High Wind and Strong Wind in Massachusetts, December 14, 1997

Name: High Wind and Strong Wind in Massachusetts, December 14, 1997
Start: 1997-12-14T11:00
End: 1997-12-14T18:00
Location: Massachusetts

December 14, 1997 · NWS BOX · 36 events in 23 counties and zones

Strong northwest winds accompanied the arrival of an Arctic airmass. Blinding snow squalls produced white-out conditions for a short time in many places in central and eastern Massachusetts.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 36 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: 36

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.

Strong northwest winds accompanied the arrival of an Arctic airmass. Blinding snow squalls produced white-out conditions for a short time in many places in central and eastern Massachusetts. Thunder-snow was reported at both Hopkinton and Natick. Snow accumulations generally were less than a half inch. High winds occurred in Milton atop Blue Hill, where the Observatory recorded a peak gust to 62 mph and zero visibility in a snow squall. A few other places reporting near zero visibility in the snow included Marblehead, Westwood, Lexington, and Hopkinton. Westfield, in the Connecticut Valley, reported a peak gust to 56 mph. Other peak wind gusts included: Lawrence, 54 mph; Boston, 52 mph; Goshen, 50 mph; Falmouth, Nantucket, and Lexington, 49 mph.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

23 strong wind, 12 winter weather, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Western Franklin

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Western Franklin forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.583, -72.592 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Barnstable

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Barnstable forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.684, -70.274 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Dukes

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Dukes forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.389, -70.699 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Essex

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Essex forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.639, -70.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Franklin

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Franklin forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.583, -72.592 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Hampden

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Hampden forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.135, -72.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Hampshire

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Hampshire forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.340, -72.664 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Norfolk

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Norfolk forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.171, -71.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Plymouth / Also Part of Norfolk

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Plymouth / Also Part of Norfolk forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.079, -70.960 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Nantucket

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Nantucket forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.270, -70.022 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Northern Bristol

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Northern Bristol forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.757, -71.088 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Northern Worcester

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Northern Worcester forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.351, -71.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Southeast Middlesex

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Southeast Middlesex forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.486, -71.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Southern Bristol

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Bristol forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.757, -71.088 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Southern Plymouth

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Plymouth forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.987, -70.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Southern Worcester

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Worcester forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.351, -71.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Suffolk / Also Part of Norfolk

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Suffolk / Also Part of Norfolk forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.264, -71.125 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Essex

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Western Essex forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.639, -70.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Hampden

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Western Hampden forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.135, -72.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Hampshire

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Western Hampshire forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.340, -72.664 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Middlesex

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Western Middlesex forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.486, -71.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Norfolk

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Western Norfolk forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.171, -71.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Plymouth

When: December 14, 11:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Western Plymouth forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.987, -70.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Northern Worcester

When: December 14, 12:00 PM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where: Northern Worcester forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.351, -71.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Eastern Essex

When: December 14, 12:00 PM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where: Eastern Essex forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.639, -70.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Eastern Norfolk

When: December 14, 12:00 PM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where: Eastern Norfolk forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.171, -71.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Eastern Plymouth / Also Part of Norfolk

When: December 14, 12:00 PM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where: Eastern Plymouth / Also Part of Norfolk forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.079, -70.960 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Northern Bristol

When: December 14, 12:00 PM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where: Northern Bristol forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.757, -71.088 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Southeast Middlesex

When: December 14, 12:00 PM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where: Southeast Middlesex forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.486, -71.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Southern Worcester

When: December 14, 12:00 PM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where: Southern Worcester forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.351, -71.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Suffolk / Also Part of Norfolk

When: December 14, 12:00 PM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where: Suffolk / Also Part of Norfolk forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.264, -71.125 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Western Essex

When: December 14, 12:00 PM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where: Western Essex forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.639, -70.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Western Middlesex

When: December 14, 12:00 PM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where: Western Middlesex forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.486, -71.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Western Norfolk

When: December 14, 12:00 PM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where: Western Norfolk forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.171, -71.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Western Plymouth

When: December 14, 12:00 PM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where: Western Plymouth forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.987, -70.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Eastern Norfolk

When: December 14, 12:17 PM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Norfolk forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph)
Coordinates: 42.171, -71.184 (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.
Winter Weather: Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Massachusetts in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in Massachusetts, December 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: 5625594, 5625595, 5625596, 5625597, 5625598, 5625599, 5625600, 5625601, 5625602, 5625603, 5625604, 5625605, 5625606, 5625607, 5625608, 5625609, 5625610, 5625611, 5625612, 5625613, 5625614, 5625615, 5625616, 5625617, 5625618, 5625619, 5625620, 5625621, 5625622, 5625623, 5625624, 5625625, 5625626, 5625627, 5625763, 5625593.