Alert archive / Massachusetts / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 7, NWS Boston/Norton, MA

May 19, 20264 counties in Massachusetts

NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 19, 2026, 5:15 PM EDT for 4 counties in Massachusetts. It was in force for 60 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
May 19, 2026, 5:15 PM EDT (21:15 UTC)
Expired
May 19, 2026, 6:15 PM EDT
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS Boston/Norton, MA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
60.0 mph

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

The radar

The Boston radar (KBOX), 78 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:18 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
May 19, 5:15 PM EDTTSTM WND DMGLeicester, MAIn Leicester a large tree was reported down.
May 19, 5:17 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG1 Nnw Lancaster, MAIn Lancaster tree and wires were reported down near Havard Road. Relayed by amateur radio.
May 19, 5:20 PM EDTTSTM WND DMGLeicester, MACorrects previous tstm wnd dmg report from Leicester. In Leicester a large tree was reported down.
May 19, 5:34 PM EDTTSTM WND DMGWorcester Ap, MAPeak gust of 59 kts or 68 mph reported at Worcester airport.
May 19, 5:40 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG2 W Shrewsbury, MANear Worcester a part of a rubber roof on Amory building blew off. Relayed by amateur radio.
May 19, 5:45 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG1 Ssw Paxton, MAIn Paxton, trees and wires were down on multiple streets including Holbrook Ln and West St.
May 19, 6:00 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG1 Se Northborough, MAIn Northborough on west street trees and wires were reported down. Relayed by amateur radio.

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 0 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 nearest sounding before it

Albany, NY (KALY), launched 12:00Z, 9.3 hours before the alert went out and 161 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 2026-05-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 288 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, Albany, NY at 12:00Z on 2026-05-19The 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
288 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-147 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1556 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
59 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
86 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

240 
WUUS51 KBOX 192115
SVRBOX
MAC011-013-015-027-192215-
/O.NEW.KBOX.SV.W.0007.260519T2115Z-260519T2215Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
515 PM EDT Tue May 19 2026

The National Weather Service in Boston/Norton has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Central Worcester County in central Massachusetts...
  Southeastern Hampshire County in western Massachusetts...
  Southeastern Franklin County in western Massachusetts...
  East central Hampden County in western Massachusetts...

* Until 615 PM EDT.

* At 515 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near West
  Brookfield, or 16 miles east of Amherst, moving east at 40 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, Leominster, Shrewsbury, Westborough, Grafton, Holden,
  Auburn, Belchertown, Northborough, Clinton, Millbury, Charlton,
  Palmer, Spencer, Leicester, Ware, Sturbridge, Monson, Lancaster,
  and Rutland.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

&&

LAT...LON 4252 7162 4224 7162 4212 7237 4233 7241
TIME...MOT...LOC 2115Z 255DEG 33KT 4228 7221 

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

FN
3 follow-up statements
287 
WWUS51 KBOX 192132
SVSBOX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
532 PM EDT Tue May 19 2026

MAC011-015-192141-
/O.CAN.KBOX.SV.W.0007.000000T0000Z-260519T2215Z/
Hampshire MA-Franklin MA-
532 PM EDT Tue May 19 2026

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN HAMPSHIRE AND
SOUTHEASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

The severe thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out of 
the warned area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

LAT...LON 4243 7162 4224 7162 4213 7228 4232 7217
TIME...MOT...LOC 2131Z 255DEG 33KT 4232 7201 

$$

MAC013-027-192215-
/O.CON.KBOX.SV.W.0007.000000T0000Z-260519T2215Z/
Worcester MA-Hampden MA-
532 PM EDT Tue May 19 2026

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 615 PM EDT
FOR CENTRAL WORCESTER AND EASTERN HAMPDEN COUNTIES...

At 531 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Oakham, or 10
miles west of Worcester, moving east at 40 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, Shrewsbury, Westborough, Grafton, Holden, Auburn,
Northborough, Clinton, Millbury, Charlton, Spencer, Leicester,
Sturbridge, Rutland, Sterling, West Boylston, Warren, Bolton, Paxton,
and North Brookfield.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

&&

LAT...LON 4243 7162 4224 7162 4213 7228 4232 7217
TIME...MOT...LOC 2131Z 255DEG 33KT 4232 7201 

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

FT
337 
WWUS51 KBOX 192151
SVSBOX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
551 PM EDT Tue May 19 2026

MAC013-027-192215-
/O.CON.KBOX.SV.W.0007.000000T0000Z-260519T2215Z/
Worcester MA-Hampden MA-
551 PM EDT Tue May 19 2026

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 615 PM EDT
FOR SOUTHERN WORCESTER AND EASTERN HAMPDEN COUNTIES...

