A strong upper level atmospheric disturbance interacted with a warm and moist airmass in place, leading to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms across western New England during the late afternoon and evening hours of Wednesday September 3rd.
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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 strong upper level atmospheric disturbance interacted with a warm and moist airmass in place, leading to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms across western New England during the late afternoon and evening hours of Wednesday September 3rd.
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 Sep 3, 3:22 PM EST, 13 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 422 PM EDT WED SEP 3 2008 .SYNOPSIS... AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL PRODUCE ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY FROM THE HUDSON VALLEY EASTWARD INTO THIS EVENING. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL THEN GRADUALLY MOVE SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE REGION THURSDAY AFTERNOON...POSSIBLY TRIGGERING ISOLATED SHOWERS. VERY WARM AND INCREASINGLY HUMID AIR WILL MOVE IN FOR FRIDAY...BEFORE TROPICAL STORM HANNA IMPACTS THE REGION WITH UNSETTLED WEATHER THIS WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... ISOLATED SHOWERS AND MAYBE A ROGUE THUNDERSTORM WILL PERSIST THROUGH ABOUT 8 OR 9 PM...BEFORE DISSIPATING DUE TO LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. SO FAR A FEW ECHOES HAVE POPPED UP OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE GREEN MOUNTAINS AND BERKSHIRES...WITH CYCLONIC FLOW AROUND A SLOW MOVING UPPER LOW CENTERED ACROSS THE EASTERN ATLANTIC. SBCAPE VALUES RATHER IMPRESSIVE AROUND 1500 J/KG...SO WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION THUNDER. GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE IN ONE OR TWO OF THE TALLER STORMS. THIS UPPER LOW IS FORECAST TO FINALLY MOVE EASTWARD TONIGHT. OVERNIGHT SOME PATCHY VALLEY FOG WILL DEVELOP...WITH MIN TEMPS MAINLY IN THE MID 50S TO LOWER 60S. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... THE UPPER LOW NEAR THE NEW ENGLAND COAST SHOULD FINALLY PULL AWAY INTO THE CANADIAN MARITIMES BY THUR MORNING AS IT GETS NUDGED EASTWARD BY A TROF ADVANCING THROUGH THE UPPER MIDWEST. AN UPPER RIDGE WILL START TO BUILD ACROSS OUR REGION DURING THE DAY THUR...AS A WEAK COLD FRONT AT THE SURFACE PASSES THROUGH. WITH LACK OF DYNAMICS AND WIND FLOW THE FRONT SHOULD PASS THROUGH WITH LITTLE FANFARE. WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION SLIGHT CHANCE POPS SINCE THERE WILL BE SOME LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TO WORK WITH AS DEWPOINTS CLIMB INTO THE 60S. SINCE UPPER LEVEL TEMPS WILL BE WARMING...NOT MUCH INSTABILITY WILL DEVELOP SO WILL NOT MENTION ANY THUNDER. MAX TEMPS WILL CONTINUE TO RUN ABOVE AVERAGE WITH MID TO UPPER 80S WIDESPREAD IN THE VALLEYS. THERE COULD BE SOME 90 DEGREE READINGS IN THE MID HUDSON VALLEY. THE WEAK COLD FRONT WILL ACTUALLY BECOME DIFFUSE AND STALL ACROSS THE AREA THUR NIGHT...SO THERE WILL BE NO APPRECIABLE CHANGE IN AIR MASS. IF ANYTHING...EVEN WARMER AND MORE HUMID AIR WILL ADVECT NORTHWARD BY FRI AS THE UPPER RIDGE TAKES HOLD AND THE SURFACE FRONT LIFTS BACK NORTHWARD AS A WARM FRONT AND SOUTHERLY FLOW INCREASES. THIS ADDITIONAL WARM SURGE WILL ALLOW TEMPS TO POSSIBLY REACH 90 AS FAR NORTH AS THE CAPITAL REGION. THE RECORD HIGH FOR ALBANY ON FRI IS 91...AND WE COULD GET VERY CLOSE. WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION DRY FORECAST THROUGH FRI...WITH A STRONG CAP IN PLACE. IT APPEARS TRANQUIL CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH AT LEAST FRI EVENING...AS WE WILL BE IN A COL BETWEEN THE REMNANTS OF GUSTAV ACROSS QUEBEC AND HANNA IN THE CAROLINAS...AND A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES AND ANOTHER ACROSS THE EASTERN ATLANTIC. WILL MENTION CHANCE TO LIKELY POPS FROM NORTH TO SOUTH LATE FRI NIGHT...AS THE GFS IS HINTING AT SOME PRECIP DEVELOPING ASSOC WITH A PREDECESSOR RAIN EVENT /PRE/. CSTAR RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT A PRE CAN DEVELOP WELL AHEAD OF A TROPICAL SYSTEM IN THE RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF AN UPPER JET ACROSS QUEBEC/CANADIAN MARITIMES. