Steep mid level lapse rates provided enough instability for showers and thunderstorms to develop across interior Massachusetts. Some of these thunderstorms became severe, producing damaging wind gusts.
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.
Steep mid level lapse rates provided enough instability for showers and thunderstorms to develop across interior Massachusetts. Some of these thunderstorms became severe, producing damaging wind gusts. One of these storms produced winds that broke limbs off trees, including one that struck an 81 year old woman hard enough that she subsequently died.
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 Jun 22, 9:35 AM EST, 2 hours 35 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 1035 AM EDT SUN JUN 22 2008 .SYNOPSIS... A SLOW-MOVING FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL MOVE CLOSER TO OUR REGION TODAY... AND LINGER IN OUR VICINITY THROUGH TUESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE SHOULD BRIEFLY PROVIDE DRIER AND WARMER CONDITIONS WEDNESDAY. ANOTHER SLOW MOVING COMPLEX FRONTAL SYSTEM AND MID LEVEL DISTURBANCE SHOULD KEEP OUR WEATHER UNSETTLED TOWARD THE END OF THIS WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... LINE OF SHOWERS/TSTMS ASSOCD WITH A WEAK SFC TROF MOVING ACROSS EASTERN NYS WHILE A SECOND AREA ASSOCD WITH MODEST LOW LEVEL JET MOVING NORTHWARD OVER THE OCEAN SOUTH OF THE COAST. SFC BOUNDARY IS FCST TO REMAIN WEST OF SNE TODAY AND BASED ON LOW LEVEL THETA-E RIDGE AXIS...MAIN ACTION THIS AFTERNOON SHOULD BE IN THE INTERIOR WEST OF LWM-IJD. HOWEVER...CURRENT MESOANALYSIS SHOWS UP TO 2000 J/KG MLCAPE ALONG THE COAST SO ACTIVITY OVER THE OCEAN SHOULD HOLD TOGETHER AS IT APPROACHES THE COAST. MODIFIED BDL SOUNDING FOR 80/65 YIELDS MLCAPES OF 1500-2000 J/KG. MID LEVEL WIND FIELD IS NOT THAT IMPRESSIVE AND 0-6KM BULK SHEAR IS WEAK AT LESS THAN 30 KTS. SO WE DO NOT EXPECT ORGANIZED SEVERE...BUT WITH DEWPOINTS CLIMBING INTO MID 60S AND DECENT CAPES...A FEW STORMS COULD APPROACH SEVERE THRESHOLDS. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL ALSO A CONCERN. NO CHANGES TO POPS AND WE CONTINUED ENHANCED WORDING IN THE INTERIOR. MAX TEMPS UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S...COOLER NW HIGHER TERRAIN. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM MONDAY/... TONIGHT...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS AREA TONIGHT AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. MOST OF THE ACTIVITY SHOULD BE DURING THE EARLY EVENING HOURS DUE TO THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. PATCHY FOG WILL REDEVELOP ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION AND IT WILL BE HUMID. MONDAY...THE COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO ADVANCE EAST FROM NEW YORK STATE. MORE SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN THE AFTERNOON MAINLY DUE TO DAYTIME HEATING AND INCREASING LOW LEVEL INSTABILITY. IN ADDITION TEMPERATURES ALOFT BEGIN TO COOL ACROSS WESTERN NEW ENGLAND WHICH WILL ENHANCE INSTABILITY. ALSO NOTED MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES BEGIN TO STEEPEN TOWARDS EVENING ACROSS THE WEST. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ONCE AGAIN. THE STORMS PREDICTION CENTER HAS PLACED PORTIONS OF WESTERN NEW ENGLAND IN A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. WILL HIGHLIGHT IN THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK AT THIS TIME. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... THE 22/00Z MODELS ARE IN DECENT AGREEMENT...SO DID NOT DEVIATE MUCH FROM THEIR CONSENSUS. UPPER LEVEL FLOW TRANSITIONS FROM OUR STAGNANT PATTERN OF THE PAST FEW DAYS...TO A MORE ZONAL FLOW BY MIDWEEK. THUS...DO NOT HAVE GREAT CONFIDENCE IN THE TIMING DETAILS AFTER WEDNESDAY. ECMWF IS A BIT MORE AMPLIFIED...HENCE LESS PROGRESSIVE THAN THE GFS AND GGEM. SO LEANED MORE TOWARD THE GFS FOR THIS UPDATE. A LARGE HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE NORTH ATLANTIC WILL HELP TO SLOW DOWN A COLD FRONT TRYING TO MOVE EAST. A WEAK SURFACE WAVE MOVING NORTH FROM THE MID ATLANTIC STATES WILL ALSO HELP IN THIS REGARD. CURRENTLY THINKING THIS FRONT WILL NOT PUSH OFF THE COAST UNTIL TUESDAY...SO KEPT A CHANCE OF RAINFALL THROUGH THEN. A HIGH PRESSURE MOVES EAST FROM THE OHIO VALLEY TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY...BUT SHOULD NOT LINGER LONG BEFORE HEADING TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST U.S. COAST. ANOTHER COMPLEX PATTERN OF FRONTS DEVELOPS AROUND SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND LATE THURSDAY INTO THIS WEEKEND. WHILE THE TIMING IS STILL VERY UNCERTAIN...THINKING