Alert archive / Massachusetts / Flash Flood Warnings in 2013

Flash Flood Warning 35, NWS Boston/Norton, MA

July 23, 2013Middlesex County, Norfolk County, Suffolk County, Massachusetts

NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this flash flood warning at Jul 23, 2013, 12:56 PM EDT for Middlesex County, Norfolk County, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. It was in force for 2 hr. 2 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
Jul 23, 2013, 12:56 PM EDT (16:56 UTC)
Expired
Jul 23, 2013, 3:00 PM EDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Boston/Norton, MA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Middlesex County, MA, Norfolk County, MA, Suffolk County, MA

The radar

The Boston radar (KBOX), 44 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 16:59 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 23, 1:15 PM EDTFLASH FLOODCambridge, MAMAIN ST CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING
Jul 23, 1:37 PM EDTFLASH FLOODBoston, MACOLUMBIA RD AT HAMIILTON RD NEAR UNDERPASS 3 FEET OF WATER. ROAD CLOSED

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

The nearest sounding before it

Chatham, MA (KCHH), launched 12:00Z, 4.9 hours before the alert went out and 117 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 2013-07-23Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 757 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 2013-07-23The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 59 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
757 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-10 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
498 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
33 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
59 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
115 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

042 
WGUS51 KBOX 231656
FFWBOX
MAC017-021-025-231900-
/O.NEW.KBOX.FF.W.0035.130723T1656Z-130723T1900Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
1256 PM EDT TUE JUL 23 2013

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN MIDDLESEX COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS...
  SUFFOLK COUNTY IN EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS...
  NORTHERN NORFOLK COUNTY IN EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS...

* UNTIL 300 PM EDT

* AT 1250 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING
  HEAVY RAIN ACROSS THE WARNED AREA.  FLASH FLOODING IS EXPECTED TO
  BEGIN SHORTLY.

* SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE... 
  BOSTON...CAMBRIDGE...NEWTON...SOMERVILLE...BROOKLINE...MEDFORD... 
  WATERTOWN...NEEDHAM...NORWOOD...WESTWOOD...DEDHAM...DOVER... 
  MATTAPAN...AND BRIGHTON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...URBAN AREAS...HIGHWAYS...STREETS AND UNDERPASSES
AS WELL AS OTHER DRAINAGE AREAS AND LOW LYING SPOTS.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY.  MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

&&

LAT...LON 4236 7099 4235 7101 4237 7104 4239 7104
      4239 7107 4238 7105 4236 7105 4235 7102
      4234 7104 4234 7104 4234 7101 4233 7105
      4230 7104 4218 7120 4227 7132 4243 7110

$$

MD
2 follow-up statements
474 
WGUS71 KBOX 231805
FFSBOX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
205 PM EDT TUE JUL 23 2013

MAC017-021-025-231900-
/O.CON.KBOX.FF.W.0035.000000T0000Z-130723T1900Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
MIDDLESEX MA-SUFFOLK MA-NORFOLK MA-
205 PM EDT TUE JUL 23 2013

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN MIDDLESEX...SUFFOLK AND NORTHERN NORFOLK COUNTIES...

AT 202 PM EDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS REPORTED SEVERAL ROADS 
WITH WATER RUNNING OVER THEM...PARTICULARLY IN SOUTH BOSTON AND 
CAMBRIDGE.  SOME ROADS HAVE BEEN CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING.  REMEMBER 
DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.  MORE HEAVY RAIN WILL BE 
MOVING IN FROM THE WEST WITHIN THE HOUR.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...
BOSTON...CAMBRIDGE...NEWTON...SOMERVILLE...BROOKLINE...MEDFORD...
WATERTOWN...NEEDHAM...NORWOOD...WESTWOOD...DEDHAM...DOVER...
MATTAPAN...BRIGHTON...WEST ROXBURY...HYDE PARK...SOUTH BOSTON...
JAMAICA PLAIN...ALLSTON...AND DORCHESTER.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...URBAN AREAS...HIGHWAYS...STREETS AND UNDERPASSES
AS WELL AS OTHER DRAINAGE AREAS AND LOW LYING SPOTS.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY.  MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

&&

LAT...LON 4236 7099 4235 7101 4237 7104 4239 7104
      4239 7107 4238 7105 4236 7105 4235 7102
      4234 7104 4234 7101 4233 7105 4230 7104
      4218 7120 4227 7132 4243 7110

$$

MD
356 
WGUS71 KBOX 231853
FFSBOX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
253 PM EDT TUE JUL 23 2013

MAC017-021-025-231903-
/O.EXP.KBOX.FF.W.0035.000000T0000Z-130723T1900Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
MIDDLESEX MA-SUFFOLK MA-NORFOLK MA-
253 PM EDT TUE JUL 23 2013

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN MIDDLESEX...SUFFOLK AND
NORTHERN NORFOLK COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 300 PM EDT...

FLOOD WATERS ARE BEGINNING TO RECEDE. PLEASE CONTINUE TO HEED ANY 
ROAD CLOSURES.

LAT...LON 4236 7099 4235 7101 4237 7104 4239 7104
      4239 7107 4238 7105 4236 7105 4235 7102
      4234 7104 4234 7101 4233 7105 4230 7104
      4218 7120 4227 7132 4243 7110

$$

MD

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 22, 10:31 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOXFranklin, Hampshire3 hr
Jul 23, 1:14 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningBOXFranklin, Hampshire2 hr
Jul 23, 4:12 AM EDTFlash Flood WatchBOXBristol, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex and 4 more15 hr
Jul 23, 5:40 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOXFranklin, Hampshire3 hr
Jul 23, 6:15 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningBOXFranklin2 hr
Jul 23, 6:47 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOXFranklin, Worcester3 hr
Jul 23, 10:22 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOXFranklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Worcester113 min
Jul 23, 11:37 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOXMiddlesex, Worcester113 min
Jul 23, 12:43 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOXEssex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk2 hr
Jul 23, 12:52 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBOXEssex38 min
Jul 23, 1:12 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningBOXMiddlesex, Norfolk2 hr
Jul 23, 1:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXNorfolk, Suffolk65 min
Jul 23, 1:26 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOXEssex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk2 hr
Jul 23, 1:36 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningBOX54 min
Jul 23, 1:40 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBOXEssex50 min
Jul 23, 2:31 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOXHampden, Hampshire, Worcester119 min
Jul 23, 2:56 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBOXEssex, Middlesex, Worcester64 min
Jul 23, 3:13 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOXEssex, Middlesex, Worcester2 hr
Jul 23, 3:34 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBOXEssex, Middlesex56 min
Jul 23, 3:38 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXEssex, Middlesex, Suffolk52 min
Jul 23, 3:45 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningBOX90 min
Jul 23, 3:58 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOXEssex, Middlesex2 hr
Jul 23, 4:15 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBOXEssex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, Worcester2 hr
Jul 23, 4:20 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBOXSuffolk40 min
Jul 23, 4:40 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningBOXEssex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Suffolk2 hr
Jul 23, 5:00 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningBOXBristol, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, Worcester2 hr
Jul 23, 5:10 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBOXBristol50 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Massachusetts, 2013Every flash flood warning in 2013

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.