Massachusetts, 1997

Hail and Lightning Strike in Massachusetts, August 9, 1997

August 9, 1997 · NWS BOX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

One or more lightning bolts struck four people at the Pine Acres Family Camping Resort in Oakham. None was seriously injured, but a couple did receive second degree burns when lightning struck while they were in contact with telephones or electrical equipment.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
4
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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.

One or more lightning bolts struck four people at the Pine Acres Family Camping Resort in Oakham. None was seriously injured, but a couple did receive second degree burns when lightning struck while they were in contact with telephones or electrical equipment. One person who was struck was standing under an awning. All were treated and released. Later that afternoon, thunderstorms dropped dime size hail in Wrentham in Norfolk County and in Concord in Middlesex County.

The radar

The Boston radar (KBOX), 77 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:07 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 hail, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Lightning, Worcester

When
August 9, 12:55 PM EST
Where
Worcester County, Oakham
Injuries
4 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates
42.351, -71.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Norfolk

When
August 9, 2:10 PM EST
Where
Norfolk County, Wrentham
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
42.070, -71.330

Hail, Middlesex

When
August 9, 2:36 PM EST
Where
Middlesex County, Concord
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
42.450, -71.350

What these are

Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Massachusetts in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Massachusetts, August 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: 5621395, 5621396, 5621397.