Low pressure strengthened rapidly off the Delaware coast and tracked southeast of New England, bringing snow and high winds to Rhode Island. On Block Island, a gust to 71 mph was reported at the airport, but no damage occurred.
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.
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 BOX wrote it up.
Low pressure strengthened rapidly off the Delaware coast and tracked southeast of New England, bringing snow and high winds to Rhode Island. While snowfall amounts were limited to between 2 and 5 inches because of rain at the start, wind gusted to over 70 mph during the height of the storm.On Block Island, a gust to 71 mph was reported at the airport, but no damage occurred. A trained spotter in Warwick reported a 70 mph gust, and another spotter in Bristol reported a 59 mph gust, and likewise no damage occurred in either location. Amateur radio operators reported large trees down in Burrillville and six trees down in Portsmouth.Officially, the snowfall total at T.F. Green State Airport was 1.9 inches.
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 Mar 8, 7:40 PM EST, 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION..MESO3 UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
740 PM EST TUE MAR 8 2005
...POWERHOUSE STORM THIS EVENING WITH DANGEROUS TRAVEL...
.SYNOPSIS...
FIRST IN WHAT MAY BE 3 LARGE SCALE STORMS THE NEXT WEEK OR SO
IS HERE. PATTERN SHOWS SIGNS IT MAY RELAX A BIT AFTER THE 20TH...OR
ABOUT THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING.
&&
.MESO3 UPDATE (739 PM)...
NEAR BLIZZARD CONDS NR I95 ATTM WITH THUNDER REPORTED IN APPARENT CC
LIGHTNING SE MASS/RI AREA. G44 KT AT ORH. CHH UA IS TRYING TO LAUNCH
TONIGHT PER VERY RECENT FIX. DELAYED 1 HR SDM CALLED. MANY REPORTS
OVER 45 KTS NYC AREA WITH 47 KT JFK 46 KT LGA. POWERFUL WINDS AT
THE OFFICE ARD 735 PM.
NO CHG IN WARNINGS/ADVYS ATTM.
&&
.SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT)...
TONIGHT...WARNINGS AS POSTED AT 1130 AM REMAIN IN EFFECT.
18Z NAM IS LAST INPUT.
42 KTS AT HPN ARD 3PM.
WED...A FEW AFTN FLURRIES POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY NW PTN OF THE FA IN
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE A RECORD LOW MAX TEMP DAY...IE LOWEST HIGH
TEMPERATURES FOR THE DATE. GUIDANCE WONT HANDLE TOO WELL DUE TO
CLIMO AND ALSO SUDDEN ONSET. BUT USE THE NAM 1000MB TEMPS AND RAISE
6F AT MIDDAY. NEW SNOWCOVER WILL HURT OPPORTUNITY FOR MILDER TEMPS.
-2SD 850 TEMPS ARE FAIRLY REMARKABLE FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR
RER LOW AND RER LOW MAX MARCH 9TH
BOS 8 1943 24 1984
BDL 5 1978 23 1996
PVD 9 1943 23 1996
ORH -6 1943 17 1996
WED NIGHT...COLDER OF THE AVBL MOS LOOKS GOOD.
&&
.LONG TERM (THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY)...
GREENLAND BLOCK CONTINUES IN PLACE...BLOCKING ALL WEATHER SYSTEMS
FROM PROCEEDING IN NORMAL W-E MOVEMENT. CASE IN POINT IS THE STRONG
LOW THAT PUSHES THROUGH THE MARITIMES BY THURSDAY MORNING...THEN
HEADS WEST ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL QUEBEC TO JAMES BAY BY WEEKS END. THE
SURFACE AND UPPER LOW WILL COMPLETE ITS CYCLONIC TURN BY HEADING BACK
TOWARD THE NORTHERN GREAT LAKES EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL KEEP THE
EAST COAST IN A GENERAL LONG WAVE TROUGH PATTERN THROUGH THE LONG
TERM FORECAST PERIOD. THIS WILL ALSO KEEP THE REGION IN A BELOW TO
WELL BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURE REGIME INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...WITH A
SLOW MODERATION OF TEMPERATURES BEGINNING SUNDAY...AT LEAST FOR
HIGHS.
APPEARS THAT MOST OF THE MEDIUM RANGE MODEL SUITE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD
HANDLE ON THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERIC UPPER LEVEL BLOCKING PATTERN...BUT
HAVING DIFFICULTIES WITH SMALL SHORT WAVES AND SURFACE SYSTEMS
EMBEDDED IN THE UPPER FLOW.
WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST THURSDAY
INTO FRIDAY...KEEPING THE SENSIBLE WEATHER DRY BUT CHILLY FOR EARLY
MARCH. MODEL SUITE DIVERGES ON THEIR SOLUTIONS FOR THE NEXT CLIPPER
TYPE SYSTEM PUSHING OUT OF THE GREAT LAKES THURSDAY TO THE OHIO
VALLEY ON FRIDAY. BIG QUESTION WILL BE WHERE THE REDEVELOPMENT OF
THE SECONDARY LOW OCCUR...THEN HOW FAR OFF THE SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND
COAST WILL THE LOW MOVE OFF. DOES APPEAR THAT THERE WILL BE SOME
PRECIPITATION MOVING IN FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST FRIDAY
AFTERNOON...MAINLY IN THE FORM OF SNOW. BEYOND THAT...STILL A LACK
OF CONFIDENCE AS TO THE PRECIPITATION TYPE. SOME MODELS BRING IN A
STRONG LOW LEVEL EAST TO SOUTHEAST INFLOW...WHICH WOULD INDICATE A
MIX MAINLY ALONG THE COAST AND OVER SOUTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND. LEANED
THIS PORTION OF THE FORECAST TOWARD THE 06Z/12Z OPERATIONAL GFS
SOLUTION...THOUGH THERE ARE DIFFERING SOLUTIONS SUGGESTED BY THE
ECMWF AND UKMET MODELS WHICH LEAN TOWARD A COLDER SOLUTION AND A
STRONGER LOW CLOSE TO THE BENCHMARK. AS OF THIS FORECAST ISSUANCE...
WILL LEAN TOWARD A LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW EVENT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY...AND HAVE GONE WITH LIKELY POPS FOR THE
ENTIRE REGION FOR LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND FRIDAY NIGHT...THEN
TAPERING OFF DURING SATURDAY AS THE LOW HEADS TOWARD NOVA SCOTIA.
AS THIS LOW HITS THE BREAKS OVER THE MARITIMES...MORE BELOW NORMAL
AIR WILL PUSH INTO NEW ENGLAND ON WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS...THOUGH
TEMPERATURES WILL BEGIN TO SLOWLY MODERATE BY EARLY NEXT WEEK.
AT THIS POINT...DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THERE IS MUCH COLD AIR TO TAP
OVER CENTRAL CANADA.
&&
.AVIATION...
IFR OR LIFR CONDS IN SNOW BLOWING SNOW EXCPT RAIN CHANGING TO SNOW
I95 EWD THIS AFTN. ALL CONDS BCMG VFR BY DAWN.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...
A FEW BROOKS MAY BE NEAR BANKFUL IN SE MASS THIS EVENING DUE TO
SNOWMELT AND TODAYS HEAVY RAIN. NO WARNINGS FOR THIS. SHOULD RECEDE
AND FREEZE SOON.
&&
.MARINE...
SHORT TERM...HELD ON TO STORM WARNINGS ON ALL WATERS EXCEPT GALES BOS
HARB AND NARR BAY TONIGHT INTO WED MORNING. WEST WINDS WILL SLOWLY
DIMINISH DURING WED...BUT WILL STILL HANG ON TO GALE FORCE WINDS.
WINDS WILL DROP OFF WED NIGHT...BUT SEAS WILL REMAIN IN SMALL CRAFT
RANGE.
IN THE LONG TERM...WILL STILL HAVE LINGERING HIGH SEAS ON THE OUTER
WATERS FROM PROVINCETOWN TO MONTAUK ON THURSDAY...BUT WILL FINALLY
SUBSIDE. NEXT EVENT WILL BE DEPENDENT UPON POSITION AND DEVELOPMENT
OF THE LOW OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST. RIGHT NOW...APPEARS WINDS
WILL BECOME EAST-SOUTHEAST AND INCREASE TO SMALL CRAFT CRITERIA
DURING FRIDAY...THEN WILL SHIFT AROUND TO WEST BY SATURDAY MORNING.
WINDS WILL REMAIN THROUGH SUNDAY.
&&
EQUIPMENT...
CHH RAOB EQMT APPARENTLY FXD. SHUD HAVE A SOUNDING ARD 0130Z.
&&
.BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CT...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CTZ002>004 UNTIL 4 AM WEDNESDAY.
...WIND ADVISORY FOR CTZ002>004 UNTIL 3 AM WEDNESDAY.
...WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR CTZ002-003 FROM 1 AM WEDNESDAY TO 9 AM
WEDNESDAY.
MA...WIND ADVISORY FOR MAZ002-003-005-006-008>011-013-014-017-018-
020-021-026 FROM 6 PM TUESDAY TO 4 AM WEDNESDAY.
...WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR MAZ002>016-026 FROM 1 AM WEDNESDAY TO
9 AM WEDNESDAY.
...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR MAZ002>006-008>012-026 UNTIL 4 AM
WEDNESDAY.
...HIGH WIND WARNING FOR MAZ004-007-012-015-016-019-022>024 FROM
5 PM TUESDAY TO 3 AM WEDNESDAY.
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR MAZ007-013>016 FROM 6 PM TUESDAY
TO 4 AM WEDNESDAY.
