A passing cold front triggered severe thunderstorms across Southern Connecticut.
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 OKX wrote it up.
A passing cold front triggered severe thunderstorms across Southern Connecticut.
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 New York, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 24, 11:18 PM EST, 50 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
1118 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016
.SYNOPSIS...
A WARM FRONT HAS LIFTED NORTH OF THE REGION THIS EVENING. A COLD
FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS LATE TONIGHT AS STRONG LOW PRESSURE PASSES
TO THE WEST. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL PASS THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT.
HIGH PRESSURE WILL PASS TO THE SOUTH FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. LOW
PRESSURE PASSES TO THE NORTH SUNDAY. ANOTHER LOW WILL APPROACH BY
EARLY TO MID NEXT WEEK.
&&
.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/...
WARM FRONT REMAINS NORTH OF THE CWA. TEMPS IN THE WARM SECTOR
HAVE RISEN INTO THE 50S AND LOWER 60S...WITH S-SE WINDS GUSTING UP
TO 35 KT ESPECIALLY ALONG SOUTH FACING SHORES.
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING ACROSS THE WESTERN HALF OF
THE CWA AND WILL PUSH EASTWARD OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS. THE MAIN
THREAT WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE THE STRONG WIND GUSTS AND HEAVY
RAINFALL. EXPECT GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH WITH SOME OF THE STRONGER
STORMS. ALSO EXPECT SOME URBAN AND POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING WITH THE
HEAVY RAINFALL.
LATEST HRRR MODEL HAS THE BULK OF THE RAIN MOVING EAST OF NYC BY
06Z...AND EAST OF LONG ISLAND/CONNECTICUT BY 09Z.
&&
.SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM THURSDAY/...
CONDITIONS DRY OUT BEHIND THE COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE THU
MORNING...AROUND DAYBREAK GIVE OR TAKE A COUPLE OF HOURS.
THERE COULD BE SCT SHOWERS THU WITH A DEEP-LAYERED CYCLONIC FLOW
AND A GUSTY SW FLOW. TEMPS WILL HOLD NEARLY STEADY IN THE UPPER
40S TO AROUND 50.
&&
.LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
AFTER ANALYSIS OF NWP MODELS ALOFT...IT APPEARS THAT CLOSED LOW
WOBBLES AROUND HUDSON BAY...AS SHORTWAVE ENERGY ROUNDS THE BASE OF
THE MAIN TROUGH AT VARIOUS TIMES DURING THIS TIME FRAME.
SFC HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS WELL TO THE SOUTH THROUGH FRIDAY BEHIND THE
FRONT WITH A TIGHT NW PRESSURE GRADIENT WEAKENING IN TIME.
VIGOROUS SHORTWAVE TROUGH TRAVERSES ACROSS CENTRAL CANADA...WITH A
DEEP SFC LOW TRACKING TOWARD HUDSON BAY...WELL TO OUR NORTH THIS
WEEKEND. IT APPEARS THAT THE COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM
APPROACHES...BUT DOES NOT MOVE THROUGH LATE THIS WEEKEND.
THEN ENERGY THAT MOVES ACROSS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST...ONE OF THE
AFOREMENTIONED SHORTWAVES...QUICKLY MARCHES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY...WITH A SFC LOW RIDING ALONG THE FRONT. PER LATEST
GFS/ECMWF...THE LOW WILL TRACKS TO OUR NORTH MONDAY...WITH AN
ATTENDANT COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH DURING THE DAY. HIGH PRESSURE
BUILDS...BUT ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE MAY APPROACH FROM THE MID WEST IN
WAA REGIME BY MID WEEK...WITH MODEL DIFFERENCES NOTED.
AS FOR SENSIBLE WEATHER...GENERALLY DRY CONDITIONS ARE ANTICIPATED.
NEXT CHANCE WOULD BE BRIEF SHOWERS MONDAY AHEAD OF THE FRONT.
COOLER...NEAR SEASONABLE TEMPS FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY WILL WARM
TO ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS SUNDAY AND MONDAY IN WAA AHEAD OF THE LOW.
BEHIND THE COLD FRONT...TEMPS SHOULD SETTLE BACK CLOSER TO
SEASONAL NORMS.
&&
.AVIATION /04Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
A COLD FRONT APPROACHES THIS EVENING AND PASSES THROUGH OVERNIGHT.
MOSTLY IFR WITH RAIN. LINE OF TSTMS SHOULD MOVE THROUGH THE CITY
TERMINALS 04-05Z. CHC THAT TSTMS DO NOT MAKE IT TO KBDR AND KISP.
GUSTS IN TSTMS COULD BE OVER 55KT. GUSTS AHEAD OF THE TSTM LINE
SHOULD BE MOSTLY 40-45KT. LLWS THROUGH THE EVENING AS WELL WITH
WINDS 60-70KT AT 1500FT. IMPROVING TO MVFR OVERNIGHT.
OUTLOOK FOR THURSDAY... VFR WITH SW GUSTS 25-30KT.
.OUTLOOK FOR 00Z FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY...
.THURSDAY NIGHT...VFR. DIMINISHING WINDS.
.FRIDAY...VFR. WEST WINDS BCMG NW 15-20 KT WITH 20-30 KT GUSTS.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...VFR. DIMINISHING WINDS.
.SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...VFR.
.MONDAY...SUB-VFR POSSIBLE IN -SHRA.
&&
.MARINE...
