Hail and Damaging Winds in Massachusetts, July 23, 1998

An isolated early afternoon thunderstorm produced dime size hail in Acton in Middlesex County. Then, severe thunderstorms moved eastward across Massachusetts from Hampden County to Worcester, Middlesex, and Norfolk Counties during the afternoon. Severe weather was first reported in Hampden County where local law enforcement officials reported trees blown down in East Longmeadow. A short time later, trees and large tree limbs were blown down in Monson. In Worcester County, trees and power lines were downed in Spencer and small trees were downed in Webster. One tree and several large limbs were blown down in Grafton. Trees were reported down in Millbury. Large branches, 6 to 12 inches in diameter, were reported down in Uxbridge. Public reports of a possible tornado in Dudley were not confirmed. In Middlesex County, in West Concord, three campers were injured while seated in a tent at a local campsite. Six others in the tent were visibly shaken by the lightning strike and all were transported to the nearest hospital. One staff member and two campers were held at the hospital. None of the victims showed any burns and none was seriously injured. Lightning strikes caused some serious damage in Concord. A house sustained $20,000 damage when a chimney and a portion of the roof were blown off. A business establishment reported $50,000 damage to their alarm system. In Stow, a 7-year-old boy was injured by a bolt of lightning which struck his house while he was in contact with a dehumidifier. He was admitted for observation at the local hospital. In Lincoln, one person was struck by lightning at the airport at Hanscom Field while holding the ground wire for a blimp and was transported to the local hospital. Also, in Middlesex County, two to three foot diameter branches were blown down in Hopkinton. Dime size hail was observed at an apple orchard in Stow and quarter size hail was reported in Lexington. Farther east, in Essex County, the storms were not severe, but pea size hail fell at Manchester-by-the-Sea along with 2.85 inches of rain. Lightning struck the steeple of a church in Marblehead and started a fire which resulted in several thousand dollars in damage. Small limbs were downed on the Danvers-Middleton town line. Severe thunderstorms did continue east into western Norfolk County, where large branches were reported blown down in Medway, Franklin, and Wrentham. Large tree limbs were reported down on wires in Franklin.