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... THIS PERIOD IS ENTIRELY DEPENDENT ON THE FUTURE TRACK AND EVOLUTION OF HANNA...AND FOLLOWS CLOSELY TO THE NHC TRACK. SHOULD THIS COME TO FRUITION...THE BEST CHANCE FOR WIDESPREAD...HEAVY RAIN APPEARS TO BE SAT INTO SAT NIGHT. IN ADDITION...GUSTY WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE MID HUDSON VALLEY...SW MA AND NW CT...PARTICULARLY ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE TACONICS...SOUTHERN BERKS AND LITCHFIELD HILLS. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1-3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE...WITH THE HIGHEST TO THE S/E. TEMPERATURES WILL ALSO BE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON ULTIMATE TRACK OF HANNA AS WELL...AND WE HAVE GENERALLY SIDED WITH HPC GUIDANCE. THIS YIELDS MAXES IN THE 60S ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN...WITH LOWER/MID 70S IN THE VALLEYS...ESP TO THE S/E. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT...SHOULD WIDESPREAD RAINFALL COME TO FRUITION BY SAT AFTERNOON...TEMPS ON THE N SIDE OF FRONT COULD BE CONSIDERABLY COOLER...PERHAPS FALLING THROUGH THE 60S DURING SAT AFTN...AND THIS COULD EVEN INCLUDE THE CAPITAL REGION EXTENDING AS FAR S AS THE MID HUDSON VALLEY AS INCREASING LOW/MID LEVEL FRONTOGENETICAL FORCING POTENTIALLY ALLOWS SHALLOW RAIN COOLED AIR MASS TO SEEP SOUTHWARD. RAIN SHOULD TAPER TO SCATTERED SHOWERS BY SUN...WITH SOME CLEARING POSSIBLE BY AFTERNOON. MAX TEMPS SHOULD MAINLY BE IN THE 70S IN THE VALLEYS...WITH 60S ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE NORTH COUNTRY. THE REMNANTS OF HANNA HAVING DEPARTED...HIGH PRESSURE PARKED OVER THE NORTHEAST SUNDAY NIGHT AND MON GIVES WAY TO A COLD FRONT FROM THE WEST ON TUE. SLGT CHC POPS ACROSS CWA INCREASE TO CHC FOR MON NGT THRU TUE NGT PERIOD...THEN BACK TO SLGT CHC AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS BACK IN BEHIND FRONT. WENT WITH GFS TEMPS...WHICH ARE A FEW DEGREES LOWER THAN THE MEX. && .AVIATION /20Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... VFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST...AS A LOW PRESSURE CENTER OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST PROVIDE SOME MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS OVER THE AREA. UPPER LEVEL JET MAX AND DAYTIME HEATING WILL AID IN ISOLATED CONVECTION DEVELOPMENT OVER ELEVATED TERRAIN THIS AFTERNOON. HAVE INCLUDED VCSH AND CB FOR KGFL/KALB AS THESE TERMINALS IS NEAR BEST DYNAMICS. KGFL WILL DETERIORATE TO IFR CONDITIONS AROUND 06Z DUE TO VSBYS. CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO IMPROVE TO VFR AFTER SUNRISE. KALB AND KPOU WILL REMAIN VFR OVERNIGHT. WINDS WILL PICK UP FROM THE SOUTHWEST AT ALL TERMINALS IN THE LATE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON. OUTLOOK... THU...VFR...CHC FOR ISOLD SHRAS. FRI...VFR...NO SIG WX. FRI NIGHT...MVFR/VFR...CHC OF SHRAS. SAT-SUN...MVFR/IFR/LIFR CIGS/VSBYS IN STRATIFORM RAINFALL/POSSIBLY HVY AT TIMES/...IMPROVING CONDITIONS SUNDAY PM. MON...MVFR/VFR...POSS MORNING MIST/FOG. && .FIRE WEATHER... ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM THE HUDSON VALLEY EASTWARD INTO THIS EVENING BEFORE DIMINISHING. