Damaging Winds and Lightning Strikes in New Hampshire, May 31, 2002

Name: Damaging Winds and Lightning Strikes in New Hampshire, May 31, 2002
Start: 2002-05-31T14:00
End: 2002-05-31T17:55
Location: New Hampshire

May 31, 2002 · NWS GYX · 24 events in 7 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $150,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 24

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 GYX wrote it up.

A line of severe thunderstorms moving through New Hampshire produced severe winds that downed trees and power lines throughout the central and southeastern part of the state. About 18,000 customers lost electrical service during the storms. Trees were reported down in Madison, Salisbury, Haverhill, Woodsville, Claremont, Bow, Alton, Lempster, Wentworth, Jackson, Franklin, Kingston, Rochester, Warner, Newbury, Henniker, Newport, and Bradford. Lightning destroyed a storage barns in Laconia and Sunapee, and struck homes in Greenland and Stratham. In Franklin, lightning struck the tower of the opera house which housed city hall, causing an estimated $50,000 in damage.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Gray, ME wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 31, 1:00 PM EST, 1 hour earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 31, 1:00 PM EST, 1 hour before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
200 PM EDT FRI MAY 31 2002

ZONES...
BIGGEST CONCERN IS SEVERE WEATHER THREAT FROM NOW THROUGH ABOUT 10
PM THIS EVENING.  TIMING VERY FAST MOVING COLD FRONT /DRIVEN BY
STRONG 110+ KT JET AT 300 MB/...SHOULD CLEAR NH BY 8 PM AND WESTERN
AND SOUTHERN ME BY 10 PM /MIDNIGHT AT THE LATEST.  RIPE SITUATION
FOR STRONG/SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS BASED ON SPC OUTLOOK ...LOCAL SEVERE
WEATHER CHECKLIST AND UPSTREAM SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS FROM ALY AND
BTV.

CLEARING TO FOLLOW THE FRONT OVERNIGHT.  A SECOND COLD FRONT MOVES
THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT.  AVN MOST AGRESSIVE WITH THIS SYSTEM AND
GIVES CHANCE OF SHOWERS LATE SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT.  NGM POPS
MUCH LOWER.  ETA LEANING TOWARD NGM.  FOR NOW WILL SPLIT THE
DIFFERENCE AND STILL MENTION A CHANCE OF SHOWERS EARLY SATURDAY
NIGHT.  SHOULD CLEAR OUT BEHIND THIS FRONT.

TEMPS...WARM ON SATURDAY BUT SECOND FRONT BRINGS IN COOLER WEATHER
FOR SUNDAY.  THE MAVS ARE RUNNING MUCH COOLER THAN FWC MAX TEMPS.
WILL GO WITH A COMPROMISE.

CWF...
WILL CONTINUE THE STRONG SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWEST WINDS
AHEAD OF THE FRONT EARLY TONIGHT.  MINIMAL SCA CONDITIONS WILL
PREVAIL BEHIND THE FRONT IN THE FAST WESTERLY FLOW.

PRELIMINARY PWMWRKZFP AND PWMWRKCWF AVBL IN AWIPS.

HAVE SET UP 4 ZONE SPLITS...MOUNTAINS...FOOTHILLS...SOUTHERN
INTERIOR AND COASTAL ZONES.  HOWEVER..MAY SPLIT WEST AND EAST /EG NH
AND ME/ BASED ON TIMING OF FRONT/CONVECTION...OR MAY SPLIT BASED ON
ANY SPC WATCH THAT MAY BE ISSUED.  ALSO MAY ADD A REST OF THE
AFTERNOON OR A THROUGH THIS EVENING PERIOD TO COVER THE
THUNDERSTORMS.  ALSO MAY ADJUST CWF FOR CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY AS WELL.

FCSTID = 2

.GYX...
ME...SCA.
NH...SCA.

SJC

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 31, 9:30 AM EST, 4 hours 30 minutes before

MEZ007>009-012>014-018>028-NHZ001>010-013-014-312145-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
1030 AM EDT FRI MAY 31 2002

...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTHERN...
CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST NEW HAMPSHIRE AND WESTERN AND SOUTHERN MAINE
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE THIS AFTERNOON
AND SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.
HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STORMS.

