Rhode Island, 1999

Heavy Snow in Rhode Island, March 15, 1999

March 15, 1999 · NWS BOX · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A strong low pressure system, centered off the coast of Virginia during the early morning hours, moved to a position southeast of Nantucket by early afternoon. This system brought a late season snowstorm to all of Rhode Island, with totals of 7 to 12 inches.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 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
7

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 low pressure system, centered off the coast of Virginia during the early morning hours, moved to a position southeast of Nantucket by early afternoon. This system brought a late season snowstorm to all of Rhode Island, with totals of 7 to 12 inches. At the height of the storm, the snow fell at the rate of one to two inches per hour.Some of the higher totals reported include 12 inches in West Warwick, 11 inches in Cranston, Charlestown, and Middletown, 10 inches in Providence, Warwick, Burrillville, North Smithfield, Ashaway, and Clayville, 9 inches in Hope Valley, and 6 inches in Portsmouth. The storm produced poor traveling conditions and shut down many schools and businesses across the state.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Northwest Providence

When
March 15, 12:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Northwest Providence forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.871, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Bristol

When
March 15, 12:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Bristol forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.706, -71.286 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Eastern Kent

When
March 15, 12:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Eastern Kent forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.673, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Newport

When
March 15, 12:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Newport forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.500, -71.281 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Southeast Providence

When
March 15, 12:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Southeast Providence forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.871, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Washington

When
March 15, 12:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Washington forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.397, -71.620 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Western Kent

When
March 15, 12:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Western Kent forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.673, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Rhode Island in 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings in Rhode Island, 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: 5693194, 5693195, 5693196, 5693197, 5693198, 5693199, 5693200.