At 551 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over West Boylston,
or near Shrewsbury, moving east at 40 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, Shrewsbury, Westborough, Grafton, Holden, Auburn,
Northborough, Millbury, Charlton, Spencer, Leicester, Sturbridge,
West Boylston, Warren, Paxton, North Brookfield, Boylston, West
Brookfield, Brimfield, and Brookfield.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

&&

LAT...LON 4240 7162 4224 7162 4213 7228 4228 7206
TIME...MOT...LOC 2151Z 255DEG 33KT 4237 7176 

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

FN
374 
WWUS51 KBOX 192205
SVSBOX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
605 PM EDT Tue May 19 2026

MAC013-027-192215-
/O.EXP.KBOX.SV.W.0007.000000T0000Z-260519T2215Z/
Worcester MA-Hampden MA-
605 PM EDT Tue May 19 2026

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SOUTHERN WORCESTER AND EASTERN
HAMPDEN COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 615 PM EDT...

The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and no longer poses an immediate threat to life or property.
Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire.

LAT...LON 4240 7162 4224 7162 4213 7228 4228 7206
TIME...MOT...LOC 2205Z 255DEG 33KT 4240 7161 

$$

FN

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 May 19, 2:35 PM EDT, 2 hours 40 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Lingering thunderstorm activity quickly winds down with the loss of daytime heating. Expecting very warm minimum temps tonight with lows in the 60s and low to mid 70s in more urban areas.
  • Final day of record warmth Wednesday with highs in the 90s away from the immediate coast. Chance for strong to severe thunderstorms by the afternoon with a risk for damaging winds and small hail.
  • Cooler temperatures through Memorial Day Weekend. Unsettled weather returns for the weekend with periods of rain possible, but confidence is low.
Area forecast discussion, May 19, 2:35 PM EDT, 2 hours 40 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
235 PM EDT Tue May 19 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
No changes were made to this forecast package.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Lingering thunderstorm activity quickly winds down with the loss
of daytime heating. Expecting very warm minimum temps tonight with
lows in the 60s and low to mid 70s in more urban areas.

- Final day of record warmth Wednesday with highs in the 90s away
from the immediate coast. Chance for strong to severe thunderstorms
by the afternoon with a risk for damaging winds and small hail.

- Cooler temperatures through Memorial Day Weekend.
Unsettled weather returns for the weekend with periods of rain
possible, but confidence is low.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

KEY MESSAGE 1...Lingering thunderstorm activity quickly winds down
with the loss of daytime heating. Expecting very warm minimum temps
tonight with lows in the 60s and low to mid 70s in more urban areas.

Showers and storms are expected to develop across western portions
of our CWA between 3 and 5pm and then quickly move east. Main but
guidance is showing the potential for storms to initiate over the
Southern Adirondacks and Green Mountains and then gradually coalesce
into a more organized line or cluster that generally moves west to
east through the afternoon. Main threats with any organized storms
will be strong to damaging straight-line winds given drier air in
the low to mid-levels resulting in inverted-V soundings. Somewhat
notably, the 12z ALB and OKX soundings featured a modified EML
between 700 and 500mb with mid level lapse rates between 6.5 and 7.5
C/km. Thankfully RAP mesoanalysis indicates limited bulk shear
around 25 kt this afternoon so we're not looking at a widespread
severe weather episode. Still, with CAPE values between 1200 and
1500 J/kg, there could be a severe storm or two north of the Mass
Pike. Activity quickly wanes with the loss of daytime heating this
evening.

Bigger story tonight will be continued heat in humidly. Overnight
lows remain in the upper 60s for much of the region and closer to
the lower and even middle 70s across urban areas. These
temperatures, paired with dewpoints in the 60s will keep apparent
temperatures in the upper 70s to low 80s even well into the night.
Those without adequate access to cooling and air conditioning are at
greatest risk with the elevated overnight lows. There won't be much
in the way of relief from winds as the boundary layer decouples and
winds calm to less than 5 mph for much of the CWA.

KEY MESSAGE 2... Final day of record warmth Wednesday with highs in
the 90s away from the immediate coast. Chance for strong to severe
thunderstorms by the afternoon with a risk for damaging winds and
small hail.

Upper level ridge begins to break down on Wednesday ahead of an
approaching trough. Despite the changes to the upper pattern, 850
temps will remain above +15C S of the Mass Pike and slightly cooler
to the N. Guidance has somewhat increased the speed of the cold
front resulting in increased cloud cover over much of northern
Massachusetts where temperatures have trended a few degrees cooler.
Even in these areas, still think that valley locations see highs in
the low 90s with downsloping from west winds. Further south, there
is higher confidence in more widespread readings in the low to mid
90s away from the water. Greatest chance will be in the HFD PVD and
BOS urban corridor. Dewpoints in the low to mid 60s (discounting the
outlier NAM) will make it feel humid but not tropical by any means.

An approaching cold front provides a much more robust lifting
mechanism on Wednesday. With temperatures quickly warming into the
90s, expecting surface CAPE values to rise to 1000-1500 J/kg. 0-6km
bulk shear values, while fine (25-30 kts), are less favorable for
organized severe weather than they are further north where the
stronger mid level flow resides. So, the ingredients are there for
some strong to severe storms. Wednesday the cold front will serve as
a better lifting mechanism, timed coincident with peak diurnal
heating so would expect more coverage of storms and any storms that
do form have the chance to produce strong to damaging winds
primarily given inverted-v soundings. Greatest threat for any severe
weather will likely be S of the Mass Pike where higher instability
exists.

