Hail and Damaging Winds in Massachusetts, July 21, 2006

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Massachusetts, July 21, 2006
Start: 2006-07-21T13:30
End: 2006-07-21T19:05
Location: Massachusetts

July 21, 2006 · NWS BOX · 13 events in 5 counties and zones

Early in the afternoon, simultaneous lightning strikes in Bedford ignited two fires which caused considerable damage. A 30- by 60-foot barn used for storage at the Bedford Village Inn was struck by lightning and caused about $200,000 in damage.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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: 9
Property damage: $365,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 13

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.

Severe thunderstorms brought damaging winds, large hail, and frequent lightning strikes to the Mass Turnpike corridor.Early in the afternoon, simultaneous lightning strikes in Bedford ignited two fires which caused considerable damage. A 30- by 60-foot barn used for storage at the Bedford Village Inn was struck by lightning and caused about $200,000 in damage. Lightning also struck a house on Nashua Drive which caused about $15,000 in damage. There were no injuries in either case.Later that afternoon, however, seven youths and two adults were injured when lightning struck a tree they were near at a church in Worcester, according to media and police reports. The impact of the lightning bolt knocked everyone to the ground, with many of the injured receiving burns on their necks and legs. Lightning also struck a house on Pleasant Street in Leicester, causing about $50,000 in damage.As thunderstorms entered eastern Massachusetts, they produced significant wind damage in Middlesex County. In Belmont, straight-line winds estimated near 60 mph snapped about 25 trees and 7 telephone poles in half. One tree fell onto a house near the intersection of Somerset Street and Wellington Lane. Most of the tree damage occurred just southwest of that location on Concord Avenue, just northwest of the town center. Large trees and wires were also brought down in Medford, and large branches, wires, and telephone poles were downed in Somerville.Other severe thunderstorms then affected the area from Ludlow to Palmer in Hampden County, where penny size hail was reported, along with downed trees and power lines. North Main Street in Palmer was blocked at Roosevelt Street by a large tree that also brought down wires. Three trees fell by Burgundy Brook Farm on Palmer Road, temporarily blocking the roadway. Another tree fell on a house on Calkins Road.Damage was also reported in parts of central and eastern Massachusetts. Wires were brought down by thunderstorm winds on Howard Street in Northborough. In Arlington, multiple 4- to 6-inch diameter branches were downed on Massachusetts Avenue. Tree limbs fell onto a car in West Arlington. In Braintree, one tree and several power lines were brought down on Washington Street. Tree limbs were brought down in Hull, and wires were downed on Washington Street in Quincy. Thunderstorm winds also brought down several large limbs in Monson later that evening.

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 Jul 21, 1:05 PM EST, 25 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 21, 1:05 PM EST, 25 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
205 PM EDT FRI JUL 21 2006

.MESOSCALE UPDATE 2...
SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO FOCUS NEAR PSEUDO-WARM FRONTAL
BOUNDARY EXTENDING ACROSS SOUTHERN NH...AS WELL AS NEAR TROUGH/WEAK
FRONT OVER HUDSON VALLEY BACK INTO CATSKILLS AND POCONOS. SO FAR
NOTHING HAS BEEN ABLE TO GET VERY STRONG...AS MAIN FORCING REMAINS
WELL W OF NEW ENGLAND.

AIRMASS REMAINS UNSTABLE WITH SURFACE BASED LIFTED INDICES -2 TO -4
OVER MUCH OF REGION AND AS LOW AS -6 IN WESTERN MA. THERE SEEMS TO
BE DECENT MOISTURE CONVERGENCE JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE...NO SURPRISE
GIVEN DEWPOINTS RISING INTO LOWER 70S ESPECIALLY S OF MASS PIKE...
SO WE SHOULD SEE SHOWERS/STORMS POP JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE IN NEXT 1 TO
3 HOURS AS FAR SE AS PROVIDENCE AND BOSTON. HOWEVER ACTIVITY SHOULD
BE MORE NUMEROUS NW OF A HARTFORD...WORCESTER...BOSTON LINE AND MORE
ISOLATED ALONG AND TO SE.

