Flash Flood and Damaging Wind in Massachusetts, February 18, 1998

Name: Flash Flood and Damaging Wind in Massachusetts, February 18, 1998
Start: 1998-02-18T00:00
End: 1998-02-18T15:00
Location: Massachusetts

February 18, 1998 · NWS BOX · 27 events in 16 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 26 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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 27

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.

Heavy rainfall, strong winds, and thunderstorms occurred over eastern Massachusetts as a strong low pressure system tracked northeastward from the Mid Atlantic coast to a position southeast of Cape Cod. A severe thunderstorm was reported in Bristol County at 6:00 AM, February 18th, where an estimated peak wind gust of 65 mph occurred. A commuter plane flying from Maine to Boston was struck by lightning but landed safely at Boston with no significant damage and no injuries. Rainfall totals of 2 to 3.5 inches were commonly reported over the southeastern portion of the state, the western part of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and along the coast northeast of Boston. Most of this heavy rainfall occurred during a 12-hour period. In northern Plymouth County, a total of 3.17 inches at Hull and 3.00 inches at Hingham set new records for a maximum one-day rainfall for the month of February. Some other totals included: West Wareham, 3.7 inches; Gloucester, 3.37 inches; Plymouth. 3.15 inches; Acushnet, 3.13 inches; New Bedford, 2.77 inches; Norton, 2.76 inches; Newburyport, 2.73 inches; Taunton, 2.33 inches; Wakefield, 2.10 inches; and Boston, 2.02 inches. Thunderstorms embedded in the general area of rain produced downpours which caused some minor brief street flooding and flooding of some low-lying areas. A tunnel was flooded on Storrow Drive in Boston hampering traffic in that area. There was considerable flooding in low-lying flood-prone areas of most of Bristol and Plymouth Counties. At 8:25 AM, a small stream in Bristol County in Collins Corner reportedly overflowed its banks. No significant damage was reported from the heavy rainfall, however.Strong northeast winds affected most of east coastal Massachusetts, including Cape Cod and the Islands. Some peak wind gusts included: Chatham, 54 mph; Falmouth, 53 mph; Blue Hill in Milton, 50 mph; Nantucket, 46 mph; and Hyannis, 44 mph.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

13 strong wind, 12 heavy rain, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Western Essex

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Western Essex forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.639, -70.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Barnstable

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 3:00 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: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Essex forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.639, -70.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Eastern Norfolk

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 3:00 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: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Plymouth forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.079, -70.960 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Southeast Middlesex

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 3:00 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: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 3:00 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: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Plymouth forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.987, -70.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Suffolk

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Suffolk forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.264, -71.125 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Western Middlesex

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 3:00 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: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 3:00 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: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Western Plymouth forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.987, -70.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Essex

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Essex forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.639, -70.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Barnstable

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Barnstable forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.684, -70.274 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Dukes

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Dukes forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.389, -70.699 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Norfolk

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Norfolk forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.171, -71.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Plymouth

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Plymouth forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.079, -70.960 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Nantucket

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Nantucket forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.270, -70.022 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Northern Bristol

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Northern Bristol forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.757, -71.088 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Southeast Middlesex

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Southeast Middlesex forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.486, -71.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Southern Bristol

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Bristol forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.757, -71.088 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Southern Plymouth

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Plymouth forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.987, -70.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Suffolk

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Suffolk forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.264, -71.125 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Norfolk

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Western Norfolk forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.171, -71.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Plymouth

When: February 18, 12:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Western Plymouth forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.987, -70.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Bristol

When: February 18, 6:00 AM EST
Where: Bristol County, Westport
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)
Coordinates: 41.670, -71.100

Flash Flood, Bristol

When: February 18, 8:25 AM EST
Where: Bristol County, Collins Corner
Coordinates: 41.757, -71.088 (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.
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.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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, February 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: 5632321, 5632322, 5632323, 5632324, 5632325, 5632326, 5632327, 5632328, 5632329, 5632330, 5632331, 5632332, 5632333, 5632334, 5632335, 5632336, 5632337, 5632338, 5632339, 5632340, 5632341, 5632342, 5632343, 5632483, 5632484, 5632485, 5632486.