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR MAZ017>021 UNTIL 4 AM WEDNESDAY.
NH...WIND ADVISORY FOR NHZ011-012-015 FROM 6 PM TUESDAY TO 4 AM
WEDNESDAY.
...WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR NHZ011-012-015 FROM 1 AM WEDNESDAY TO
9 AM WEDNESDAY.
...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR NHZ011-012-015 UNTIL 4 AM WEDNESDAY.
RI...WIND ADVISORY FOR RIZ001>008 UNTIL 3 AM WEDNESDAY.
...WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR RIZ001 FROM 1 AM WEDNESDAY TO 9 AM
WEDNESDAY.
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR RIZ001>008 UNTIL 4 AM WEDNESDAY.
MARINE...GALE WARNING FOR ANZ230-236 FROM 6 PM TUESDAY TO 8 AM
WEDNESDAY.
...STORM WARNING FOR ANZ231>235-237-250-254-255 FROM 6 PM TUESDAY
TO 4 AM WEDNESDAY.
&&
SHORT TERM/AVIATION...DRAG
LONG TERM...EVTHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK..UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 649 PM EST TUE MAR 8 2005 CTZ002>004-MAZ002>024-026-NHZ011-012-015-RIZ001>008-091145- BARNSTABLE MA-BLOCK ISLAND RI-BRISTOL RI-CENTRAL MIDDLESEX MA- CHESHIRE NH-DUKES MA-EASTERN ESSEX MA-EASTERN FRANKLIN MA- EASTERN HAMPDEN MA-EASTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH NH- EASTERN KENT RI-EASTERN NORFOLK MA-EASTERN PLYMOUTH MA-HARTFORD CT- NANTUCKET MA-NEWPORT RI-NORTHERN BRISTOL MA-NORTHERN WORCESTER MA- NORTHWEST MIDDLESEX MA-NORTHWEST PROVIDENCE RI- SOUTHEAST MIDDLESEX MA-SOUTHEAST PROVIDENCE RI-SOUTHERN BRISTOL MA- SOUTHERN PLYMOUTH MA-SOUTHERN WORCESTER MA-SUFFOLK MA-TOLLAND CT- WASHINGTON RI-WESTERN AND CENTRAL HILLSBOROUGH NH-WESTERN ESSEX MA- WESTERN FRANKLIN MA-WESTERN HAMPDEN MA-WESTERN HAMPSHIRE MA- WESTERN KENT RI-WESTERN NORFOLK MA-WESTERN PLYMOUTH MA-WINDHAM CT- 649 PM EST TUE MAR 8 2005 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST NEW HAMPSHIRE... MASSACHUSETTS EAST OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY...NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST CONNECTICUT...AND ALL OF RHODE ISLAND. .DAY ONE (TODAY & TONIGHT)... THE WINTER STORM WARNING...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY...HIGH WIND WARNING AND WIND ADVISORY AS WELL AS WIND CHILL ADVISORY THAT WERE UPDATED...EXPANDED OR CONVERTED LATE THIS MORNING ALL CONTINUE IN EFFECT AS WELL AS MARINE STORM AND GALE WARNINGS. PLEASE SEE THOSE STATEMENTS FOR DETAILS. .DAY TWO THROUGH SEVEN (WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY)... NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...EXCEPT LINGERING GALES ON THE MARINE WATERS WEDNESDAY. THERE CONTINUES TO BE STRONG INDICATIONS OF A POSSIBLE MAJOR COASTAL SNOW STORM IMPACTING THE REGION LATER FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. HOWEVER... WHILE AT THIS TIME THE TRACK OF THE STORM REMAINS UNCERTAIN... ADVISORY LEVELS OF SNOWFALL APPEAR LIKELY FOR A PORTION OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR A MAJOR SNOW STORM IN EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS...BUT THIS WILL BE DEPENDENT ON THE TRACK OF WHAT WILL BECOME A STRONG STORM AS IT HEADS FOR NOVA SCOTIA SUNDAY. RIGHT NOW THE TRACK IS A BIT TOO FAR EAST... BUT IT COULD EDGE CLOSER. IF A COASTAL STORM DOES DEVELOP...THERE IS A RISK OF COASTAL FLOODING AS ASTRONOMICAL TIDES ARE FAIRLY HIGH. ALL RESIDENTS OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS FOR UPDATES ON THIS POTENTIAL WINTER STORM. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED THROUGH TONIGHT FOR SNOW (OR ICE) AND WIND CRITERIA. WE THANK IN ADVANCE ALL SKYWARN SPOTTERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR ALL THESE REPORTS. DRAG
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Rhode Island in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings in Rhode Island, March 2005
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: 5444459, 5444460, 5444461, 5444462, 5444463.