The combination of an approaching cold front from the west, and an unstable air mass in place led to the development of numerous showers and thunderstorms across northwest Connecticut during Monday afternoon and evening on June 23rd. Some of these thunderstorms were severe, accompanied by strong winds and large hail.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 ALY wrote it up.
The combination of an approaching cold front from the west, and an unstable air mass in place led to the development of numerous showers and thunderstorms across northwest Connecticut during Monday afternoon and evening on June 23rd. Some of these thunderstorms were severe, accompanied by strong winds and large hail.
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 Albany, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 23, 9:29 AM EST, 2 hours 31 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 1029 AM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 .SYNOPSIS... AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO SLOWLY MOVE ACROSS THE REGION TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY. IT IS EXPECTED TO BRING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO OUR AREA THROUGH TUESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... SOME PARTIAL CLEARING TAKING PLACE...AND SPREADING EAST. MAIN UPPER IMPULSE STILL PLODDING ALONG IN THE GREAT LAKES...AND MASIN UPPER JET SEGMENT WILL BE TRACKING THROUGH THE NORTHEAST U.S. THIS AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. OUR REGION WILL BE IN SOME DEGREE OF A LEFT-EXIT REGION OF THE STRENGTHENING UPPER JET SEGMENT. EVIDENCE OF THE UPPER JET SEGMENT IN THE UPPER AIR DATA. NOT MUCH OF A BOUNDARY LAYER THERMAL GRADIENT IN THE UPPER AIR DATA...BUT FAIRLY WELL-DEFINED COOLING ALOFT SEEN ADVECTING EAST. AREA 12Z SOUNDINGS SUGGEST LOWER TO MID 70S AS CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES...AND MODIFIED SOUNDINGS SHOW CAPES BETWEEN 1200-1800 J/KG. SOME LOW-LEVEL SHEAR SEEN IN ALB 12Z SOUNDING...BUT UPSTREAM...MUCH LESS LOW-LEVEL SHEAR...AND BOUNDARY LAYER WINDS RELATIVELY LIGHT...REDUCING SOME OF THE LOW-LEVEL FORCING. MID- LEVEL DRYING/COOLING AND DEEPER SHEAR...THROUGH MID-LEVELS...WHERE A WIND MAX WILL TRACK THROUGH THE REGION...SHOULD SUPPORT SOME ORGANIZED CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SURFACE WIND SHIFT INDICATED BY GUIDANCE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING...ALONG WITH SLIGHT DROP IN DEW POINTS...SUGGESTS SOME SURFACE FORCING AND SUPPORT FOR CONVECTION. LIFTED CONDENSATION LEVELS SUGGEST A BIT HIGH...ABOVE 900 MB...SO TORNADO THREAT SEEMS MINIMIZED...BUT SOME SCATTERED SEVERE WIND AND HAIL POSSIBLE. SATELLITE PICTURES SHOWING A BAND OF ENHANCED CLOUD COVER IN CENTRAL NY INTO CENTRAL PA...WHICH COULD BE THE FOCUS FOR INITIAL DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON. ANOTHER AXIS OF MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY SEEMS TO BE FROM LAKE ERIE SOUTH...ALONG THE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE APPALACHIANS...THAT WILL WORK EAST THROUGH THE DAY. SUCH SUBTLE SMALL-SCALE UPPER FEATURES ARE DIFFICULT TO DISCERN IN THE COARSE UPPER AIR NETWORK...AND MODELS HAVING EQUALLY HARD TIME DEPICTING DEFINITIVE FEATURES TO TRACK...SO STAY TUNED TO SEE WHERE CONVECTION ACTUALLY TRIGGERS...AND TRACKS. VIL OF THE DAY BASED ON SEVERE HAIL REPORTS LAST NIGHT...AND COOLER AIR ALOFT BUILDING IN THROUGH TODAY...LOOKS TO BE MID TO UPPER 40S. SEE SWODY1 FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT SEVERE WEATHER THREAT. CURRENT FORECASTED SKY COVER...WITH PERIODS OF CLOUDS AND SUN...AVERAGING MOSTLY CLOUDY...AND HIGHS IN 70S TO LOWER 80S CONSISTENT WITH CURRENT DATA AND TRENDS. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO SLOWLY MOVE ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT AND TUESDAY...BUT MOISTURE WILL BE A LITTLE LESS AND CONDITIONS SOMEWHAT MORE STABLE...SO HAVE INCLUDED THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DURING THIS PERIOD...BUT NO ENHANCED WORDING. DRIER AIR MOVES IN TUESDAY NIGHT WITH DRY WEATHER PERSISTING INTO WEDNESDAY. HIGHS IN THE 70S TO AROUND 80 ONCE AGAIN ON TUESDAY. WARMER ON WEDNESDAY WITH MORE SUNSHINE WHEN HIGHS WILL BE BETWEEN 75 AND 85. