High Wind and Strong Wind in Massachusetts, March 3 to 4, 1999

Name: High Wind and Strong Wind in Massachusetts, March 3 to 4, 1999
Start: 1999-03-03T21:00
End: 1999-03-04T14:00
Location: Massachusetts

March 3 to 4, 1999 · NWS BOX · 28 events in 25 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 28 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: 28

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.

Low pressure passing west of New England brought a period of strong south winds to much of Massachusetts. The highest gusts occurred in the eastern part of the state, where winds gusted over 60 mph at several locations. A peak gust of 69 mph was recorded at the Blue Hill Observatory in Milton, and gusts to 61 mph were reported in Taunton and Nantucket. Other strong wind gusts included 56 mph in Milford and Winthrop, 53 mph at Logan International Airport in Boston and Worcester Municipal Airport in Worcester, 51 mph in Provincetown, 49 mph in Beverly, 48 mph in Norwood, 47 mph in Plymouth, and 46 mph in Hyannis and Martha's Vineyard. Other locations in Massachusetts reported wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph. The strong winds only caused minor damage, namely fallen tree limbs and downed wires which resulted in power outages at a few locations.Heavy rainfall totaled over two inches in parts of western Massachusetts. In less than 12 hours, a total of 2.40 inches of rain fell in Tolland, in Hampden County, and 2.25 inches fell in Shelburne Falls, in Franklin County. There were significant rises on small streams in these counties, but no flooding was reported. Thunder and lightning accompanied some of the heavier downpours.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

23 strong wind, 3 high wind, 2 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Hampden

When: March 3, 9:00 PM EST to March 4, 6:00 AM EST
Where: Hampden County, Holland
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.135, -72.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Franklin

When: March 3, 9:00 PM EST to March 4, 6:00 AM EST
Where: Franklin County, Shelburne Falls
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.583, -72.592 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Franklin

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Western Franklin forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.583, -72.592 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Barnstable

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Barnstable forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.684, -70.274 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Dukes

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Dukes forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.389, -70.699 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Essex

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Essex forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.639, -70.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Franklin

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Franklin forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.583, -72.592 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Hampden

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Hampden forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 42.135, -72.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Hampshire

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Hampshire forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.340, -72.664 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Norfolk

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Norfolk forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 42.171, -71.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Plymouth / Also Part of Norfolk

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Plymouth / Also Part of Norfolk forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 42.079, -70.960 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Nantucket

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Nantucket forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.270, -70.022 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Northern Bristol

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Northern Bristol forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.757, -71.088 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Northern Worcester

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Northern Worcester forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.351, -71.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Southeast Middlesex

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Southeast Middlesex forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.486, -71.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Southern Bristol

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Bristol forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.757, -71.088 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Southern Plymouth

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Plymouth forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.987, -70.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Southern Worcester

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Worcester forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 42.351, -71.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Suffolk / Also Part of Norfolk

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Suffolk / Also Part of Norfolk forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 42.264, -71.125 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Essex

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Western Essex forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.639, -70.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Hampden

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Western Hampden forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.135, -72.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Hampshire

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Western Hampshire forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.340, -72.664 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Middlesex

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Western Middlesex forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 42.486, -71.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Norfolk

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Western Norfolk forecast zone
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 42.171, -71.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Plymouth

When: March 4, 1:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Western Plymouth forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.987, -70.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Northern Bristol

When: March 4, 1:45 AM EST
Where: Northern Bristol forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.757, -71.088 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Taunton

High Wind, Nantucket

When: March 4, 4:54 AM EST
Where: Nantucket forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.270, -70.022 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Nantucket

High Wind, Eastern Norfolk

When: March 4, 12:11 PM EST
Where: Eastern Norfolk forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 42.171, -71.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blue Hill Observatory, Milton

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.
High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Massachusetts in 1999 Every state in 1999 This day in weather history Warnings in Massachusetts, March 1999

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: 5692709, 5692863, 5692864, 5692865, 5692866, 5692967, 5692968, 5692969, 5692970, 5692971, 5692972, 5692973, 5692974, 5692975, 5692976, 5692977, 5692978, 5692979, 5692980, 5692981, 5692982, 5692983, 5692984, 5692985, 5692986, 5692987, 5692988, 5692989.