Thunderstorm Wind, Fairfield
- When
- May 6, 1:02 PM EST
- Where
- Fairfield County, Norwalk to Greenwich
- Measured
- 58 kt (67 mph)
- Coordinates
- 41.100, -73.420
Damaging Winds in Connecticut, May 6, 1997
A line of severe thunderstorms (squall line) raced across the area early Tuesday afternoon. High winds downed several trees and power lines, especially across Southern Fairfield County.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
- 5
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 OKX wrote it up.
A line of severe thunderstorms (squall line) raced across the area early Tuesday afternoon. It produced high winds that caused scattered damage in several locations.High winds downed several trees and power lines, especially across Southern Fairfield County. Funnel clouds were also sighted in Southern Fairfield County. However, the damage was caused by straight line winds along the leading edge of the squall line.Here is an example of the damage thunderstorms caused at a house in Greenwich: two large trees were uprooted in the yard, shingles were blown off the house, the tops of 10 to 15 pine trees snapped off and areas of grass were flattened.
The radar
The Brookhaven radar (KOKX), 53 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:04 UTC.
Event by event
4 thunderstorm wind, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Funnel Cloud, Fairfield
- When
- May 6, 1:40 PM EST
- Where
- Fairfield County, Stratford
- Coordinates
- 41.326, -73.447 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Thunderstorm Wind, Fairfield
- When
- May 6, 1:43 PM EST
- Where
- Fairfield County, Easton
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Coordinates
- 41.250, -73.300
Thunderstorm Wind, New Haven
- When
- May 6, 2:05 PM EST
- Where
- New Haven County, Milford
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Coordinates
- 41.220, -73.050
Thunderstorm Wind, New Haven
- When
- May 6, 2:13 PM EST
- Where
- New Haven County, North Branford
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Coordinates
- 41.320, -72.770
What these are
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
- Funnel Cloud
- A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Damaging Wind in New Jersey, May 6, 1997
- Tornado and Hail in New Mexico, May 6, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Pennsylvania, May 6, 1997
- Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, May 6, 1997
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Nebraska, May 6 to 27, 1997
- Hail and Damaging Winds in New York, May 6, 1997
- Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in New York, May 6, 1997
- Tornado and Hail in Texas, May 6, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Pennsylvania, May 6, 1997
- Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, May 6, 1997
- Damaging Wind in New York, May 6, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Pennsylvania, May 6, 1997
More
Every storm in Connecticut in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Connecticut, May 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5610144, 5610145, 5610146, 5610147, 5610148.