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... DUE TO ONGOING CONVECTION AND SEVERE WEATHER WARNINGS...SIMPLY POPULATED WITH GMOS GUIDANCE OFF THE GFS. GENERALLY DRY WEATHER THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 70S TO LOWER 80S...BUT HAVE INCLUDED SLIGHT CHANCE POPS. BETTER CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE 70S. && .AVIATION /14Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... ACTIVE MORNING CONTINUES WITH LARGE BATCH OF SHOWERS WITH EMBEDDED THUNDER MOVING ACROSS AREAS NORTH OF KALB...INCLUDING KGFL. IFR CONDS AS WELL AS THUNDER/LIGHTNING WILL OCCUR IN VICINITY OF KGFL THROUGH ABOUT 13Z BEFORE DIMINISHING. A CELL OR TWO MAY GRAZE KALB DURING THIS TIME AS WELL...BUT THIS IS LESS CERTAIN. WILL INCLUDE A VCTS UNTIL 13Z AT THIS TIME AND WILL MONITOR FOR POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS. MUCH OF THE CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY SHOULD STAY NORTH OF KPOU THROUGH MID MORNING...HOWEVER SHOWERS/T-STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO RE-DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA BY LATE MORNING AS ANOTHER DISTURBANCE ROTATES AROUND THE UPPER LEVEL TROF CENTERED OVER THE GREAT LAKES. TIMING WILL BE DIFFICULT THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS...SO WILL MAINTAIN VCSH WITH CB CLOUD GROUP WITH POTENTIAL FOR SCATTERED TSRA. WILL FORECAST PREVAILING VFR CONDS...HOWEVER MVFR/IFR CERTAINLY POSSIBLE WITHIN ANY STORMS...AS WELL AS GUSTY WINDS. SOME LOW LEVEL STRATUS WITH MVFR CIGS SHOULD SCOUR SOMEWHAT BY MID MORNING. WINDS WILL GENERALLY BE S-SW AROUND 5 TO 10 KTS TODAY...BUT HIGHER GUSTS WILL OCCUR IN AND NEAR T-STORMS. OUTLOOK... MON NIGHT/TUE MORNING...POSS IFR DUE TO FOG/LOW CIGS. TUE...VFR...CHC OF PM -SHRA/-TSRA. WED/THU...VFR...NO SIG WX. FRI...VFR...CHC -SHRA/-TSRA. && .FIRE WEATHER... AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO SLOWLY MOVE ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH TUESDAY. IT IS EXPECTED TO BRING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO OUR AREA THROUGH TUESDAY. DRIER WEATHER IS EXPECTED WEDNESDAY. RH VALUES WILL ONLY FALL TO BETWEEN 50 AND 70 PERCENT THIS AFTERNOON AND TUESDAY AFTERNOON. RH WILL RECOVER TO NEAR 100 PERCENT TONIGHT AND TUESDAY NIGHT. SOUTH OR SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 5 TO 15 MPH WILL OCCUR TODAY...WITH GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH POSSIBLE WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS. && .HYDROLOGY... VERY HEAVY RAIN IS ONCE AGAIN POSSIBLE TODAY AND THIS EVENING DUE TO FAVORABLE SYNOPTIC CONDITIONS AS A STRONG UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MOVES ACROSS THE REGION. UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE WILL ALSO ADD TO THE HIGH POTENTIAL RAINFALL RATES. THE MAIN INHIBITOR TO POTENTIAL FLASH FLOODING WILL BE THE RELATIVELY FAST MOTION OF ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT OCCUR...GENERALLY MOVING AT 25 TO 30 MPH. AS A RESULT...HAVE NOT ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH AT THIS TIME SINCE IT IS DIFFICULT TO PINPOINT ANY SPECIFIC AREAS...AND DID NOT WISH TO BLANKET THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. && .ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. NY...NONE. MA...NONE. VT...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...NAS NEAR TERM...NAS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 1041 AM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 CTZ001-013-MAZ001-025-NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-058>061-063>066- 082>084-VTZ013>015-241100- NORTHERN LITCHFIELD-SOUTHERN LITCHFIELD-NORTHERN BERKSHIRE- SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE-NORTHERN HERKIMER-HAMILTON-SOUTHERN HERKIMER- SOUTHERN FULTON-MONTGOMERY-NORTHERN SARATOGA-NORTHERN WARREN- NORTHERN WASHINGTON-SCHOHARIE-WESTERN SCHENECTADY- EASTERN SCHENECTADY-SOUTHERN SARATOGA-WESTERN ALBANY-EASTERN ALBANY- WESTERN RENSSELAER-EASTERN RENSSELAER-WESTERN GREENE-EASTERN GREENE- WESTERN COLUMBIA-EASTERN COLUMBIA-WESTERN ULSTER-EASTERN ULSTER- WESTERN DUTCHESS-EASTERN DUTCHESS-NORTHERN FULTON-SOUTHEAST WARREN- SOUTHERN WASHINGTON-BENNINGTON-WESTERN WINDHAM-EASTERN WINDHAM- 1041 AM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT...WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS...EAST CENTRAL NEW YORK AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS EVENING AHEAD OF AN OCCLUDED FRONT. DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH AND HAIL LARGER THAN PENNIES WILL BE THE MAIN THREATS WITH ANY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. ANY THUNDERSTORMS COULD CONTAIN FREQUENT LIGHTNING. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE TRACKING NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 40 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE AFTERNOONS OF TUESDAY...SUNDAY AND SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATER TODAY.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
1019 AM EDT MON JUN 23 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0435 PM TSTM WND GST HERKIMER 43.51N 74.82W
06/22/2008 E60.00 MPH HERKIMER NY TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
FRUGISSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 1057 AM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 NYZ064>066-231600- EASTERN ULSTER NY-WESTERN DUTCHESS NY-EASTERN DUTCHESS NY- 1057 AM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN ULSTER AND DUTCHESS COUNTIES... AT 1053 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...AROUND HALF INCH HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR MARLBORO...OR ABOUT OVER NEWBURGH...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 22 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... MARLBORO BY 1105 AM EDT WAPPINGERS FALLS BY 1110 AM EDT MYERS CORNER BY 1115 AM EDT RED OAKS MILL AND POUGHKEEPSIE BY 1120 AM EDT FAIRVIEW BY 1125 AM EDT PLEASANT VALLEY BY 1140 AM EDT
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 1241 PM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 CTZ001-MAZ025-231730- SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE MA-NORTHERN LITCHFIELD CT- 1241 PM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE AND NORTHERN LITCHFIELD COUNTIES THROUGH 130 PM EDT... AT 1236 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...AROUND HALF INCH HAIL...WINDS AROUND 50 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR FALLS VILLAGE...OR ABOUT 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF TORRINGTON...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 26 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... NORFOLK BY 1255 PM EDT... SANDISFIELD BY 110 PM EDT.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
1243 PM EDT MON JUN 23 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1220 PM TSTM WND DMG BEEKMAN 41.61N 73.71W
06/23/2008 DUTCHESS NY TRAINED SPOTTER
SEVERAL TREES AND WIRES DOWN WITH DAMAGE TO A HOME.
&&
FRUGISSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 1250 PM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 CTZ001-013-231745- NORTHERN LITCHFIELD CT-SOUTHERN LITCHFIELD CT- 1250 PM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT WESTERN AND CENTRAL LITCHFIELD COUNTY THROUGH 145 PM EDT... AT 1245 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...AROUND HALF INCH HAIL...WINDS AROUND 50 MPH...AND HEAVY RAIN. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR KENT... OR ABOUT 9 MILES NORTH OF SHERMAN...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 34 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... NEW PRESTON BY 1255 PM EDT CORNWALL BRIDGE POTTERY AND CORNWALL BRIDGE BY 100 PM EDT LITCHFIELD GREEN AND LITCHFIELD BY 110 PM EDT TORRINGTON BY 120 PM EDT WINSTED BY 130 PM EDT NEW HARTFORD BY 135 PM EDT
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Three large trees were downed due to strong thunderstorm winds in Litchfield. One tree was reported down on North Lake Street, another on Beach Street, and a third on Maple Street at Milton Road.
Penny size hail was reported in Thomaston during a thunderstorm.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Connecticut in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Connecticut, June 2008
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: 116911, 116910.