Connecticut, 1997

Heavy Snow and Strong Wind in Connecticut, March 31, 1997

March 31, 1997 · NWS BOX · 6 events in 3 counties and zones

A low pressure system formed off the New Jersey coast during the early morning hours and intensified rapidly as it moved to a position 60 miles south of Newport, Rhode Island by early evening. Pressure falls of 14 millibars occurred during a 12 hour period.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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 low pressure system formed off the New Jersey coast during the early morning hours and intensified rapidly as it moved to a position 60 miles south of Newport, Rhode Island by early evening. Pressure falls of 14 millibars occurred during a 12 hour period. The system then retreated to the south during the evening.Precipitation began mostly as rain during the morning of March 31st. It began mixing with and finally changing to all heavy, wet snow during the afternoon. Snow began accumulating rapidly, especially in the higher elevations. Blizzard conditions developed by late afternoon and evening as northeast winds increased and gusted to 30 to 40 mph. Numerous power outages began to occur by evening as the weight of the wet snow brought tree limbs and wires crashing down. Snow accumulations of more than one foot were reported by midnight, especially in the higher elevations, with 6 to 12 inches elsewhere. The final report on this storm will be included in April 1997 Storm Data.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 strong wind, 3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Hartford

When
March 31, 2:00 PM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Hartford forecast zone
Coordinates
41.819, -72.572 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Tolland

When
March 31, 2:00 PM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Tolland forecast zone

Strong Wind, Windham

When
March 31, 2:00 PM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Windham forecast zone
Coordinates
41.827, -71.977 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Hartford

When
March 31, 3:00 PM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Hartford forecast zone
Coordinates
41.819, -72.572 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Tolland

When
March 31, 3:00 PM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Tolland forecast zone

Heavy Snow, Windham

When
March 31, 3:00 PM EST to 11:59 PM EST
Where
Windham forecast zone
Coordinates
41.827, -71.977 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Strong Wind
Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.
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

More

Every storm in Connecticut in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Connecticut, March 1997

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5597803, 5597804, 5597805, 5597800, 5597801, 5597802.