Rhode Island, 1999

Flash Flooding and High Wind in Rhode Island, September 16 to 17, 1999

September 16 to 17, 1999 · NWS BOX · 14 events in 9 counties and zones

Tropical Storm Floyd brought high winds and torrential rainfall to Rhode Island, as it tracked from northern Connecticut into central and northeast Massachusetts. Although many areas received strong winds, the highest wind gusts were confined to coastal Washington County, where several trees were downed in Westerly, and also in northern Providence County, where branches, trees, and wires were…

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 14 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
14

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.

Tropical Storm Floyd brought high winds and torrential rainfall to Rhode Island, as it tracked from northern Connecticut into central and northeast Massachusetts. Although many areas received strong winds, the highest wind gusts were confined to coastal Washington County, where several trees were downed in Westerly, and also in northern Providence County, where branches, trees, and wires were downed in Smithfield, Woonsocket, and Cumberland. Widespread rainfall amounts of 2 to 5 inches were reported throughout the Ocean State, with the heaviest amounts falling across the higher terrain of northwest Providence County. As much as 7.12 inches of rain fell in North Smithfield. The torrential rainfall caused the Pawtuxet River to rise out of its banks in Warwick and Cranston. The Pawtuxet went into flood at 1132 pm on the 16th, and crested at 9.4 feet at 515 am on the 17th, just over its 9 foot flood stage. It returned to its banks at 245 pm on the 17th. No flood damage was reported, including throughout the rest of Rhode Island where flooding of low lying areas was common.

The radar

The Boston radar (KBOX), 38 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:00 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 heavy rain, 5 strong wind, 2 high wind, 2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Providence

When
September 16, 3:00 PM EST to September 17, 2:00 AM EST
Where
Providence County, Countywide
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.871, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Kent

When
September 16, 3:00 PM EST to September 17, 2:00 AM EST
Where
Kent County, Countywide
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.673, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Bristol

When
September 16, 3:00 PM EST to September 17, 2:00 AM EST
Where
Bristol County, Countywide
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.706, -71.286 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Newport

When
September 16, 3:00 PM EST to September 17, 2:00 AM EST
Where
Newport County, Countywide
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.500, -71.281 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Washington

When
September 16, 3:00 PM EST to September 17, 2:00 AM EST
Where
Washington County, Countywide
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.397, -71.620 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Northwest Providence

When
September 16, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 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)

Strong Wind, Bristol

When
September 16, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Bristol forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.706, -71.286 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Kent

When
September 16, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 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)

Strong Wind, Newport

When
September 16, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Newport forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.500, -71.281 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Kent

When
September 16, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 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)

High Wind, Washington

When
September 16, 5:23 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Washington forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.397, -71.620 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Southeast Providence

When
September 16, 6:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Southeast Providence forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
41.871, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Kent

When
September 16, 10:32 PM EST to September 17, 1:45 PM EST
Where
Kent County, Warwick
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
41.673, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Pawtuxet River

Flash Flood, Providence

When
September 16, 10:32 PM EST to September 17, 1:45 PM EST
Where
Providence County, Cranston
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
41.871, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Pawtuxet River

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.
Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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, September 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: 5722426, 5722427, 5722428, 5722429, 5722430, 5722433, 5722434, 5722435, 5722436, 5722437, 5722431, 5722432, 5722438, 5722439.