Massachusetts, 1998

Strong Wind in Massachusetts, February 4 to 5, 1998

February 4 to 5, 1998 · NWS BOX · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A strong storm system passing offshore to the southeast of Cape Cod caused strong northeast winds over coastal sections of Plymouth County and over Cape Cod and the Islands. In addition, large breaking waves resulted in some minor coastal flooding and beach erosion along exposed shores.

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.

  • 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
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 storm system passing offshore to the southeast of Cape Cod caused strong northeast winds over coastal sections of Plymouth County and over Cape Cod and the Islands. In addition, large breaking waves resulted in some minor coastal flooding and beach erosion along exposed shores. Astronomical tides were not unusually high, preventing any serious effects of flooding. The storm produced more than 2 inches of precipitation at Nantucket but amounts tapered off rapidly to only a third of an inch in northern Plymouth County, just south of Boston. Some peak wind gusts included: Nantucket, 53 mph; Falmouth, 52 mph; Martha's Vineyard and Plymouth, 48 mph; Provincetown, 47 mph; New Bedford, 46 mph; Fairhaven, 44 mph; and Boston, 39 mph.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Eastern Plymouth / Also Part of Norfolk

When
February 4, 11:00 PM EST to February 5, 6:00 PM EST
Where
Eastern Plymouth / Also Part of Norfolk forecast zone
Coordinates
42.079, -70.960 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Barnstable

When
February 4, 11:00 PM EST to February 5, 6:00 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 4, 11:00 PM EST to February 5, 6:00 PM EST
Where
Dukes forecast zone
Coordinates
41.389, -70.699 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Nantucket

When
February 4, 11:00 PM EST to February 5, 6:00 PM EST
Where
Nantucket forecast zone
Coordinates
41.270, -70.022 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Southern Bristol

When
February 4, 11:00 PM EST to February 5, 6:00 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 4, 11:00 PM EST to February 5, 6:00 PM EST
Where
Southern Plymouth forecast zone
Coordinates
41.987, -70.737 (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.

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, 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: 5632315, 5632316, 5632317, 5632318, 5632319, 5632320.