Alert archive / Massachusetts / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 45, NWS Boston/Norton, MA
NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 8, 2026, 5:43 PM EDT for Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut; 4 counties in Massachusetts. It was in force for 62 min. 7 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 8, 2026, 5:43 PM EDT (21:43 UTC)
- Expired
- Aug 8, 2026, 6:45 PM EDT
- In force
- 62 min
- Issued by
- NWS Boston/Norton, MA
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Hail
- 1.0 in
- Wind
- 60.0 mph
Counties Capitol Planning Region, CT, Franklin County, MA, Hampden County, MA, Hampshire County, MA, Worcester County, MA
The radar
The Boston radar (KBOX), 93 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 8, 5:50 PM EDT | TSTM WND DMG | West Springfield, MA | Multiple trees down on Kings Hwy near Prince St. Also, EMD reporting over 600 power outages. |
| Aug 8, 5:50 PM EDT | TSTM WND DMG | West Springfield, MA | Tree down on wires at 334 Morton St. |
| Aug 8, 5:55 PM EDT | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Wsw Springfield, MA | In Springfield, there was a partial building collapse with multiple evacuations on Dwight Street Extension. Relayed via amateur radio. |
| Aug 8, 5:55 PM EDT | TSTM WND DMG | 3 Wsw Springfield, MA | In Springfield, there was a partial building collapse with multiple evacuations on Dwight Street Extension. Relayed via amateur radio. |
| Aug 8, 5:56 PM EDT | TSTM WND DMG | Springfield, MA | Multiple trees down on Pine St. |
| Aug 8, 6:04 PM EDT | TSTM WND DMG | Agawam, MA | Multiple trees down. |
| Aug 8, 6:05 PM EDT | TSTM WND DMG | East Longmeadow, MA | Multiple trees down. |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
Did it verify
Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched 7 storm reports to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 7 minutes after it went out.
Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.
The watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 8, 1:45 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Albany, NY (KALY), launched 12:00Z, 9.7 hours before the alert went out and 144 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
- 243 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -37 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 651 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 27 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 52 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 125 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.3
The text
As transmitted.
617
WUUS51 KBOX 082143
SVRBOX
CTC003-013-MAC011-013-015-027-082245-
/O.NEW.KBOX.SV.W.0045.260808T2143Z-260808T2245Z/
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
543 PM EDT Sat Aug 8 2026
The National Weather Service in Boston/Norton has issued a
* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
Northwestern Tolland County in northern Connecticut...
Northeastern Hartford County in northern Connecticut...
Southwestern Worcester County in central Massachusetts...
Southeastern Hampshire County in western Massachusetts...
Southeastern Franklin County in western Massachusetts...
Southeastern Hampden County in western Massachusetts...
* Until 645 PM EDT.
* At 543 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
extending from Belchertown to near Granby, moving east at 30 mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage
to trees and power lines.
* Locations impacted include...
Worcester, Springfield, Chicopee, Enfield, Westfield, Agawam, West
Springfield, Ludlow, South Hadley, Auburn, Longmeadow, Suffield,
East Longmeadow, Ellington, Tolland, Belchertown, Wilbraham,
Charlton, Windsor Locks, and Palmer.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.
&&
LAT...LON 4228 7177 4192 7233 4195 7287 4236 7241
TIME...MOT...LOC 2143Z 269DEG 28KT 4228 7240 4196 7288
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH
$$
FT2 follow-up statements
950
WWUS51 KBOX 082206
SVSBOX
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
606 PM EDT Sat Aug 8 2026
CTC003-082216-
/O.CAN.KBOX.SV.W.0045.000000T0000Z-260808T2245Z/
Hartford CT-
606 PM EDT Sat Aug 8 2026
...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN HARTFORD COUNTY
IS CANCELLED...
The storms which prompted the warning have moved out of the warned
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 800 PM EDT for
northern Connecticut...and western Massachusetts.
LAT...LON 4228 7177 4192 7233 4197 7250 4234 7235
TIME...MOT...LOC 2206Z 269DEG 28KT 4228 7219 4196 7267
$$
CTC013-MAC011-013-015-027-082245-
/O.CON.KBOX.SV.W.0045.000000T0000Z-260808T2245Z/
Tolland CT-Worcester MA-Hampshire MA-Franklin MA-Hampden MA-
606 PM EDT Sat Aug 8 2026
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 645 PM EDT
FOR NORTHWESTERN TOLLAND...SOUTHWESTERN WORCESTER...SOUTHEASTERN
HAMPSHIRE...SOUTHEASTERN FRANKLIN AND SOUTHEASTERN HAMPDEN
COUNTIES...
