High Wind and Heavy Rain in Massachusetts, November 1, 1997

Name: High Wind and Heavy Rain in Massachusetts, November 1, 1997
Start: 1997-11-01T12:00
End: 1997-11-01T22:00
Location: Massachusetts

November 1, 1997 · NWS BOX · 43 events in 23 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 43 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: $50,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 43

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 coastal low pressure system moved northeast into southeastern Massachusetts from south of Long Island and brought high winds to many parts of southeastern Massachusetts, including Cape Cod and the Islands. There were even a few gusts to hurricane force. The strong winds blew from the east and southeast and gusts frequently reached 50 to 65 mph across much of the state...from Middlesex and Norfolk Counties east and southeast. Peak wind gusts of 81 mph were recorded both at Cuttyhunk Island west of Martha's Vineyard and atop Blue Hill in Milton. Some of the other highest wind gusts reported included: 79 mph at the New Bedford Hurricane Barrier; 77 mph at Dennis; 73 mph at Hyannis; 71 mph at Marstons Mills (Falmouth); and 60 mph at Chatham. Numerous trees and tree limbs were blown down, knocking out electrical power. Outages affected up to 32,000 electric customers statewide, including 12,000 in southeastern Massachusetts and 20,000 in the Merrimack Valley. There were scattered reports of trees falling onto homes causing scattered property damage.Heavy rainfall occurred, with the maximum totals of 2.0 to 3.6 inches reported from the south coast across Cape Cod and the Islands. Heavy rain also fell across the rest of the state with 1.5 to more than 3.0 inches in less than 12 hours. In Hampshire County, Worthington reported a total of 3.06 inches. Lowell had 2.24 inches and Worcester had 2.22 inches. In New Bedford, along the south coast, 3.47 inches was reported. Major urban street flooding occurred in Dartmouth, New Bedford, and Acushnet. There were many reports of flooding...and not just in poor drainage areas. There were reports of minor shore road flooding along the south coast and along Martha's Vineyard's shores at normally vulnerable locations. Thirteen crewmen had to be rescued from a sinking fishing vessel off of Gloucester.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

21 heavy rain, 16 strong wind, 6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Western Franklin

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Western Franklin forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.583, -72.592 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Barnstable

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Barnstable forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.684, -70.274 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Eastern Essex

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Essex forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.639, -70.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Eastern Franklin

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Franklin forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.583, -72.592 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Eastern Hampden

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Hampden forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.135, -72.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Eastern Hampshire

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Hampshire forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.340, -72.664 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Eastern Norfolk

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Norfolk forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.171, -71.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Eastern Plymouth

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Plymouth forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.079, -70.960 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Northern Bristol

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Northern Bristol forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.757, -71.088 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Northern Worcester

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Northern Worcester forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.351, -71.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Southeast Middlesex

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Southeast Middlesex forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.486, -71.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Southern Bristol

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Bristol forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.757, -71.088 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Southern Plymouth

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Plymouth forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.987, -70.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Southern Worcester

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Worcester forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.351, -71.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Suffolk

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Suffolk forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.264, -71.125 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Western Essex

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Western Essex forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.639, -70.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Western Hampden

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Western Hampden forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.135, -72.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Western Hampshire

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Western Hampshire forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.340, -72.664 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Western Middlesex

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Western Middlesex forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.486, -71.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Western Norfolk

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Western Norfolk forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.171, -71.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Western Plymouth

When: November 1, 12:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Western Plymouth forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.987, -70.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Middlesex

When: November 1, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Western Middlesex forecast zone
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 42.486, -71.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Barnstable

When: November 1, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Barnstable forecast zone
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 41.684, -70.274 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Dukes

When: November 1, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Dukes forecast zone
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 41.389, -70.699 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Essex

When: November 1, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Essex forecast zone
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 42.639, -70.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Norfolk

When: November 1, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Norfolk forecast zone
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 42.171, -71.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Plymouth

When: November 1, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Plymouth forecast zone
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 42.079, -70.960 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Nantucket

When: November 1, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Nantucket forecast zone
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 41.270, -70.022 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Northern Bristol

When: November 1, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Northern Bristol forecast zone
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 41.757, -71.088 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Southeast Middlesex

When: November 1, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Southeast Middlesex forecast zone
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 42.486, -71.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Southern Bristol

When: November 1, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Bristol forecast zone
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 41.757, -71.088 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Southern Plymouth

When: November 1, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Plymouth forecast zone
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 41.987, -70.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Southern Worcester

When: November 1, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Worcester forecast zone
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 42.351, -71.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Suffolk

When: November 1, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Suffolk forecast zone
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 42.264, -71.125 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Essex

When: November 1, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Western Essex forecast zone
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 42.639, -70.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Norfolk

When: November 1, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Western Norfolk forecast zone
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 42.171, -71.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Plymouth

When: November 1, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Western Plymouth forecast zone
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 41.987, -70.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Nantucket

When: November 1, 6:12 PM EST
Where: Nantucket forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph)
Coordinates: 41.270, -70.022 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Western Norfolk

When: November 1, 7:19 PM EST
Where: Western Norfolk forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph)
Coordinates: 42.171, -71.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Dukes

When: November 1, 7:45 PM EST
Where: Dukes forecast zone
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Coordinates: 41.389, -70.699 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Southern Bristol

When: November 1, 8:05 PM EST
Where: Southern Bristol forecast zone
Measured: 69 kt (79 mph)
Coordinates: 41.757, -71.088 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Eastern Norfolk

When: November 1, 8:11 PM EST
Where: Eastern Norfolk forecast zone
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Coordinates: 42.171, -71.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Barnstable

When: November 1, 8:40 PM EST
Where: Barnstable forecast zone
Measured: 67 kt (77 mph)
Coordinates: 41.684, -70.274 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
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

Every storm in Massachusetts in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in Massachusetts, November 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: 5625106, 5625107, 5625108, 5625109, 5625110, 5625111, 5625241, 5625242, 5625243, 5625244, 5625245, 5625246, 5625247, 5625248, 5625249, 5625250, 5625251, 5625252, 5625253, 5625254, 5625255, 5625256, 5625257, 5625258, 5625259, 5625260, 5625261, 5625262, 5625263, 5625264, 5625265, 5625266, 5625267, 5625268, 5625269, 5625270, 5625271, 5625272, 5625273, 5625274, and more.