KEY MESSAGE 3...Cooler and unsettled weather is possible Memorial
Day Weekend, but confidence remains low.

High pressure builds and mid-level ridging building in behind
Wednesday's system bringing near-seasonable temperatures and dry
conditions.

For Memorial Day weekend there is a signal for the pattern to
become more unsettled with a few disturbances moving through
bringing periods of rain. However, there is still a sufficient
amount uncertainty in the details of the track and timing of the
waves which will influence rain chances, timing, and amounts
this holiday weekend. Across deterministic guidance, there is
plenty of spread in the track and details of a system that moves
in from the Ohio Valley. This has led to a range of scenarios
from a drier weekend with seasonable temperatures to a weekend
with periods of rain and cooler temperatures. Whats adds to the
uncertainty is the lack of consistency of models from run to run
as well. From a probabilistic view, ensemble means are keying
in on moderate probabilities for rain across their respective
members at this time, so the risk is there for periods of rain
over the weekend into the holiday. We'll have to keep monitoring
as well get closer and model guidance comes into better
agreement.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
Forecaster Confidence Levels...

Low - less than 30 percent.
Moderate - 30 to 60 percent.
High - greater than 60 percent.

18Z TAF Update:

This Afternoon and Tonight...High confidence.

VFR. Sct'd TSRA possible by the afternoon with continued
confidence in impacts between 21 and 00z from BOS, BED, BDL,
and ORH. S-SW wind 10 to 15 kt gusts to 25 kt through the
afternoon and evening. VFR overnight, with MVFR ceilings across
the Cape and Islands. Possible IFR at ACK with areas of fog.

Gusts drop off for terminals not on the Cape and Islands after
00z tonight.

Wednesday...High confidence.

VFR. Scattered TSRA along and ahead of a cold front in the
afternoon and evening. S-SW wind 8-10kt with gusts 20-25 kts
turning NW behind the cold front between 15-00Z. Strong gusts
possible in any thunderstorms.

KBOS...High confidence in TAF.

KBDL...High confidence in TAF.

Outlook /Wednesday through Sunday/...

Wednesday: VFR. Breezy. Chance SHRA, slight chance TSRA.

Wednesday Night: VFR. Breezy.

Thursday through Friday: VFR.

Friday Night through Saturday Night: VFR. Chance SHRA.

Sunday: 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 Wednesday: High confidence.

Small craft advisories remain in effect through 06z Thurs. SW
winds of 15-25 kt continues this afternoon and overnight
Seas will also be building to around 4-6 ft, with some 7
footers possible tonight over the southern waters.

Mainly dry weather prevails through tonight with a few showers
or thunderstorms possible for the northern waters., Some fog may
persist and expand across the southern waters tonight on
increasing southwest winds.

Outlook /Wednesday through Sunday/...

Wednesday: Low risk for Small Craft Advisory winds with gusts
up to 25 kt. Local rough seas. Slight chance of rain showers.

Wednesday Night: Winds less than 25 kt. Areas of seas
approaching 5 ft. Chance of rain showers.

Thursday: Winds less than 25 kt. Seas locally approaching 5 ft.
Slight chance of rain showers.

Thursday Night through Friday: Winds less than 25 kt.

Friday Night: Winds less than 25 kt. Chance of rain showers.

Saturday through Saturday Night: Winds less than 25 kt. Seas
locally approaching 5 ft. Chance of rain showers.

Sunday: Winds less than 25 kt. Local rough seas. Chance of rain
showers.

&&

.CLIMATE...
Record Highs for Tue May 19...

BOS 90/2017
BDL 94/1962
PVD 91/2017
ORH 92/1962

Record Highs for Wed May 20...

BOS 91/1996
BDL 99/1996
PVD 95/1996
ORH 91/1903

&&

.BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CT...Heat Advisory until 8 PM EDT Wednesday for CTZ002>004.
     Air Quality Alert until 11 PM EDT this evening for CTZ003-004.
MA...Heat Advisory until 8 PM EDT Wednesday for MAZ003>007-010>019-
     026.
     Air Quality Alert until 11 PM EDT this evening for MAZ006-007-
     013>019.
RI...Heat Advisory until 8 PM EDT Wednesday for RIZ001>004.
     Air Quality Alert until 11 PM EDT this evening for RIZ001>008.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 2 AM EDT Thursday for ANZ254>256.

&&

DISCUSSION...Mensch/FT
AVIATION...Hrencecin/FT
MARINE...FT
CLIMATE...BW/Hrencecin

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 19, 5:02 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXMiddlesex, Norfolk, Worcester39 min
May 19, 5:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXMiddlesex, Norfolk, Worcester30 min
May 19, 5:51 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningBOX54 min
May 19, 5:51 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXMiddlesex, Norfolk, Worcester26 min
May 19, 6:05 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXMiddlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk27 min
May 19, 6:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBOXBristol, Norfolk, Plymouth29 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Massachusetts, 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.