Cold temperatures aloft preceded a cold front through southern New England. This increased instability in the area and contributed to large hail forming in thunderstorms that occurred across the area.
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 BOX wrote it up.
Cold temperatures aloft preceded a cold front through southern New England. This increased instability in the area and contributed to large hail forming in thunderstorms that occurred across the area. These storms largely affected southeastern Massachusetts and the coastal waters east of Cape Cod. The only wind damage that occurred was in the Myles Standish State Forest in Plymouth where numerous trees were downed by strong winds.
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, 10:09 AM EST, 1 hour 2 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 1109 AM EDT SAT AUG 16 2008 .SYNOPSIS... A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS EASTERN NEW ENGLAND THIS AFTERNOON. HIGH PRES WITH WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL SUNDAY INTO MON...THEN ANOTHER COLD FRONT WITH THE RISK OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE REGION LATE MON NIGHT INTO TUE. HIGH PRES SHOULD FOLLOW FOR MID TO LATE WEEK WITH A WARMING TREND TOWARD THE END OF NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... FOG PATCHES HAVE BURNED OFF AS OF 10 AM THIS MORNING BUT A PERSISTENT CLOUD PATCH EXISTS FROM THE NORTH SHORE TO NORTHERN RHODE ISLAND. OTHERWISE IT HAS BEEN MOSTLY SUNNY THIS MORNING. CUMULUS ALREADY FORMING RAPIDLY IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF SOUTHERN VERMONT AND BERKSHIRE COUNTY. EXPECT CLOUDS TO FORM MOST AREAS BY 11 TO 1130 AM. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL RAPIDLY DEVELOP AROUND NOON IN NORTHWESTERN AREAS...BECOME MORE NUMEROUS...AND SPREAD EASTWARD...EXITING THE COAST AROUND 00Z. PARAMETERS ARE IN PLACE FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. THE ALBANY SOUNDING CAME IN WITH -17C AT 500 MB THIS MORNING AND AS IT MOVES EAST...LAPSE RATES WILL BE STEEPENING ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. WIND FIELDS ALOFT ARE STRONG ENOUGH...WITH 30-35 KTS OF BULK SHEAR FROM 0-6KM...IN EASTERN SECTIONS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON TO SUPPORT SEVERE STORMS. ALSO...DEWPOINT TEMPERATURES REMAIN NEAR OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE 60...WHICH IS A LITTLE HIGHER THAN HAD BEEN EXPECTED. ALSO...WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS AN ELONGATING BUT STILL STRONG VORT MAX OVER EASTERN NY. HAIL...GUSTY WINDS...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING ENHANCED WORDING WILL BE KEPT IN THE ZONES. SKYWARN ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED AFTER 12 NOON. SPOTTERS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO RELAY REPORTS OF HAIL OR ANY WIND DAMAGE TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 AM SUNDAY/... LINGERING EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN SECTIONS EARLY THIS EVENING. OTHERWISE EXPECT CLEARING SKIES WITH SLIGHTLY COOLER AND DRIER AIR OVERNIGHT. PATCHY FOG IS EXPECTED TO FORM ACROSS SHELTERED LOW LYING SECTIONS. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... WEAK LOW AMPLITUDE SHORTWAVE IS FORECAST TO MOVE INTO CENTRAL NEW ENG SUN AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...500 MB TEMPS WARM TO -11C AND INSTABILITY AND MOISTURE ARE LACKING SO A DRY DAY EXPECTED SUNDAY. INCREASING MID LEVEL MOISTURE WILL BRING SOME EXTRA AFTERNOON CLOUDS TO W ZONES...OTHERWISE MOSUNNY SKIES. 850 MB TEMPS +13C SUPPORT 80-85 DEGREES WHICH IS LINE WITH 2M TEMPS. SHORTWAVE MOVES EWD SUN NIGHT BUT ENOUGH MOISTURE IN THE COLUMN FOR SOME CLOUDS...SO PT-MOCLDY SKIES. NEXT APPROACHING COLD FRONT REMAINS NORTH OF THE CANADIAN BORDER THROUGH MON. BUT GFS INDICATING SOME INSTABILITY DEVELOPING DURING THE AFTERNOON WITH LI/S -2...MLCAPES AROUND 500 J/KG AND TT NEAR 50. WE INDICATED LOW CHC POP FOR SHOWERS/TSTMS NW ZONES WHERE TT ARE HIGHEST WITH SLIGHT CHC FURTHER EAST. 850 MB TEMPS CLIMB TO +15C SO TEMPS SHOULD AT LEAST REACH MID 80S WITH 2M TEMPS SUPPORTING SOME UPPER 80S. COLD FRONT MOVES SOUTH ACROSS NORTHERN NEW ENG MON NIGHT. THERE IS GOOD AGREEMENT BETWEEN GFS AND ECMWF ON THE FRONT MOVING SOUTH ACROSS FA DURING TUE ALTHOUGH IT MAY REACH FAR N ZONES IN S NH LATE MON NIGHT. WE CONTINUED CHC POPS NW ZONES MON NIGHT...BUT JUST SLIGHT CHC ELSEWHERE AS INSTABILTY IS MARGINAL. BETTER CHC OF CONVECTION MAY BE ON TUE...ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF THE MASS PIKE AS AIRMASS HAS A CHANCE TO DESTABILIZE JUST AHEAD OF THE FRONT. TEMPS SOUTH OF THE FRONT...ESPECIALLY CT/RI AND E MA SHOULD REACH MID 80S AS 850 TEMPS START OUT NEAR +16C. COOLER TO THE NORTH. GFS INDICATING MLCAPES INCREASING TO 1000 J/KG BY 18Z TUE SOUTH OF THE PIKE ALONG WITH MODEST 0-6KM SHEAR. ECMWF QPF TARGETING SIMILAR REGION. HOWEVER...THIS WILL ALL DEPEND ON THE TIMING OF FRONT. DRY WEATHER WILL FOLLOW FOR WED THROUGH FRI AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER NEW ENGLAND. A GRADUAL WARMING TREND IS EXPECTED AS UPPER RIDGE BUILDS EWD. GFS IS FASTEST WITH THE RIDGE MOVING IN WHILE ECMWF IS SLOWER AS IT AMPLIFIES DOWNSTREAM TROF MORE. EITHER WAY...WED SHOULD BE THE COOLEST DAY WITH TEMPS UPPER 70S OR LOWER 80S THEN WARMING THU AND FRI. GFS/ECMWF SHOW FAY LANDFALL NEAR FLORIDA EARLY NEXT WEEK AND KEEP REMNANTS OVER SE US THROUGH FRI. && .AVIATION /15Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... VFR CONDITIONS MOST AREAS EXCEPT MVFR CIG IN BAND FROM BOS-OWD-SFZ THRU 17Z. ALSO...ISOLATED PATCH OF IFR CIG AT ACK SHOULD BE LIFTING TO MVFR BY 17Z. EXPECTING WIDESPEAD THUNDERSTORMS AFFECTING MOST OF THE AREA FROM 1530-22Z IN THE NW AND FROM 17Z-00Z IN THE SE. LOCAL MVFR CIG/IFR VSBY IN THOSE STORMS...ALONG WITH POSSIBILITY OF LARGE HAIL...GUSTY WINDS...