Massachusetts, 1997

High Wind and Strong Wind in Massachusetts, March 26, 1997

March 26, 1997 · NWS BOX · 6 events in 5 counties and zones

A strong south to southwest wind flow ahead of an approaching cold front brought sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts to 50 to 55 mph along coastal sections of Cape Cod and the Islands to the Rhode Island border. The peak high wind gusts were 63 mph, reported from both Falmouth and Chatham between 5 AM and 6 AM.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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  • Cold
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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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 south to southwest wind flow ahead of an approaching cold front brought sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts to 50 to 55 mph along coastal sections of Cape Cod and the Islands to the Rhode Island border. The peak high wind gusts were 63 mph, reported from both Falmouth and Chatham between 5 AM and 6 AM. A few claps of thunder were heard and scattered power outages were reported.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 strong wind, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Southern Bristol

When
March 26, 12:00 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where
Southern Bristol forecast zone
Coordinates
41.757, -71.088 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Barnstable

When
March 26, 12:00 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where
Barnstable forecast zone
Coordinates
41.684, -70.274 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Dukes

When
March 26, 12:00 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where
Dukes forecast zone
Coordinates
41.389, -70.699 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Nantucket

When
March 26, 12:00 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where
Nantucket forecast zone
Coordinates
41.270, -70.022 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Southern Plymouth

When
March 26, 12:00 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where
Southern Plymouth forecast zone
Coordinates
41.987, -70.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Barnstable

When
March 26, 5:00 AM EST to 8:00 AM EST
Where
Barnstable forecast zone
Measured
54 kt (62 mph)
Coordinates
41.684, -70.274 (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

More

Every storm in Massachusetts in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Massachusetts, March 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: 5597518, 5597519, 5597520, 5597521, 5597522, 5597523.