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL THEN GRADUALLY MOVE SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE REGION THURSDAY AFTERNOON...POSSIBLY TRIGGERING ISOLATED SHOWERS. WARM AND HUMID CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL RECOVER TO NEAR 100 PERCENT TONIGHT...THEN DROP TO AROUND 45 TO 55 PERCENT IN THE VALLEYS AND 55 TO 65 PERCENT ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. WINDS WILL BE LIGHT AND VARIABLE TONIGHT...BECOMING MAINLY WESTERLY LESS THAN 10 MPH. && .HYDROLOGY... OTHER THAN A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON...LITTLE IN THE WAY OF PRECIPITATION IS FORECAST THROUGH FRIDAY. BASIN AVERAGE PRECIPITATION WILL BE LIGHT TODAY...BUT A FEW LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS MAY OCCUR. LITTLE IN THE WAY OF STREAM RESPONSE IS EXPECTED AS SURFACE SOIL MOISTURE CONDITIONS ARE VERY DRY. NEXT SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL IS EXPECTED THIS WEEKEND WITH TROPICAL STORM HANNA. MODELS INDICATE THAT RAINFALL MAY BEGIN WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE STORM WITH A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE AHEAD OF THE STORM. MODEL CONSENSUS SUGGESTS THAT A SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST SWATH OF 3 TO 5 INCH TOTAL RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE FROM HANNA. LOCATION OF THIS SWATH OF HEAVY RAIN IS STILL IN QUESTION AT THIS TIME...BUT WE BELIEVE THE BAND OF HEAVY RAIN WILL BE SOUTH AND EAST OF ALBANY NEW YORK...WITH AMOUNTS DECREASING TO THE NORTH AND WEST WITH THE WESTERN ADIRONDACK REGION ONLY RECEIVING AROUND AN INCH OF PRECIPITATION. MAIN STEM RIVER FLOODING IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME FROM HANNAS PRECIPITATION...BUT LOCALIZED URBAN...SMALL STREAM AND FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. PERSONS LIVING IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD KEEP UP WITH LATEST FORECASTS FOR HANNA AND ASSOCIATED RAINFALL. FOR DETAILS ON THE RIVERS...PLEASE VISIT THE ADVANCED HYDROLOGIC PREDICTION SERVICE /AHPS/ GRAPHS ON OUR WEBSITE. && .ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. NY...NONE. MA...NONE. VT...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...JPV NEAR TERM...JPV SHORT TERM...JPV LONG TERM...KL/ELH AVIATION...KGS/JPV FIRE WEATHER...JPV HYDROLOGY...SND
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 1000 AM EDT WED SEP 3 2008 CTZ001-013-MAZ001-025-NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-058>061-063>066- 082>084-VTZ013>015-041100- 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- 1000 AM EDT WED SEP 3 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT...WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS...EAST CENTRAL NEW YORK AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON...WITH THE GREATEST CHANCE ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF SOUTHERN VERMONT AND WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS. SOME THUNDERSTORMS COULD CONTAIN GUSTY WINDS...UP TO 45 MPH...AND SMALL HAIL. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE FROM NORTH TO SOUTH AT 20 TO 30 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL SATURDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...AS THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE HANNA MAY IMPACT THE REGION. THERE IS ALSO THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
The Albany radar (KENX), 88 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:33 UTC.
5 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Ping pong ball size hail fell along Surriner Road approximately 1 mile southeast of Becket during a thunderstorm. Shredded leaves were reported covering the road from the hail which occurred during this storm.
Nickel to quarter size hail fell along Route 20 in Becket during a thunderstorm.
Nickel size hail fell during a thunderstorm near East Otis.
Large tree limbs, approximately 6 inches in diameter, were downed on East Windsor Road in East Windsor due to strong thunderstorm winds.
Quarter size hail completely covered the ground along Surriner Road, approximately 1 mile southeast of Becket, during a thunderstorm. This was the second storm accompanied by large hail which occurred at this location on this day.
Penny size hail fell near East Otis during a thunderstorm.
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, September 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: 134276, 134277, 134279, 134285, 134283, 134284.