A hot, humid and unstable air mass contributed to the development of isolated severe thunderstorms across portions of western Massachusetts during Saturday afternoon on July 19th.
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.
A hot, humid and unstable air mass contributed to the development of isolated severe thunderstorms across portions of western Massachusetts during Saturday afternoon on July 19th.
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 Jul 19, 12:45 PM EST, 47 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 145 PM EDT SAT JUL 19 2008 .SYNOPSIS... A VERY WARM AND HUMID AIR MASS WILL REMAIN ACROSS EASTERN NEW YORK AND WESTERN NEW ENGLAND THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A WEAKENING COLD FRONT WILL DROP INTO NORTHERN PARTS OF THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND BECOME STATIONARY. A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONT ON SUNDAY...WHICH WILL RESULT IN A BETTER CHANCE FOR MORE WIDESPREAD COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS LASTING INTO MONDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED. PARAMETERS STILL LOOK SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY...EXCEPT WIND FIELDS A BIT WEAKER. STILL...WITH THE INSTABILITY PRESENT...SOME LARGE HAIL AND WET MICROBURSTS ARE POSSIBLE...AS WELL AS SOME SHORT LINE SEGMENTS THAT COULD HAVE SOME WIND. VIL OF DAY STILL LOOKS TO BE IN MID 50S FOR ANY POTENTIAL MARGINAL SEVERE HAIL. SOME LITTLE LINE SEGMENTS ALREADY SEEN ON AREA RADARS PARALLEL TO MEAN WIND FLOW...SO WILL KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON RADAR. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... SUNDAY AFTERNOON INTO MONDAY LOOKS TO BE THE MOST ACTIVE PERIOD AS FIRST THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY STARTS TO LIFT BACK NORTH AS A WARM FRONT ON SUNDAY AS A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE ADVANCING EASTWARD ACROSS THE CENTRAL GREAT LAKES MOVES ALONG IT AND THEN MOISTURE FROM THE TROPICAL SYSTEM GETS DRAWN INTO THE MIX AS FRONTAL BOUNDARY SAGS SOUTHEAST ONCE AGAIN AND STALLS JUST SOUTHEAST OF FA. HIGHS ON SUNDAY EXPECTED TO BE 5 TO 10 DEGREES LOWER THAN TODAY AS EVEN THOUGH HUMIDITY WILL REMAIN HIGH...MORE CLOUD COVER AND MORE NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL KEEP A LID ON TEMPS WITH HIGHS GENERALLY IN THE MID 70S TO MID 80S. MAJOR DIFFERENCES STILL EXIST BETWEEN NAM/GFS/ECMWF REGARDING THE EVENTUAL TRACK OF SURFACE WAVE AND ITS INCORPORATION INTO OR IMPACT ON STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND WILL NOT GO THROUGH ALL OF THE SCENARIOS AS THEY CHANGE FROM ONE MODEL RUN TO THE NEXT. SEVERAL THINGS ARE FAIRLY CERTAIN...THE FIRST BEING THAT PWATS CONTINUE TO INCREASE FROM SUNDAY MORNING INTO MONDAY WITH VALUES EXCEEDING 1.75-2.00 INCHES COMMON BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND REMAINING HIGH THROUGH AT LEAST MONDAY. THE SECOND BEING STRONG THETA E RIDGE IN PLACE ACROSS AT LEAST SOUTHEAST HALF OF FA FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY. THE THIRD BEING THAT AT LEAST SOUTHEAST HALF APPEARS TO BE NEAR THE MID LEVEL JET ENTRANCE REGION. ONE THING THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED IS THAT POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR A PRE EVENT (HEAVY RAINFALL EVENTS PRECEDING TROPICAL SYSTEMS) DURING THIS TIME FRAME WHICH WOULD FURTHER ENHANCE THE ALREADY EXPECTED LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. THIS WAS ONE OF THE CSTAR II RESEARCH PROJECTS AND WHILE IT IS A LITTLE EARLY TO TRY AND PINPOINT WHERE THIS WOULD OCCUR...PLACEMENT OF THETA E RIDGE WOULD IMPLY THAT UPSLOPE AREAS FROM CATSKILLS TO LITCHFIELD HILLS...BERKS AND SOUTHERN VERMONT MIGHT BE FAVORED. AT THIS POINT IN TIME WILL INCLUDE ENHANCED WORDING IN ZONES FOR HEAVY RAINFALL FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY AND ALSO MENTION IN HWO THAT POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR HEAVY RAINFALL AND IF CONDITIONS BECOME MORE CERTAIN THEN A FLOOD WATCH OR FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL BE ISSUED. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... 500 HPA TROF WITH CLOSED LOW DOMINATES THE NORTHEASTERN STATES TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. GFS AND ECMWF IN GOOD AGREEMENT TUE INTO WED AM...THEN ECMWF STALLS TROF OVER REGION THRU FRIDAY AM WHILE GFS LIFTS IT OUT TO THE NE THRU THE MARITIMES. A WEAK CANADIAN SFC HIGH BUILDS IN FROM THE WEST TUE NIGHT INTO WED... AFTER WHICH A WAVE DEVELOPS ON THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY OVER THE OHIO VALLEY WHICH MOVES NE INTO THE REGION FRIDAY...THEN SLOWLY MOVES ITS WAY EAST INTO NEW ENGLAND. GFS IS QUITE GENEROUS WITH THE RAINFALL FROM THIS SYSTEM...ONE TO TWO INCHES...WHILE ECMWF HAS VERY LITTLE PRECIP. CERTAINLY A SYSTEM THAT BEARS WATCHING. LOW TEMPS IN THE 50S AND 60S...HIGHS IN THE 70S AND 80S...FAIRLY CLOSE TO SEASONAL NORMAL. && .AVIATION /18Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... SOME AREAS OF A LITTLE HAZE AROUND THE REGION...BUT NO REAL RESTRICTIONS TO VISIBILITY THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS THE REGION...AND THERE WILL BE SOME THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AT GFL...ALB AND POU...BUT THE TIMING IS IN QUESTION AS THE SCENARIO IS STILL DEVELOPING. FOR NOW...SUGGESTING SOME MVFR IN THUNDERSTORMS BETWEEN 19Z-22Z. WHEN THUNDERSTORMS DO AFFECT THE AIRPORTS...THERE WILL BE SOME 30-60 MINUTE PERIODS OF MVFR...PERHAPS 15-30 MINUTES OF POTENTIAL IFR...BUT NOT PUTTING IFR INTO THE TAFS UNTIL MORE DEFINITIVE CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT AND MOVEMENT TAKES PLACE. ONCE RAIN ENDS THIS EVENING...MIXED MID AND HIGH CLOUDS...AND SOME AREAS OF FOG THROUGH SUNRISE. AFTER SUNRISE...SOME SCATTERED SHOWER ACTIVITY AND MVFR CEILINGS POSSIBLE AROUND GFL AND ALB AS THE COLD FRONT MAKES MORE DEFINITIVE PROGRESS THROUGH THE REGION...BUT FOR NOW PUTTING VCSH WITH CB IN CLOUD GROUP TOMORROW MORNING. OUTLOOK... SUN-MON NIGHT...VFR LOWERING TO MVFR SUNDAY AND POSSIBILITY IFR AT TIMES IN SHRA/TSRA. MON NIGHT- WED ...VFR- MVFR WITH SCT SHRA/TSRA. THU...VFR. && .FIRE WEATHER... A VERY WARM AND HUMID AIR MASS WILL REMAIN ACROSS EASTERN NEW YORK AND WESTERN NEW ENGLAND THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A WEAKENING COLD FRONT WILL DROP SOUTHWARD ACROSS OUR REGION TODAY AND BECOME STATIONARY. A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONT ON SUNDAY. RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL FALL TO 35 TO 70 PERCENT TODAY WITH THE LOWEST VALUES FAR SOUTHEAST ZONES AND HIGHEST VALUES FAR NORTHWEST ZONES...RECOVER TO 85 TO 100 PERCENT TONIGHT...THEN DROP TO BETWEEN 50 AND 70 PERCENT ON SUNDAY. WINDS TODAY WILL BE WEST AT 5 TO 15 MPH...NORTHWEST AT 5 TO 15 MPH TONIGHT AND LIGHT AND VARIABLE GENERALLY UNDER 5 MPH ON SUNDAY. && .HYDROLOGY... TYPICAL MID SUMMER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE PERIOD. RIVER LEVELS AND FLOWS ARE LOW WHICH IS TYPICAL OF MID TO LATE SUMMER. A VERY STEAMY AIR MASS ALONG WITH ADDITIONAL MOISTURE TRANSPORT FROM THE TROPICAL DEPRESSION OFF THE CAROLINA COAST WILL BRING ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR TORRENTIAL RAIN FROM THUNDERSTORMS...WHICH WILL BECOME MORE NUMEROUS SATURDAY NIGHT AS THE FRONT STALLS OVER THE REGION...WITH PWATS WELL ABOVE 1.5 INCHES AND SW STEERING WINDS SUGGEST THAT TRAINING OF HP CELLS WILL OCCUR...THUS COULD GET BANDS OF OVER 2 INCHES OF PRECIP. SHOULD THESE BANDS OCCUR OVER THE RIGHT AREAS...SOME SMALLER RIVERS COULD APPROACH OR EVEN REACH FLOOD. A MORE LIKELY FLOOD PROBLEM WILL BE STREETS AND PARKING AREAS DURING AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER HEAVY DOWNPOURS...WITH SHARP RISES TO NEAR BANKFULL LEVELS FOR NEARBY STREAMS. AFTER A RELATIVELY QUIET MIDWEEK THERE IS AGAIN A POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAIN AT THE END OF THE WEEK AS WELL. && .ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. NY...NONE. MA...NONE. VT...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...NAS NEAR TERM...NAS/IAA AVIATION...NAS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 149 PM EDT SAT JUL 19 2008 CTZ001-013-MAZ001-025-NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-058>061-063>066- 082>084-VTZ013>015-201100- 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- 149 PM EDT SAT JUL 19 2008 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 702 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT...WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS...EAST CENTRAL NEW YORK AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY... SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE FROM SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING. IF THE THREAT OF FLOODING BECOMES MORE CERTAIN A FLOOD WATCH WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...ALBANY...HERKIMER...SARATOGA...WARREN...FULTON... MONTGOMERY...SCHENECTADY...WASHINGTON...HAMILTON...RENSSELAER... SCHOHARIE...GREENE...COLUMBIA...ULSTER...DUTCHESS...BERKSHIRE... LITCHFIELD...BENNINGTON AND WINDHAM.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 211 PM EDT SAT JUL 19 2008 MAZ001-025-191845- SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE MA-NORTHERN BERKSHIRE MA- 211 PM EDT SAT JUL 19 2008 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTH CENTRAL BERKSHIRE COUNTY THROUGH 245 PM... AT 206 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...AROUND HALF INCH HAIL...WINDS UP TO 45 MPH...AND HEAVY RAIN. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR PITTSFIELD...AND MOVING EAST AT AROUND 20 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... 8 MILES NORTH OF BECKET BY 235 PM EDT... EAST WINDSOR BY 240 PM EDT. WINDS OF THIS MAGNITUDE MAY BE STRONG ENOUGH TO DOWN TREE LIMBS...AND PROPEL LOOSE OUTDOOR OBJECTS. KL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 215 PM EDT SAT JUL 19 2008 NYZ043-191830- NORTHERN WASHINGTON NY- 215 PM EDT SAT JUL 19 2008 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL CONTINUE IN EXTREME NORTHERN WASHINGTON COUNTY THROUGH 230 PM... AT 211 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...UP TO HALF INCH HAIL...WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...AND HEAVY RAIN. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR PUTNAM...AND MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.
The Albany radar (KENX), 72 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:30 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Five large trees were reportedly down near Coltsville, blocking Route 8, due to strong thunderstorm winds.
Trees were reported down on Route 295, approximately 5 miles west northwest of Lenox, due to strong thunderstorm winds.
Several tree limbs were reported down approximately 4 miles south of Pittsfield due to strong thunderstorm winds. In addition, penny size hail was also reported during this thunderstorm.
Penny size hail was reported approximately 4 miles south of Pittsfield during a thunderstorm. In addition, several tree limbs were reported down due to strong thunderstorm winds.
Trees were reported down on Summit Hill Road, approximately 3 miles north northwest of Becket, due to strong thunderstorm winds.
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, July 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: 122733, 122734, 122735, 122736, 122738.