Rhode Island, 1996

Winter Weather in Rhode Island, March 3, 1996

March 3, 1996 · NWS BOX · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

Two cold fronts swept across the state from west to east during the day, bringing snow squalls accompanied by briefly low visibility and winds gusting up to 40 to 50 mph. Around noon, visibility was reportedly reduced to 1/4 miles in downtown Providence in a heavy snow squall.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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.

Two cold fronts swept across the state from west to east during the day, bringing snow squalls accompanied by briefly low visibility and winds gusting up to 40 to 50 mph. Around noon, visibility was reportedly reduced to 1/4 miles in downtown Providence in a heavy snow squall. Snowfall amounts ranged from a few tenths of an inch to up to one inch. A peak wind gust to 48 mph was reported from downtown Providence.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Northwest Providence

When
March 3, 5:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Northwest Providence forecast zone
Coordinates
41.871, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Southeast Providence

When
March 3, 5:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Southeast Providence forecast zone
Coordinates
41.871, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Western Kent

When
March 3, 5:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Western Kent forecast zone
Coordinates
41.673, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Eastern Kent

When
March 3, 5:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Eastern Kent forecast zone
Coordinates
41.673, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Bristol

When
March 3, 5:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Bristol forecast zone
Coordinates
41.706, -71.286 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Washington

When
March 3, 5:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Washington forecast zone
Coordinates
41.397, -71.620 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Newport

When
March 3, 5:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Newport forecast zone
Coordinates
41.500, -71.281 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Rhode Island in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Rhode Island, March 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: 5546109, 5546110, 5546111, 5546112, 5546113, 5546114, 5546115.