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. TONIGHT...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SE TERMINALS POSSIBLE THROUGH 02Z. OTHERWISE VFR. LOCALLY REDUCED VSBYS AND CEILINGS TO IFR POSSIBLE IN FOG PATCHES ACROSS THE VALLEYS. OUTLOOK...SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... SUN AND SUN NIGHT...VFR MON THROUGH TUE...MAINLY VFR. LOW PROB OF BRIEF MVFR IN ANY TSTMS MON AFTERNOON AND MON NIGHT. BETTER CHC OF MVFR IN SCT SHOWERS/TSTMS DURING TUE. TUE NGT AND WED...VFR. && .MARINE... THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...WINDS AND SEAS EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CRITERIA. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING MAY PRODUCE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. OUTLOOK...SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... WINDS AND WAVES REMAINING BELOW SCA THRESHOLDS THROUGH THE PERIOD. SW WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 15-20 KTS LATE MON INTO TUE AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. LIGHTER WINDS EXPECTED WED. SHOWERS AND TSTMS SHOULD ACCOMPANY THE FRONT LATE MON NIGHT OR TUE. && .BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. MA...NONE. NH...NONE. RI...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...KJC NEAR TERM...GAF SHORT TERM...STRAUSS LONG TERM...KJC AVIATION...KJC/STRAUSS/GAF MARINE...KJC/STRAUSS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 501 AM EDT SAT AUG 16 2008 CTZ002>004-MAZ002>024-026-NHZ011-012-015-RIZ001>008-170915- 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- 501 AM EDT SAT AUG 16 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN CONNECTICUT...CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS...EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS...NORTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS...SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS...WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS...SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE...NORTHERN RHODE ISLAND AND SOUTHERN RHODE ISLAND. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY AND SOME STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE...ESPECIALLY ACROSS RHODE ISLAND...THE EASTERN HALF OF MASSACHUSETTS AND SOUTHEAST NEW HAMPSHIRE. LARGE HAIL IS THE PRIMARY THREAT BUT DAMAGING WIND GUSTS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATE MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT AND AGAIN ON TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED TODAY. ANZ230>237-250-254-255-170915- 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- 501 AM EDT SAT AUG 16 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MASSACHUSETTS COASTAL WATERS AND RHODE ISLAND COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE TODAY. A FEW OF THE STRONGER STORMS MAY CONTAIN LARGE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 35 KT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATE MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
The Boston radar (KBOX), 78 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:11 UTC.
6 hail, 1 lightning, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A housing complex on Bayberry Avenue was struck by lightning and caught fire. Damage was limited to the outside of the building.
Nickel size hail fell on Route 202.
Several large trees and branches were blown down on the south side of Fearing Pond in Myles Standish State Forest. Eyewitnesses reported waves up to two and a half feet tall formed on the small pond. The strong winds from the northwest hit a steep embankment and a thick stand of pine trees 35 to 50 feet tall. This resulted in a couple of small kayaks on the beach on the southeast corner of the pond being lifted up and blown ten to fifteen feet. Numerous tents on the southside of the pond also were blown about 20 to 30 feet. Numerous trees were blown down in the area of New Grassy Pond, a kettle pond that sits at the base of a bowl in the terrain. Most of the damage occurred on the south side of the pond, though there were a couple of trees blown down on the north side of the pond. The trees on the north side of the pond were downed from the winds circling around the edge of the bowl that the pond is sitting in. This also resulted in the water in the pond being pushed out approximately two feet beyond the normal water line around the majority of the pond. The only other damage consisted of some shingles being blown off a small cottage on the south side of Fearing Pond and a camping trailer on the southeast side of the pond that had two holes punctured in the roof from falling tree limbs.
Quarter to ping pong ball size hail fell in a swath from the Cedarville section of Plymouth to the Sagamore Highlands.
Golfball to lime sized hail fell in the Cedarville section of Plymouth.
Some vehicle damage occurred with quarter sized hail that fell in Wellfleet.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Massachusetts in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Massachusetts, August 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: 130168, 130153, 130156, 130154, 130159, 130158, 130161, 130162.