Heat in Massachusetts, December 7, 1998

Name: Heat in Massachusetts, December 7, 1998
Start: 1998-12-07T12:00
End: 1998-12-07T15:00
Location: Massachusetts

December 7, 1998 · NWS BOX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Unseasonably warm temperatures occurred throughout much of the state. High pressure over the western Atlantic generated an unusually warm westerly wind flow.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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.

Unseasonably warm temperatures occurred throughout much of the state. High pressure over the western Atlantic generated an unusually warm westerly wind flow. A new record high temperature for the month of December of 72 degrees was established for Worcester at Worcester Airport. The previous record was 70 degrees on December 29, 1984. The high of 72 degrees also shattered the previous record high temperature for the date, which was 63 degrees set in 1932. In Boston, the high temperature of 76 degrees at Logan Airport also set a new record high temperature for the month of December. The previous record was 73 degrees set on December 29, 1984. The high of 76 degrees shattered the previous record high for the date, which was 66 degrees set in 1932. At Blue Hill Observatory in Milton, the high of 74 degrees set a new record high for the month of December. The previous record was 72 degrees on December 29, 1984. The high of 74 degrees also shattered the previous record high for the date, which was 62 degrees set in 1932. Incidentally, the high temperature of 61 degrees at Blue Hill Observatory on December 2 broke the previous record high of 59 degrees.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 heat. Local standard time, as filed.

Heat, Northern Worcester

When: December 7, 12:00 PM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Northern Worcester forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 42.351, -71.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Western Norfolk

When: December 7, 12:00 PM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Western Norfolk forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 42.171, -71.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat, Suffolk / Also Part of Norfolk

When: December 7, 12:00 PM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Suffolk / Also Part of Norfolk forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 42.264, -71.125 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heat: Heat below excessive heat criteria that still caused deaths, injuries or significant impacts.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Massachusetts in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in Massachusetts, December 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: 5677765, 5677766, 5677767.