KEEP A WEATHER EYE ON THE SKY IF YOU HAVE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES PLANNED
FOR TODAY...AND TAKE COVER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

REMEMBER...LIGHTNING KILLS MORE PEOPLE THAN TORNADOES OR HURRICANES.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER LOCAL MEDIA FOR ANY
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES OR
WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

SJC

The radar

The Burlington radar (KCXX), 97 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:59 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

19 thunderstorm wind, 5 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Grafton

When: May 31, 2:00 PM EST
Where: Grafton County, Woodsville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 44.150, -72.050

Thunderstorm Wind, Grafton

When: May 31, 2:05 PM EST
Where: Grafton County, Haverhill
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 44.033, -72.067

Thunderstorm Wind, Grafton

When: May 31, 2:25 PM EST
Where: Grafton County, Wentworth
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.867, -71.900

Thunderstorm Wind, Sullivan

When: May 31, 2:25 PM EST
Where: Sullivan County, Claremont
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 43.383, -72.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Merrimack

When: May 31, 2:30 PM EST
Where: Merrimack County, Bradford
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: UNKNOWN
Coordinates: 43.267, -71.967

Thunderstorm Wind, Sullivan

When: May 31, 2:30 PM EST
Where: Sullivan County, Lempster
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.250, -72.217

Thunderstorm Wind, Sullivan

When: May 31, 2:30 PM EST
Where: Sullivan County, Newport
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 43.367, -72.183

Thunderstorm Wind, Merrimack

When: May 31, 2:40 PM EST
Where: Merrimack County, Newbury
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 43.317, -72.033

Thunderstorm Wind, Merrimack

When: May 31, 2:45 PM EST
Where: Merrimack County, Sutton
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.333, -71.967

Thunderstorm Wind, Carroll

When: May 31, 3:00 PM EST
Where: Carroll County, Jackson
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.150, -71.183

Thunderstorm Wind, Merrimack

When: May 31, 3:00 PM EST
Where: Merrimack County, Warner
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 43.283, -71.817

Thunderstorm Wind, Carroll

When: May 31, 3:00 PM EST
Where: Carroll County, Madison
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: UNKNOWN
Coordinates: 43.900, -71.150

Thunderstorm Wind, Merrimack

When: May 31, 3:05 PM EST
Where: Merrimack County, Henniker
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 43.183, -71.833

Thunderstorm Wind, Merrimack

When: May 31, 3:10 PM EST
Where: Merrimack County, Franklin
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 43.433, -71.667

Lightning, Merrimack

When: May 31, 3:10 PM EST
Where: Merrimack County, Franklin
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 43.298, -71.680 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Merrimack

When: May 31, 3:10 PM EST
Where: Merrimack County, Salisbury
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 43.383, -71.717

Thunderstorm Wind, Merrimack

When: May 31, 3:15 PM EST
Where: Merrimack County, Bow Center
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.133, -71.550

Lightning, Belknap

When: May 31, 3:15 PM EST
Where: Belknap County, Laconia
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 43.519, -71.423 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Belknap

When: May 31, 3:20 PM EST
Where: Belknap County, Alton
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.450, -71.217

Lightning, Sullivan

When: May 31, 3:25 PM EST
Where: Sullivan County, Sunapee
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 43.361, -72.222 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Strafford

When: May 31, 4:05 PM EST
Where: Strafford County, Rochester
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 43.300, -70.983

Lightning, Rockingham

When: May 31, 5:10 PM EST
Where: Rockingham County, Greenland
Property damage: $40,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 42.985, -71.089 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Rockingham

When: May 31, 5:25 PM EST
Where: Rockingham County, Kingston
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 42.933, -71.050

Lightning, Rockingham

When: May 31, 5:55 PM EST
Where: Rockingham County, Stratham
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 42.985, -71.089 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

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.
Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New Hampshire in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in New Hampshire, May 2002

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: 5297564, 5297563, 5297562, 5297565, 5297566, 5297570, 5297582, 5297580, 5297569, 5297567, 5297579, 5298492, 5297581, 5297574, 5297575, 5298493, 5297568, 5297572, 5297571, 5297578, 5297577, 5297583, 5297576, 5297573.