Heavy Snow, Western Middlesex
- When
- February 2, 10:00 PM EST to February 3, 10:00 AM EST
- Where
- Western Middlesex forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 42.486, -71.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow in Massachusetts, February 2 to 3, 1996
A coastal low pressure system brought a heavy snowfall to eastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the Islands. More than one foot of snow fell on parts of the Cape.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 13 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 13
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS BOX wrote it up.
A coastal low pressure system brought a heavy snowfall to eastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the Islands. More than one foot of snow fell on parts of the Cape. Some snowfall totals included: Chatham, 15 inches; Hyannisport, 14 inches; Yarmouthport, 13 inches; Sandwich, 12 inches; Martha's Vineyard, 8 inches; Marshfield, 12 inches; Carver, 11 inches; Pembroke, 10 inches; Shrewsbury, 6.2 inches; and Rockport, 6 inches. Travel conditions were difficult during the heavy snowfall but since the storm occurred late Friday evening into Saturday morning, there were fewer cancellations that usual.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
13 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy Snow, Eastern Essex
- When
- February 2, 10:00 PM EST to February 3, 10:00 AM EST
- Where
- Eastern Essex forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 42.639, -70.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Southern Worcester
- When
- February 2, 10:00 PM EST to February 3, 10:00 AM EST
- Where
- Southern Worcester forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 42.351, -71.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Western Norfolk
- When
- February 2, 10:00 PM EST to February 3, 10:00 AM EST
- Where
- Western Norfolk forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 42.171, -71.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Eastern Norfolk
- When
- February 2, 10:00 PM EST to February 3, 10:00 AM EST
- Where
- Eastern Norfolk forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 42.171, -71.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Northern Bristol
- When
- February 2, 10:00 PM EST to February 3, 10:00 AM EST
- Where
- Northern Bristol forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 41.757, -71.088 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Western Plymouth
- When
- February 2, 10:00 PM EST to February 3, 10:00 AM EST
- Where
- Western Plymouth forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 41.987, -70.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Eastern Plymouth
- When
- February 2, 10:00 PM EST to February 3, 10:00 AM EST
- Where
- Eastern Plymouth forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 42.079, -70.960 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Southern Bristol
- When
- February 2, 10:00 PM EST to February 3, 10:00 AM EST
- Where
- Southern Bristol forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 41.757, -71.088 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Southern Plymouth
- When
- February 2, 10:00 PM EST to February 3, 10:00 AM EST
- Where
- Southern Plymouth forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 41.987, -70.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Barnstable
- When
- February 2, 10:00 PM EST to February 3, 10:00 AM EST
- Where
- Barnstable forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 41.684, -70.274 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Dukes
- When
- February 2, 10:00 PM EST to February 3, 10:00 AM EST
- Where
- Dukes forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 41.389, -70.699 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Nantucket
- When
- February 2, 10:00 PM EST to February 3, 10:00 AM EST
- Where
- Nantucket forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 41.270, -70.022 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Heavy Snow
- Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Winter Storm in North Carolina, February 2 to 5, 1996
- Cold in Illinois, February 2 to 4, 1996
- Cold in Illinois, February 2 to 4, 1996
- Cold in Louisiana, February 2 to 5, 1996
- Cold in Tennessee, February 2 to 3, 1996
- Cold in Ohio, February 2 to 5, 1996
- Cold in Mississippi, February 2 to 5, 1996
- Tornado in Florida, February 2, 1996
- Ice Storm in North Carolina, February 2, 1996
- Tornado in Florida, February 2, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Virginia, February 2 to 3, 1996
- Flash Flood in Alabama, February 2, 1996
More
Every storm in Massachusetts in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Massachusetts, February 1996
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5552037, 5552038, 5552039, 5552193, 5552194, 5552195, 5552196, 5552197, 5552198, 5552199, 5552200, 5552201, 5552202.