FARTHER UPSTREAM...ACTIVITY HAS REALLY TAKEN OFF IN NE PA AND NJ AND
IS HEADING INTO SE NY. 12Z NAM...WHICH TENDS TO BE A GOOD PERFORMER
IN ENVIRONMENTS FEATURING WEAK FORCING...INDICATES THIS SHOULD BE
OUR MAIN PLAYER LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING...AS IT
REACHES WESTERN MA...NORTHERN CT AND PERHAPS RI.

WE CONTINUE TO FAVOR PULSE TYPE STORMS GIVEN WEAK WIND FIELDS
ALOFT...WHICH WOULD BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND
HAIL AS CORES COLLAPSE. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT POTENTIAL FOR WET
MICROBURSTS GIVEN PLENTIFUL LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND HIGH DEWPOINTS.
OF COURSE THAT ALSO MEANS WE NEED TO WATCH FOR HEAVY RAINFALL...AS
TRAINING OF STORMS WOULD POSE A FLOOD THREAT.

POINT SOUNDINGS INDICATE FREEZING LEVEL IS NEAR 14000 FT WITH -20C
NEAR 25500 FT...SO THOSE WILL BE USED FOR WARNING THRESHOLDS TODAY
/60-65 DBZ THROUGH FREEZING LEVEL AND 55 DBZ THROUGH -20C LEVEL/.

JWD

&&

.SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH SAT/...
COMING SOON.

&&

.LONG TERM /SAT NIGHT THROUGH FRI/...
COMING SOON.

&&

.AVIATION...
COMING SOON.

&&

.MARINE...
COMING SOON.

&&

.BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CT...NONE.
MA...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR MAZ020-022>024 UNTIL 6 PM FRIDAY.
NH...NONE.
RI...HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR RIZ006>008 UNTIL 6 PM FRIDAY.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS FOR
ANZ232-233-235-237      UNTIL 1 PM FRIDAY.
  ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS FOR ANZ250 UNTIL 4 PM
     FRIDAY.
  ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ANZ254-255 UNTIL 4 AM SATURDAY.
&&

MESO..JWD
SHORT TERM/AVIATION...FRANK
LONG TERM...KJC

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 21, 6:03 AM EST, 7 hours 27 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
703 AM EDT FRI JUL 21 2006

ANZ230>237-250-254-255-CTZ002>004-MAZ002>024-026-NHZ011-012-015-
RIZ001>008-221115-
BOSTON HARBOR-CAPE COD BAY-NANTUCKET SOUND-VINEYARD SOUND-
BUZZARDS BAY-RHODE ISLAND SOUND-NARRAGANSETT BAY-
BLOCK ISLAND SOUND-
COASTAL WATERS FROM MERRIMACK RIVER MA OUT 25 NM TO PLYMOUTH MA
OUT 40 NM...INCLUDING THE STELLWAGEN BANK NATIONAL MARINE
SANCTUARY-
COASTAL WATERS FROM PROVINCETOWN MA TO CHATHAM MA TO NANTUCKET MA
OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM MONTAUK NY TO BLOCK ISLAND RI TO MARTHAS
VINEYARD MA TO NANTUCKET MA SOUTHEAST TO 20 NM-HARTFORD CT-
TOLLAND CT-WINDHAM CT-WESTERN FRANKLIN MA-EASTERN FRANKLIN MA-
NORTHERN WORCESTER MA-CENTRAL MIDDLESEX MA-WESTERN ESSEX MA-
EASTERN ESSEX MA-WESTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-WESTERN HAMPDEN MA-
EASTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-EASTERN HAMPDEN MA-SOUTHERN WORCESTER MA-
WESTERN NORFOLK MA-SOUTHEAST MIDDLESEX MA-SUFFOLK MA-
EASTERN NORFOLK MA-NORTHERN BRISTOL MA-WESTERN PLYMOUTH MA-
EASTERN PLYMOUTH MA-SOUTHERN BRISTOL MA-SOUTHERN PLYMOUTH MA-
BARNSTABLE MA-DUKES MA-NANTUCKET MA-NORTHERN MIDDLESEX MA-
CHESHIRE NH-EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH NH-
WESTERN AND CENTRAL HILLSBOROUGH NH-NORTHWEST PROVIDENCE RI-
SOUTHEAST PROVIDENCE RI-WESTERN KENT RI-EASTERN KENT RI-
BRISTOL RI-WASHINGTON RI-NEWPORT RI-BLOCK ISLAND RI-
703 AM EDT FRI JUL 21 2006

