATER AND AVOID
FLOODED ROADS.

&&

LAT...LON 4241 7222 4223 7229 4236 7257 4243 7252
TIME...MOT...LOC 1733Z 289DEG 12KT 4239 7251

$$

JWD
2 follow-up statements
859 
WWUS51 KBOX 011746
SVSBOX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
146 PM EDT MON AUG 1 2011

MAC011-015-027-011830-
/O.CON.KBOX.SV.W.0079.000000T0000Z-110801T1830Z/
WORCESTER MA-FRANKLIN MA-HAMPSHIRE MA-
146 PM EDT MON AUG 1 2011

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 230 PM EDT
FOR EAST CENTRAL HAMPSHIRE...EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN FRANKLIN AND
EXTREME WEST CENTRAL WORCESTER COUNTIES...

AT 141 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GOLF BALL SIZE
HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS
LOCATED NEAR AMHERST...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO PELHAM
AND BELCHERTOWN.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH...PREPARE
IMMEDIATELY FOR DAMAGING WINDS...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...AND DEADLY CLOUD
TO GROUND LIGHTNING. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

&&

LAT...LON 4241 7222 4223 7229 4236 7257 4243 7252
TIME...MOT...LOC 1746Z 290DEG 17KT 4235 7245

$$

JWD
844 
WWUS51 KBOX 011753
SVSBOX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
153 PM EDT MON AUG 1 2011

MAC011-015-027-011803-
/O.CAN.KBOX.SV.W.0079.000000T0000Z-110801T1830Z/
WORCESTER MA-FRANKLIN MA-HAMPSHIRE MA-
153 PM EDT MON AUG 1 2011

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL HAMPSHIRE...
EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN FRANKLIN AND EXTREME WEST CENTRAL WORCESTER
COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

THE THUNDERSTORM HAS WEAKENED AND MOVED OUT OF THE AMHERST AREA.

&&

LAT...LON 4241 7222 4223 7229 4236 7257 4243 7252
TIME...MOT...LOC 1753Z 290DEG 17KT 4234 7241

$$

JWD

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 1, 12:37 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBOXHampshire53 min
Aug 1, 1:24 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBOXHampshire51 min
Aug 1, 1:27 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOXFranklin, Hampshire, Worcester3 hr
Aug 1, 1:41 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningBOXFranklin, Hampshire, Worcester3 hr
Aug 1, 1:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXHampden, Hampshire35 min
Aug 1, 2:03 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBOXFranklin42 min
Aug 1, 2:08 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBOXHampden52 min
Aug 1, 2:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXHampden47 min
Aug 1, 2:19 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningBOXHampden, Hampshire, Worcester116 min
Aug 1, 2:19 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXFranklin, Hampshire41 min
Aug 1, 3:01 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBOXWorcester59 min
Aug 1, 3:05 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXHampden, Worcester17 min
Aug 1, 3:10 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBOXFranklin50 min
Aug 1, 3:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXFranklin, Hampshire, Worcester38 min
Aug 1, 3:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXFranklin, Worcester42 min
Aug 1, 3:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXFranklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Worcester45 min
Aug 1, 3:33 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBOXHampden57 min
Aug 1, 3:40 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOXFranklin, Worcester113 min
Aug 1, 3:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXHampden49 min
Aug 1, 3:59 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXFranklin, Worcester61 min
Aug 1, 4:07 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningBOXFranklin, Worcester82 min
Aug 1, 4:08 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBOXEssex67 min
Aug 1, 4:15 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOXHampden3 hr
Aug 1, 4:31 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXFranklin, Worcester27 min
Aug 1, 4:37 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBOXFranklin23 min
Aug 1, 4:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXFranklin, Hampshire, Worcester63 min
Aug 1, 4:55 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOXFranklin, Hampshire, Worcester3 hr
Aug 1, 5:29 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBOXFranklin31 min
Aug 1, 6:29 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBOXHampshire46 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Massachusetts, 2011Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2011

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.