At 606 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
extending from near West Brookfield to near Suffield, moving east at
30 mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to
trees and power lines.
Locations impacted include...
Worcester, Ludlow, Auburn, East Longmeadow, Ellington, Belchertown,
Wilbraham, Charlton, Palmer, Stafford, Spencer, Somers, Leicester,
Ware, Sturbridge, Monson, Hampden, Warren, Paxton, and North
Brookfield.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.
&&
LAT...LON 4228 7177 4192 7233 4197 7250 4234 7235
TIME...MOT...LOC 2206Z 269DEG 28KT 4228 7219 4196 7267
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH
$$
FT786 WWUS51 KBOX 082235 SVSBOX Severe Weather Statement National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA 635 PM EDT Sat Aug 8 2026 CTC013-MAC011-013-015-027-082245- /O.EXP.KBOX.SV.W.0045.000000T0000Z-260808T2245Z/ Tolland CT-Worcester MA-Hampshire MA-Franklin MA-Hampden MA- 635 PM EDT Sat Aug 8 2026 ...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN TOLLAND... SOUTHWESTERN WORCESTER...SOUTHEASTERN HAMPSHIRE...SOUTHEASTERN FRANKLIN AND SOUTHEASTERN HAMPDEN COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 645 PM EDT... The storms which prompted the warning have moved out of the area. Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 800 PM EDT for northern Connecticut...and western and central Massachusetts. LAT...LON 4228 7177 4192 7233 4197 7250 4234 7235 TIME...MOT...LOC 2235Z 269DEG 28KT 4228 7193 4196 7241 $$ FT
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 Boston/Norton, MA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Aug 8, 2:48 PM EDT, 2 hours 55 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Diurnal shower and thunderstorm chances remain a threat today. Heat and humidity slowly trending down during Sunday. Dry weather expected Sunday.
- Next week trending not as hot and not as humid each day, and possibly slightly cooler than normal by Fri into next week.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 8, 2:48 PM EDT, 2 hours 55 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA 248 PM EDT Sat Aug 8 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... Forecast remains on track. && .KEY MESSAGES... - Diurnal shower and thunderstorm chances remain a threat today. Heat and humidity slowly trending down during Sunday. Dry weather expected Sunday. - Next week trending not as hot and not as humid each day, and possibly slightly cooler than normal by Fri into next week. && .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGE 1...Diurnal shower and thunderstorm chances remain a threat today. Heat and humidity slowly trending down during Sunday. Dry weather expected Sunday. Typical convective environment across southern New England this afternoon. One of limited bulk shear and modest CAPE values. Isolated thunderstorms already developed across portions of northern MA, with more across eastern NY state. The greatest risk for stronger thunderstorms will be across western MA and CT. Still thinking this risk will diminish after sunset, although thunderstorms could still persist into the later evening. The greatest threat would be straight-line wind damage. Drier weather anticipated for Sunday. Favored the lowest dew point guidance due to expectation of a W wind across the interior. That said, still thinking it will take into the afternoon before dew points reach the lower 60s to upper 50s across the interior. Towards the Cape and islands, dew points should struggle to get much below 70 until some time Sunday night. KEY MESSAGE 2...Very warm and humid weather continues through Wednesday. Daily shower and storm chances each day too, but lesser of a chance Sunday. Overall pretty persistent summer weather pattern really right through Wednesday, with enhanced quasi-zonal flow in mid levels interacting with summerlike temperatures and humidity levels. Warm temperatures and elevated but not really oppressive humidity levels (dewpoints in the mid to upper 60s) can be expected to continue through Wednesday. General sameness to 925-850 mb temps each day, only slightly cooling by a degree or two from Sunday through Wednesday, which supports highs in the mid/upper 80s and heat indices in the lower to middle 90s. While not necessarily a hazardous combo of heat and humidity and most are already acclimatized to the summer warmth, thus not looking at headline- level heat, it is still an extended spell of heat indices in the low to mid 90s, so still continue to adequately hydrate and take breaks in cooler spaces. With westerly mostly non-convergent low-level flow and modest height rises Sunday, Sunday should end up being a generally dry day as will be tough to get enough lift to spark storms. Otherwise, daily shower and thunderstorm chances again resume for early to mid next week, and with somewhat stronger flow, a couple of those storms could become strong or severe in this timeframe. The issue is timing the storms out, as has been the case most of this week; this is very challenging as any ripple in the faster mid-level flow could focus better storm chances given the warm and humid weather. At this forecast time horizon timing specific day(s) have