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN
CONNECTICUT...MOST OF MASSACHUSETTS...SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE...
RHODE ISLAND...AND THE MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND COASTAL
WATERS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT
A HIGH SURF ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTH COASTS OF RHODE
ISLAND AND MASSACHUSETTS. RIP CURRENTS WILL CONTINUE TO BE A THREAT.
PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE /KBOXCFWBOX/ FOR
MORE INFORMATION.

SCATTERED STRONG...TO POSSIBLY SEVERE...THUNDERSTORMS MAY OCCUR THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING...MAINLY NORTHWEST OF BOSTON AND PROVIDENCE
AND ESPECIALLY ACROSS SOUTHWEST NEW HAMPSHIRE AND WESTERN
MASSACHUSETTS. THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY
THERE IS AN INCREASING THREAT OF HEAVY RAIN ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND
AS A COLD FRONT STALLS ACROSS OUR REGION. THIS MAY LEAD TO WIDESPREAD
FLOODING. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD POTENTIAL STATEMENT
/KBOXESFBOX/ FOR MORE INFORMATION. FLOOD WATCHES MAY BE ISSUED LATER
TODAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED TODAY IN SUPPORT OF TROPICAL STORM
BERYL. ALTHOUGH BERYL HAS ALREADY PASSED OUR REGION...SPOTTERS ARE
REQUESTED TO PROVIDE REPORTS FROM THE PAST 24 HOURS OF...

* WIND DAMAGE OR MEASURED WIND SPEEDS OF 40 MPH OR GREATER
* BEACH EROSION OR RIP CURRENTS

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS ALSO REQUESTED FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...PARTICULARLY ACROSS
SOUTHWEST NEW HAMPSHIRE AND WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 21, 9:58 AM EST, 3 hours 32 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
1058 AM EDT FRI JUL 21 2006

CTZ002>004-MAZ002>019-026-NHZ011-012-015-RIZ001>006-212200-
HARTFORD CT-TOLLAND CT-WINDHAM CT-WESTERN FRANKLIN MA-
EASTERN FRANKLIN MA-NORTHERN WORCESTER MA-CENTRAL MIDDLESEX MA-
WESTERN ESSEX MA-EASTERN ESSEX MA-WESTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-
WESTERN HAMPDEN MA-EASTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-EASTERN HAMPDEN MA-
SOUTHERN WORCESTER MA-WESTERN NORFOLK MA-SOUTHEAST MIDDLESEX MA-
SUFFOLK MA-EASTERN NORFOLK MA-NORTHERN BRISTOL MA-
WESTERN PLYMOUTH MA-EASTERN PLYMOUTH MA-NORTHERN MIDDLESEX MA-
CHESHIRE NH-EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH NH-
WESTERN AND CENTRAL HILLSBOROUGH NH-NORTHWEST PROVIDENCE RI-
SOUTHEAST PROVIDENCE RI-WESTERN KENT RI-EASTERN KENT RI-
BRISTOL RI-WASHINGTON RI-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...HARTFORD...WINDSOR LOCKS...UNION...
VERNON...PUTNAM...WILLIMANTIC...CHARLEMONT...GREENFIELD...
ORANGE...BARRE...FITCHBURG...FRAMINGHAM...LOWELL...LAWRENCE...
GLOUCESTER...CHESTERFIELD...BLANDFORD...AMHERST...NORTHAMPTON...
SPRINGFIELD...MILFORD...WORCESTER...FOXBORO...NORWOOD...
CAMBRIDGE...BOSTON...QUINCY...TAUNTON...BROCKTON...PLYMOUTH...
AYER...JAFFREY...KEENE...MANCHESTER...NASHUA...PETERBOROUGH...
WEARE...FOSTER...SMITHFIELD...PROVIDENCE...WEST GREENWICH...
WARWICK...BRISTOL...NARRAGANSETT...WESTERLY
1058 AM EDT FRI JUL 21 2006

...ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS APPEAR LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON
AND EARLY EVENING...

PARTLY SUNNY SKIES WILL ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO RISE WELL INTO THE 80S
THIS AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION...DEWPOINTS ARE EXPECTED TO RISE OVER 70
WHICH WILL RESULT IN AN UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE.

A COOL FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON. THIS SHOULD
TRIGGER SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. A FEW OF THESE STORMS
WILL PROBABLY BECOME SEVERE WITH THE MAIN THREAT BEING DAMAGING
STRAIGHT LINE WIND GUSTS. A FEW REPORTS OF SMALL HAIL WILL
ALSO BE POSSIBLE.

IN ADDITION...ANY THUNDERSTORM THAT DEVELOPS MAY PRODUCE LOCALIZED
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL WHICH COULD LEAD TO SOME ISOLATED AREAS OF POOR
DRAINAGE STREET FLOODING. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO
CONTAIN DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED AFTER 1230 PM THIS AFTERNOON FOR A
ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.

FRANK

The radar

The Boston radar (KBOX), 63 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:29 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 thunderstorm wind, 2 lightning, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Lightning, Middlesex

When: July 21, 1:30 PM EST
Where: Middlesex County, Bedford
Property damage: $215,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 42.486, -71.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning, Worcester

When: July 21, 4:30 PM EST
Where: Worcester County, Worcester
Injuries: 9 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 42.351, -71.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Middlesex

When: July 21, 4:30 PM EST to 4:40 PM EST
Where: Middlesex County, Belmont
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $35,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.400, -71.167

Thunderstorm Wind, Middlesex

When: July 21, 4:35 PM EST
Where: Middlesex County, Ashland
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
Coordinates: 42.250, -71.467

Hail, Hampden

When: July 21, 4:44 PM EST
Where: Hampden County, Ludlow
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 42.167, -72.483

Thunderstorm Wind, Middlesex

When: July 21, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Middlesex County, Somerville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 42.400, -71.100

Thunderstorm Wind, Hampden

When: July 21, 5:10 PM EST
Where: Hampden County, Palmer
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 42.167, -72.333

Thunderstorm Wind, Worcester

When: July 21, 5:15 PM EST
Where: Worcester County, Northborough
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 42.317, -71.633

Thunderstorm Wind, Middlesex

When: July 21, 5:15 PM EST
Where: Middlesex County, Arlington
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $35,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 42.417, -71.167

Thunderstorm Wind, Norfolk

When: July 21, 5:45 PM EST
Where: Norfolk County, Braintree
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 42.217, -71.017

Thunderstorm Wind, Plymouth

When: July 21, 5:55 PM EST
Where: Plymouth County, Hull
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 42.300, -70.883

Thunderstorm Wind, Hampden

When: July 21, 6:15 PM EST
Where: Hampden County, Monson
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 42.100, -72.317

Thunderstorm Wind, Norfolk

When: July 21, 7:05 PM EST
Where: Norfolk County, Quincy
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 42.267, -71.033

What these are

Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
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.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Massachusetts in 2006 Every state in 2006 This day in weather history Warnings in Massachusetts, July 2006

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: 5521450, 5521438, 5521439, 5521440, 5521441, 5521442, 5521443, 5521444, 5521445, 5521446, 5521447, 5521448, 5521449.