Hail and Damaging Winds in Massachusetts, May 29, 1998

An active cold front collided with a warm, very humid airmass during the late afternoon and early evening and resulted in numerous thunderstorms, many of which became severe in parts of northern and western Massachusetts. Reports of severe storms started in Charlemont in Franklin County at 5 PM and ended in Newbury in Essex County at 7 PM. In Franklin County, trees and wires were down, Route 2 was blocked in Charlemont, and power lines were down in Montague. In Hampshire County, trees were reported down in Cummington and Worthington. Quarter size hail was reported in Belchertown and dime size hail fell in Easthampton. In Huntington, a house was set afire by a lightning strike. In Hampden County, thunderstorm winds knocked down several large trees in West Springfield. One was 2 to 3 feet in diameter. Nickel size hail was reported in West Springfield. Also, in Hampden County, tree damage was reported in Agawam, where a street was blocked by fallen trees. In Worcester County, in the town of Athol, large trees were knocked down on three vehicles. Trees were reported blown down in Fitchburg. Dime size hail was reported in West Brookfield. A funnel cloud was observed in Oxford. In Middlesex County, trees were blown down in Tyngsboro and Dracut and power lines were downed in Billerica. The last report of severe weather for the day came from Essex County in northeastern Massachusetts, where trees and wires were reported down in Newbury.