Strong Wind, Northern Worcester
- When
- December 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
- Where
- Northern Worcester forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 42.351, -71.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind and Strong Wind in Massachusetts, December 2, 1997
A strong storm system that was nearly stationary just east of Nova Scotia combined with high pressure building in from the west to cause strong northwest winds across central and eastern Massachusetts. A peak gust to 59 mph was recorded atop Blue Hill in Milton, while most places had winds gusting to 35 to 45 mph.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 22 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
- 22
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 strong storm system that was nearly stationary just east of Nova Scotia combined with high pressure building in from the west to cause strong northwest winds across central and eastern Massachusetts. A peak gust to 59 mph was recorded atop Blue Hill in Milton, while most places had winds gusting to 35 to 45 mph.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
21 strong wind, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong Wind, Barnstable
- When
- December 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 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 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 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 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
- Where
- Eastern Essex forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 42.639, -70.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Strong Wind, Eastern Hampden
- When
- December 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 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 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 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 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
- Where
- Eastern Norfolk forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 42.171, -71.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Strong Wind, Western Middlesex
- When
- December 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 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 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 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 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
- Where
- Western Plymouth forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 41.987, -70.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Strong Wind, Eastern Plymouth / Also Part of Norfolk
- When
- December 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 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 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 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 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
- Where
- Northern Bristol forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 41.757, -71.088 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Strong Wind, Southeast Middlesex
- When
- December 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 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 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 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 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 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 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 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 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 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 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 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 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 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 2, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
- Where
- Western Hampshire forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 42.340, -72.664 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Eastern Norfolk
- When
- December 2, 4:12 AM EST
- Where
- Eastern Norfolk forecast zone
- Measured
- 51 kt (59 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.
- 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
- Dense Fog in Nebraska, December 2, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Colorado, December 2 to 3, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Colorado, December 2 to 3, 1997
- Strong Wind in Rhode Island, December 2, 1997
- Winter Storm in Kansas, December 2 to 3, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Kansas, December 2 to 3, 1997
- Heavy Snow in New Mexico, December 2 to 3, 1997
- Strong Wind in Connecticut, December 2, 1997
- Strong Wind in New Hampshire, December 2, 1997
- High Wind in Alaska, December 2 to 3, 1997
- High Surf in Hawaii, December 2 to 4, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Alaska, December 2, 1997
More
Every storm in Massachusetts in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings 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: 5625582, 5625583, 5625584, 5625585, 5625586, 5625587, 5625588, 5625589, 5625590, 5625591, 5626427, 5626428, 5626429, 5626430, 5626431, 5626432, 5626433, 5626434, 5626435, 5626436, 5626437, 5625592.