As a strong area of low pressure moved along the Saint Lawrence River Valley, its' associated cold front traversed Southern Connecticut early on the morning of Wednesday, October 15th. This system strengthened during the day as it moved across Southeast Canada.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS OKX wrote it up.
As a strong area of low pressure moved along the Saint Lawrence River Valley, its' associated cold front traversed Southern Connecticut early on the morning of Wednesday, October 15th. This system strengthened during the day as it moved across Southeast Canada. Meanwhile, high pressure moved from the Southern Plains across to the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states as the day progressed. The difference in pressure between the departing low and the approaching high resulted in a persistent strong wind that reached 38 MPH sustained and gusted as high as 46 MPH at 407 pm at Bridgeport's Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport. Elsewhere, a 49 MPH gust was recorded at 155 am at Tweed New Haven AirportThere were widespread reports of damage from these winds that were obtained primarily from the print media as well as from Skywarn spotters. Here are selected wind damage reports:Numerous tree limbs fell in Westport resulting in about a half dozen road closures, mainly on secondary roads. Approximately 2000 customers were left without power in the greater Norwalk area due to downed power lines.Approximately 1500 customers lost power in Middlesex County as a result of downed power lines. Reports from Middletown include: downed trees and power lines on Sisk Street, Margarita Road, Ridge Road, Randolph Road, Bow Lane, Millbrook Road, Livingston Road, Highland Avenue, Coe Avenue, and Saybrook Road. A tree fell on a car on Loveland Avenue and a tree fell on a house on Silver Street.The estimated damage costs were at least $100 thousand dollars.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Connecticut in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyWarnings in Connecticut, October 2003
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5371589.