Massachusetts, 1998

Hail and Damaging Winds in Massachusetts, May 31, 1998

May 31, 1998 · NWS BOX · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

A severe thunderstorm affected parts of Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden Counties during the evening hours, with large hail and damaging winds. There was one report of dime size hail in Franklin County in the town of Buckland.

Where it happened

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  • 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
5

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 severe thunderstorm affected parts of Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden Counties during the evening hours, with large hail and damaging winds. There was one report of dime size hail in Franklin County in the town of Buckland. In Hampden County, a peak wind gust to 67 mph was recorded at Barnes Airport in Chicopee. Dime size hail fell in West Springfield and ten or more trees were blown down. In Wilbraham, four trees were reported blown down and power was knocked out. In Hampshire County, dime size hail fell in South Hadley and Granby and there were reports of trees and wires knocked down in Belchertown.

The radar

The Albany radar (KENX), 105 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:04 UTC.

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Event by event

3 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Franklin

When
May 31, 8:07 PM EST
Where
Franklin County, Buckland
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
42.600, -72.780

Hail, Hampshire

When
May 31, 8:30 PM EST to 8:32 PM EST
Where
Hampshire County, South Hadley to Granby
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
42.270, -72.570

Thunderstorm Wind, Hampden

When
May 31, 8:35 PM EST to 8:46 PM EST
Where
Hampden County, Chicopee to Wilbraham
Measured
58 kt (67 mph)
Reported by
ARPT EQUIP(AWOS,ASOS)
Coordinates
42.130, -72.580

Hail, Hampden

When
May 31, 8:40 PM EST
Where
Hampden County, West Springfield to Chicopee
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
42.100, -72.670

Thunderstorm Wind, Hampshire

When
May 31, 8:53 PM EST
Where
Hampshire County, Belchertown
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
42.280, -72.400

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.

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, May 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: 5656401, 5656402, 5656404, 5656405, 5656403.