Lightning, Cheshire
- When
- August 16, 5:05 PM EST
- Where
- Cheshire County, Jaffrey
- Injuries
- 12 direct, 0 indirect
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 42.919, -72.251 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lightning Strike in New Hampshire, August 16, 2003
Twelve people were injured when lightning struck Jaffrey's annual Festival of Fireworks at Silver Ranch Airport. Lightning also set off some of the fireworks, but the fireworks did not cause any of the injuries.
Where it happened
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.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 12
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
Twelve people were injured when lightning struck Jaffrey's annual Festival of Fireworks at Silver Ranch Airport. Lightning also set off some of the fireworks, but the fireworks did not cause any of the injuries.
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 Boston/Norton, MA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 16, 2:53 PM EST, 2 hours 12 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 16, 2:53 PM EST, 2 hours 12 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 353 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003 .SHORT TERM (TONIGHT AND SUNDAY)... A COLD FRONT MOVING SOUTHEAST TOWARD SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND WILL RESULT IN NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING. THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE THIS EVENING. THIS FRONT SHOULD PUSH OFFSHORE OVERNIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE ARRIVES FROM THE LOWER GREAT LAKES. GUIDANCE TEMPERATURES LOOK REASONABLE MARINE...LIGHT WINDS AND SEAS EXPECTED. AVIATION...GENERALLY VFR CONDITIONS TONIGHT AND SUNDAY. LOCALIZED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH GUSTY WINDS AND MVFR CONDITIONS. .LONG TERM (SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY)... THE MEDIUM RANGE MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE SURFACE AND UPPER LEVEL FEATURES. SURFACE COLD FRONT JUST SOUTH OF NANTUCKET SHOULD GET MORE OF A SOUTHWARD PUSH FROM THE HIGH PRESSURE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. DRY WEATHER EXPECTED THROUGH THURSDAY. A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO SWEEP ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND FRIDAY. DRIER WEATHER EXPECTED TO RETURN FOR SATURDAY WITH ANOTHER HIGH PRESSURE. GUIDANCE TEMPERATURES LOOK REASONABLE THROUGH THE PERIOD. MARINE...SEAS EXPECTED TO BE 4 FT OR LESS WITH WINDS LESS THAN 20 KTS.. .BOX... CT...NONE. MA...NONE. RI...NONE. NH...NONE. MARINE...NONE. BELK
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 16, 5:55 AM EST, 11 hours 10 minutes before
CTZ002>004-MAZ002>024-026-NHZ011-012-015-RIZ001>008-171045- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 655 AM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST NEW HAMPSHIRE... MASSACHUSETTS EAST OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY...NORTHEAST CONNECTICUT AND RHODE ISLAND. .DAY ONE...TODAY ALTHOUGH THUNDERSTORMS AND THEIR ASSOCIATED LIGHTNING STRIKE RISK ARE FORECAST WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS...LARGE HAIL AND/OR DAMAGING WINDS ARE NOT EXPECTED. SOME THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...WHICH COULD CAUSE LOCALIZED STREET AND POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS THE REGION FROM MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. LOW PRESSURE WILL BEGIN TO MOVE NORTH FROM THE MID ATLANTIC STATES ON THURSDAY. THIS COULD BRING A CHANCE OF SHOWERS THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS AND OTHER SKYWARN SPOTTERS SHOULD MONITOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENINGS SITUATION AND BE PREPARED TO RELAY REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. FOR WATCH/WARNING/ADVISORY THRESHOLDS, PLEASE REFER TO THE FOLLOWING LINK (ALL LOWER CASE): HTTP://WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/ER/BOX/WARNINGCRITERIA.SHTML . VALLIER-TALBOT
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 1:57 PM EST, 3 hours 8 minutes before
MAZ003-004-010-011-161930- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 257 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003 AT 250 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM PELHAM TO HOLYOKE...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES NORTHEAST OF AMHERST TO 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF CHICOPEE... MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND 1 INCH OF RAIN 30 MINUTES IS ALSO LIKELY IN THE PATH OF SOME OF THESE STORMS. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR... CHICOPEE AROUND 300 PM LUDLOW AND BELCHERTOWN AROUND 305 PM WILBRAHAM AROUND 310 PM HARDWICK AROUND 315 PM BARRE...WARE AND PALMER AROUND 320 PM OAKHAM AND NEW BRAINTREE AROUND 325 PM DRAG
Local storm report, Aug 16, 2:45 PM EST, 2 hours 20 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON, MA
345 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0255 PM NORTHAMPTON MA WIND DAMAGE
08/16/03 HAMPSHIRE TREES DOWN
0310 PM NORTHAMPTON MA WIND DAMAGE
08/16/03 HAMPSHIRE TREES DOWNSpecial weather statement, Aug 16, 2:56 PM EST, 2 hours 9 minutes before
NHZ011-162045- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 356 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003 AT 355 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH FROM 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF ROCHESTER TO 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF NEW LONDON TO 9 MILES EAST OF STRATTON...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY BE NEAR... ALSTEAD AROUND 415 PM WALPOLE AROUND 425 PM SURRY AND GILSUM AROUND 445 PM THESE CAN ALSO PRODUCE BRIEF POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING AND SMALL HAIL. DRAG
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 3:24 PM EST, 1 hour 41 minutes before
CTZ002-003-MAZ011-162115- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 424 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003 AT 419 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL...3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WEST SPRINGFIELD...OR ABOUT 9 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CHICOPEE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... AGAWAM AROUND 430 PM SPRINGFIELD AROUND 435 PM LONGMEADOW AND EAST LONGMEADOW AROUND 440 PM ENFIELD AROUND 445 PM SOMERS AND HAMPDEN AROUND 455 PM ELLINGTON AROUND 500 PM NOCERA
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 3:36 PM EST, 1 hour 29 minutes before
CTZ003-004-162130- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 436 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003 AT 434 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL OVER ANDOVER CONNECTICUT IN TOLLAND COUNTY...OR ABOUT 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MANCHESTER...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... COLUMBIA AND COVENTRY AROUND 445 PM WILLIMANTIC AROUND 500 PM WINDHAM AROUND 505 PM SCOTLAND AND CHAPLIN AROUND 515 PM HAMPTON AROUND 520 PM CANTERBURY AND BROOKLYN AROUND 530 PM NOCERA
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 4:16 PM EST, 49 minutes before
CTZ003-162200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 516 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003 AT 514 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL...4 MILES NORTHWEST OF SOMERS IN TOLLAND COUNTY CONNECTICUT...OR ABOUT 7 MILES SOUTH OF SPRINGFIELD...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... SOMERS AROUND 525 PM STAFFORD AROUND 545 PM STAFFORD SPRINGS AROUND 550 PM BOLTON AROUND 555 PM NOCERA
The radar
The Boston radar (KBOX), 141 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:03 UTC.
Event by event
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- 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
- Flash Flood and Hail in Massachusetts, August 16, 2003
- Wildfire and Dust Devil in Montana, August 16, 2003
- Damaging Wind in South Carolina, August 16, 2003
- Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Virginia, August 16 to 17, 2003
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Georgia, August 16, 2003
- Flash Flood and Hail in Maryland, August 16, 2003
- Wildfire in Montana, August 16 to 31, 2003
- Damaging Winds in Maryland, August 16, 2003
- Flash Flood in North Carolina, August 16 to 17, 2003
- Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, August 16, 2003
- Damaging Winds in Michigan, August 16, 2003
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in West Virginia, August 16 to 17, 2003
More
Every storm in New Hampshire in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyWarnings in New Hampshire, August 2003
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: 5375144.