Massachusetts, 1997

Hail and Damaging Winds in Massachusetts, July 18, 1997

July 18, 1997 · NWS BOX · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

Thunderstorms developed over Bristol County during the evening hours and moved eastward across Plymouth County and then across Cape Cod Bay and onto Cape Cod (Barnstable County). These storms became severe at several locations, producing damaging winds in Taunton and Middleboro and large hail on outer Cape Cod.

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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
1
Property damage
$10,000
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 BOX wrote it up.

Thunderstorms developed over Bristol County during the evening hours and moved eastward across Plymouth County and then across Cape Cod Bay and onto Cape Cod (Barnstable County). These storms became severe at several locations, producing damaging winds in Taunton and Middleboro and large hail on outer Cape Cod. Power lines were reported down in the Taunton-Raynham area. Tree limbs up to 4 to 8 inches in diameter were reported blown down in Middleboro per the local police department. One person was slightly injured when a lightning strike travelled through a house in Halifax, where two houses were struck by lightning. Damage was minimal. In neighboring Plympton, a house was set afire by a lightning strike. After the storms moved eastward across Cape Cod Bay, they produced large hail on the outer Cape. Golfball size hail was reported in Wellfleet and dime size hail was reported by a SKYWARN spotter in Harwich.

The radar

The Boston radar (KBOX), 7 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:28 UTC.

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Event by event

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Bristol

When
July 18, 8:30 PM EST
Where
Bristol County, Taunton to Raynham
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
41.900, -71.100

Thunderstorm Wind, Plymouth

When
July 18, 8:40 PM EST
Where
Plymouth County, Middleboro
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
41.880, -70.920

Lightning, Plymouth

When
July 18, 8:45 PM EST
Where
Plymouth County, Halifax
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$10,000
Coordinates
41.987, -70.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Barnstable

When
July 18, 9:40 PM EST
Where
Barnstable County, Wellfleet
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
41.930, -70.030

Hail, Barnstable

When
July 18, 9:50 PM EST
Where
Barnstable County, Harwich
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
41.680, -70.080

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.
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, July 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: 5613927, 5613928, 5613929, 5613930, 5613931.