THERE WILL BE AT LEAST A CHANCE OF SHOWERS FROM TIME TO TIME THURSDAY INTO SATURDAY. LATEST GFS MOS GUIDANCE TEMPERATURES LOOKED VERY REASONABLE...SO USED THEM TO TREND PREVIOUS FORECAST. && .AVIATION /14Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... TODAY...VFR/MVFR CEILINGS AND VSBYS IN HAZE...SHOWERS AND SCATTERED TSTMS ESPECIALLY WESTERN TERMINALS. TSRA MAY CONTAIN GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. TONIGHT...MVFR IN LEFTOVER SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY DURING THE EVENING. LOW CLOUDS...FOG PATCHES REDEVELOP. AREAS OF IFR CEILINGS REDEVELOPING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TERMINALS DURING THE EVENING...THEN NORTHERN TERMINALS AFTER MIDNIGHT. MONDAY...MORNING IFR CONDITIONS IMPROVE TO MVFR AWAY FROM THE SOUTH COAST. SCT SHRA AND TSRA REDEVELOP DURING THE AFTERNOON ESPECIALLY WESTERN TERMINALS. TSRA MAY BE SEVERE. OUTLOOK...MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY... MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY...MVFR CONDITIONS PROBABLE IN SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTMS....VFR ELSEWHERE. TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT...VFR CONDITIONS LIKELY. THURSDAY...VFR FOR MOST LOCATIONS. SCATTERED MVFR IN DEVELOPING SHOWERS. && .MARINE... TODAY...WINDS AND SEAS EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CRITERIA. TONIGHT...WIND AND SEAS EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CRITERIA. FOG PATCHES MAY BE LOCALLY DENSE. UNDERCUT WNA SEAS WERE UNDERCUT SLIGHTLY GIVEN THE INVERSION. MONDAY...A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY COULD BE NECESSARY DUE TO INCREASING SOUTH SWELL APPROACHING 5 FT ALONG THE SOUTH COAST. OUTLOOK...MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY... MARGINAL SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY SEAS /5 FT/ MAY DEVELOP ACROSS THE OUTER SOUTH COASTAL WATERS SOMETIME MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY... AND LINGER INTO THURSDAY. OTHERWISE...RELATIVELY TRANQUIL BOATING CONDITIONS /AS FAR AS WINDS AND SEAS GO/ ARE EXPECTED DURING THIS PERIOD. HOWEVER...THERE WILL PROBABLY BE QUITE A BIT OF SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AROUND MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY. && .HYDROLOGY... QPF AMOUNTS THROUGH EARLY MONDAY EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 0.25 TO 0.75 INCH...WITH SOME LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE IN THUNDERSTORMS. MAIN CONCERN WILL BE FOR SOME URBAN AND POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING GIVEN LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS. && .BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. MA...NONE. NH...NONE. RI...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...BELK NEAR TERM...KJC SHORT TERM...STRAUSS LONG TERM...BELK AVIATION...BELK/STRAUSS MARINE...BELK/STRAUSS HYDROLOGY...STRAUSS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 518 AM EDT SUN JUN 22 2008 CTZ002>004-MAZ002>005-008>013-017-026-NHZ011-012-015-RIZ001>004-006- 230930- HARTFORD CT-TOLLAND CT-WINDHAM CT-WESTERN FRANKLIN MA- EASTERN FRANKLIN MA-NORTHERN WORCESTER MA-CENTRAL MIDDLESEX MA- WESTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-WESTERN HAMPDEN MA-EASTERN HAMPSHIRE MA- EASTERN HAMPDEN MA-SOUTHERN WORCESTER MA-WESTERN NORFOLK MA- NORTHERN BRISTOL 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-WASHINGTON RI- 518 AM EDT SUN JUN 22 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN CONNECTICUT...CENTRAL AND WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS...EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS WEST OF I-95... SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND RHODE ISLAND WEST OF NARRAGANSETT BAY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR LATER TODAY INTO TONIGHT. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WIND OR LARGE HAIL POSSIBLE. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL MAY ALSO RESULT IN SOME URBAN AND POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING. LIGHTNING IS ALSO A RISK WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED AGAIN MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE SEVERE AS WELL... ESPECIALLY MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THERE IS ALSO A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY AS ANOTHER COLD FRONT APPROACHES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. MAZ006-007-014>016-018>024-RIZ005-007-008-230930- WESTERN ESSEX MA-EASTERN ESSEX MA-SOUTHEAST MIDDLESEX MA-SUFFOLK MA- EASTERN NORFOLK MA-WESTERN PLYMOUTH MA-EASTERN PLYMOUTH MA- SOUTHERN BRISTOL MA-SOUTHERN PLYMOUTH MA-BARNSTABLE MA-DUKES MA- NANTUCKET MA-BRISTOL RI-NEWPORT RI-BLOCK ISLAND RI- 518 AM EDT SUN JUN 22 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS EAST OF I-95...NORTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS...SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS... RHODE ISLAND EAST OF NARRAGANSETT BAY AND BLOCK ISLAND. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR LATER TODAY INTO TONIGHT. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL MAY ALSO RESULT IN SOME URBAN AND POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING. LIGHTNING IS A RISK WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED AGAIN MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. THERE IS ALSO A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY AS ANOTHER COLD FRONT APPROACHES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. ANZ230>237-250-254-255-230930- 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- 518 AM EDT SUN JUN 22 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED LATER TODAY INTO TONIGHT. LIGHTNING IS A RISK WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED AGAIN MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. THERE IS ALSO A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY AS ANOTHER COLD FRONT APPROACHES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 1243 PM EDT SUN JUN 22 2008 MAZ002>004-NHZ011-015-221745- CHESHIRE NH-EASTERN FRANKLIN MA-NORTHERN WORCESTER MA-WESTERN AND CENTRAL HILLSBOROUGH NH-WESTERN FRANKLIN MA- 1243 PM EDT SUN JUN 22 2008 AT 1241 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL OVER DEERFIELD...OR ABOUT 4 MILES SOUTH OF GREENFIELD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 24 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...GILL AND WENDELL BY 100 PM EDT... ERVING BY 110 PM EDT...WARWICK AND NORTHFIELD BY 120 PM EDT... RICHMOND AND WINCHESTER BY 130 PM EDT...FITZWILLIAM AND TROY BY 150 PM EDT. THIS STORM IS PRODUCING FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. GET INDOORS OR INSIDE A VEHICLE NOW IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...STAY AWAY FROM ISOLATED TALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. AVOID OPEN AREAS SUCH AS GOLF COURSES OR BALL FIELDS. MLE
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 110 PM EDT SUN JUN 22 2008 MAZ002>004-NHZ011-015-221815- CHESHIRE NH-EASTERN FRANKLIN MA-NORTHERN WORCESTER MA-WESTERN AND CENTRAL HILLSBOROUGH NH-WESTERN FRANKLIN MA- 110 PM EDT SUN JUN 22 2008 AT 108 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES WEST OF CHESTERFIELD TO WENDELL...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM BRATTLEBORO TO 11 MILES EAST OF GREENFIELD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 46 MPH. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...WINCHESTER...WESTMORELAND...CHESTERFIELD AND WARWICK BY 120 PM EDT...WALPOLE...SWANZEY...SURRY AND RICHMOND BY 130 PM EDT...ALSTEAD AND JAFFREY BY 140 PM EDT. THESE STORMS ARE PRODUCING FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. GET INDOORS OR INSIDE A VEHICLE NOW IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...STAY AWAY FROM ISOLATED TALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. AVOID OPEN AREAS SUCH AS GOLF COURSES OR BALL FIELDS. MLE
The Boston radar (KBOX), 68 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:08 UTC.
8 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A woman out in her yard during a thunderstorm died after a large tree limb broke due to the wind and fell on her. Medical officials indicate that she died of blunt force trauma to the head, neck, and chest.
Quarter size hail fell in the vicinity of Route 5.
Trees and wires on General Knox Road were downed by thunderstorm winds.
Power pole and wires on Gunn Road were downed by thunderstorm winds.
Trees and wires on Buttonwood Road and Cedar Street were downed by thunderstorm winds.
Trees were downed by thunderstorm winds.
Multiple trees and wires on Ashfield Road in the Shelburne Falls section of Shelburne were downed by thunderstorm winds. Some of these landed on cars.
A large tree along Route 2 was downed by thunderstorm winds and fell in such a manner that it blocked Route 2 in front of Mohawk Diner.
Trees were downed by thunderstorm winds.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind, Worcester | 2008-06-22 | 81 | Female | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
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, 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: 117114, 117057, 117060, 117062, 117085, 117087, 117093, 117095, 117097.