more storm chances than others is a tough ask. Won't be raining and thundering all the time but there will be storms to dodge here-and-there. Tough to find many areas to improve upon NBM so stayed fairly close to outputted NBM forecast values during this period. KEY MESSAGE 2...Next week trending not as hot and not as humid each day, and possibly slightly cooler than normal by Fri into next week. Hudson Bay vortex slowly digs southeast through Ontario and Quebec next week, and in the process, advects numerous short waves into SNE. Each short wave will slowly erode the northwest periphery of the western Atlantic subtropical ridge over SNE. This will result in a risk of scattered showers/thunderstorms each day through Thu. Although, not expecting a washout with many hours of dry weather each day. Hence, a typical mid August week for SNE. In addition, each short wave passage will result in temps and humidity coming down a notch each day. Thus, the week will begin with warmer than normal temps along with dew pts in the 60s. Then finish the week with temps at or slightly cooler than normal by Fri, along with dew pts in the 50s! && .AVIATION /18Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... Forecaster Confidence Levels... Low - less than 30 percent. Moderate - 30 to 60 percent. High - greater than 60 percent. Through Tonight: Overall high confidence, but lower on TSRA timing. Mainly VFR. Still some uncertainty in timing of TSRA at specific terminals. Handled most with a PROB30. TSRA dissipates late this evening. South-coastal IFR fog/stratus returning, with VFR elsewhere. Sunday and Sunday Night: High confidence. VFR. General W to SW winds prevail. KBOS Terminal...Moderate confidence. Monitoring for TSRA this aftn/evening. Best estimate in TAF, but cannot dismiss the idea of an earlier start. KBDL Terminal...Moderate confidence. Monitoring for TSRA this aftn/evening. Best estimate in TAF, but cannot dismiss the idea of an earlier start. Outlook /Monday through Thursday/... Monday: VFR. Monday Night: VFR. Slight chance SHRA. Tuesday through Wednesday: VFR. Wednesday Night: VFR. Slight chance SHRA. Thursday: VFR. Breezy. Chance SHRA, slight chance TSRA. && .MARINE... Forecaster Confidence Levels... Low - less than 30 percent. Moderate - 30 to 60 percent. High - greater than 60 percent. Through Sunday Night... High Confidence. High pressure remains positioned off of the east coast. This will continue to produce a SW flow across the waters this weekend. Gusts to 20 kts possible over the southern waters today, but should remain under SCA levels. Outlook /Monday through Thursday/... Monday: Winds less than 25 kt. Monday Night: Winds less than 25 kt. Slight chance of rain showers. Tuesday: Winds less than 25 kt. Tuesday Night: Winds less than 25 kt. Slight chance of rain showers, slight chance of thunderstorms. Wednesday: Winds less than 25 kt. Wednesday Night: Winds less than 25 kt. Slight chance of rain showers. Thursday: Winds less than 25 kt. Chance of rain showers. && .BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...None. MA...None. RI...None. MARINE...None. && DISCUSSION...Belk/Nocera AVIATION...Belk/Nocera MARINE...Belk/Nocera
In the hours before
Local storm report, Aug 8, 5:40 PM EDT, 3 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
540 PM EDT Sat Aug 8 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0519 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Westhampton 42.30N 72.77W
08/08/2026 Hampshire MA Law Enforcement
Tree down on wires.
0523 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Blandford 42.18N 72.93W
08/08/2026 Hampden MA Law Enforcement
Tree down on wires, blandford Turnpike (Rte
23).
&&The office that day
Everything else NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 7, 8:30 PM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | BOX | Capitol Planning Region | 73 min |
| Aug 7, 8:44 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOX | Capitol Planning Region, Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region | 44 min |
| Aug 7, 8:52 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOX | Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region | 53 min |
| Aug 8, 5:08 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOX | Capitol Planning Region | 67 min |
| Aug 8, 6:25 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOX | Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region | 13 min |
| Aug 8, 6:34 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOX | Capitol Planning Region, Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region | 45 min |
| Aug 8, 4:41 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOX | Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire | 64 min |
| Aug 8, 6:58 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BOX | Essex, Middlesex | 45 min |
| Aug 8, 6:59 PM EDT | Special Marine Warning | BOX | 61 min | |
| Aug 8, 7:34 PM EDT | Special Marine Warning | BOX | 56 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Massachusetts, 2026Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Connecticut, 2026Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2026
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.