Massachusetts, 1998

Heavy Rain in Massachusetts, August 29, 1998

August 29, 1998 · NWS BOX · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Tropical Storm Bonnie tracked to the east-northeast well to the south of Cape Cod and the Islands. A heavy outer rain band affected a small part of southern Plymouth County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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.

Tropical Storm Bonnie tracked to the east-northeast well to the south of Cape Cod and the Islands. A heavy outer rain band affected a small part of southern Plymouth County. Torrential downpours occurred in the town of Plymouth, where a spotter at Whitehorse Beach recorded 4.00 inches of rainfall and another National Weather Service Cooperative Observer also in Plymouth had 3.95 inches. A spotter in Wareham recorded 2.80 inches. On Cape Cod, 1.44 inches fell in Hyannis and 1.10 inches fell in Orleans. On Nantucket Island, the rainfall totalled 1.23 inches. The strongest winds reported on land were in the range of 25 to 35 mph. Offshore, the Georges Bank Buoy reported a peak gust to 52 mph. The Nantucket Shoals Buoy had a gust to 38 mph and the Buzzards Bay Buoy recorded 31 mph. A boating accident occurred at 1215 PM one-half mile off of Wianno Beach in Osterville, but it was not directly related to the effects of Bonnie. A 50-year-old male was killed when his rowboat overturned in somewhat choppy waters; his companion was able to swim to shore. According to the US Coast Guard stationed at Woods Hole, the man was a poor swimmer, not wearing a life jacket, dressed only in shorts and t-shirt. Sea conditions at the time were 1 to 2 feet and choppy, with winds of 10 to 15 knots and a visibililty of 8 miles.

The radar

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

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Event by event

2 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Eastern Plymouth

When
August 29, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where
Eastern Plymouth forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
42.079, -70.960 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Southern Plymouth

When
August 29, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where
Southern Plymouth forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.987, -70.737 (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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Massachusetts in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Massachusetts, August 1998

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: 5664300, 5664301.