GALE WARNING CONTINUES FOR ALL WATERS TONIGHT DUE TO A STRONG
SOUTHERLY JET AND CONVECTION MOVING ACROSS THE WATERS.
SCA CONDITIONS LIKELY ON THU DUE TO A STRONG SW FLOW BEHIND THE
COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE IN THE MORNING.
A DENSE FOG ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ALL WATERS FOR TONIGHT...
AS HIGH DEW POINT AIR MOVES ACROSS RELATIVELY COOLER WATERS.
STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AS WELL. SHOULD MOVE
FROM WEST TO EAST 10 PM TO 2 AM OR SO.
SW-W GALES EXPECTED LATE DAY THU INTO THU NIGHT...AND NEAR GALE
FORCE GUSTS IN NW FLOW ON FRIDAY. THESE WINDS WILL DIMINISH AS
THE PRESSURE GRADIENT LOOKS TO RELAX FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY AS
THE WINDS BEGIN TO BACK TOWARD THE WEST/SW.
THESE WINDS INCREASE ONCE AGAIN AS THE WATERS REMAINS BETWEEN HIGH
PRESSURE WELL TO THE SOUTH...AND A FRONTAL BOUNDARY SETTLING TO
THE NORTH. AS LOW PRESSURE RIDES ALONG THIS FRONT MONDAY...THE
WINDS WILL REMAIN RATHER GUSTY FROM THE WEST/SW.
ROUGH OCEAN SEAS THURSDAY NIGHT GRADUALLY SUBSIDE FRIDAY THROUGH
THE WEEKEND. THE SEAS BUILD EARLY NEXT WEEK IN INCREASING SW FLOW.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...
POTENTIAL FOR ANOTHER 1 INCHES OF RAINFALL...HIGHEST TO THE NORTH
AND WEST OF NYC. LINE OF TSTMS MOVING IN COULD PRODUCE MUCH OF
THIS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE
AREAS AND FLASHY RIVERS AND STREAMS ACROSS NRN NJ IS POSSIBLE.
&&
.OKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CT...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM EST THURSDAY FOR CTZ005>012.
NY...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM EST THURSDAY FOR NYZ070>075-078>081-
176>179.
NJ...NONE.
MARINE...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EST THURSDAY FOR ANZ330-335-338-
340-345-350-353-355.
GALE WARNING UNTIL 6 AM EST THURSDAY FOR ANZ330-335-338-340-
345-350-353-355.
&&
SYNOPSIS...GOODMAN/PW
NEAR TERM...BC/GOODMAN/PW
SHORT TERM...PW
LONG TERM...PW
AVIATION...JC
MARINE...GOODMAN/PW
HYDROLOGY...GOODMAN/PW
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY 755 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016 NJZ002-004-006-103>108-NYZ067>069-252345- WESTERN PASSAIC-EASTERN PASSAIC-HUDSON-WESTERN BERGEN-EASTERN BERGEN- WESTERN ESSEX-EASTERN ESSEX-WESTERN UNION-EASTERN UNION-ORANGE- PUTNAM-ROCKLAND- 755 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 30 IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 AM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY AND SOUTHEAST NEW YORK. .DAY ONE...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. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING WIND GUSTS LATE THIS EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT WITH A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. LOCALIZED FLOODING IN ALSO POSSIBLE IN AREAS OF POOR DRAINAGE AND FOR THOSE FASTER RESPONDING STREAMS AND SMALL RIVERS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. && THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER EVENTS THAT MAY REACH NWS WARNING CRITERIA. MOST LONG FUSED NWS WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES IN EFFECT ARE HIGHLIGHTED. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST NWS FORECASTS FOR WEATHER NOT MEETING NWS WARNING CRITERIA. CTZ005>012-NYZ070>075-078>081-176>179-252345- NORTHERN FAIRFIELD-NORTHERN NEW HAVEN-NORTHERN MIDDLESEX- NORTHERN NEW LONDON-SOUTHERN FAIRFIELD-SOUTHERN NEW HAVEN- SOUTHERN MIDDLESEX-SOUTHERN NEW LONDON-NORTHERN WESTCHESTER- SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER-NEW YORK (MANHATTAN)-BRONX- RICHMOND (STATEN ISLAND)-KINGS (BROOKLYN)-NORTHWESTERN SUFFOLK- NORTHEASTERN SUFFOLK-SOUTHWESTERN SUFFOLK-SOUTHEASTERN SUFFOLK- NORTHERN QUEENS-NORTHERN NASSAU-SOUTHERN QUEENS-SOUTHERN NASSAU- 755 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EST THURSDAY... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 30 IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 AM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT AND SOUTHEAST NEW YORK. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WIND ADVISORY. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING WIND GUSTS LATE THIS EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT WITH A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. LOCALIZED FLOODING IN ALSO POSSIBLE IN AREAS OF POOR DRAINAGE AND FOR THOSE FASTER RESPONDING STREAMS AND SMALL RIVERS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. && THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER EVENTS THAT MAY REACH NWS WARNING CRITERIA. MOST LONG FUSED NWS WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES IN EFFECT ARE HIGHLIGHTED. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST NWS FORECASTS FOR WEATHER NOT MEETING NWS WARNING CRITERIA. ANZ350-353-355-252345- MORICHES INLET NY TO MONTAUK POINT NY OUT 20 NM- FIRE ISLAND INLET NY TO MORICHES INLET NY OUT 20 NM- SANDY HOOK NJ TO FIRE ISLAND INLET NY OUT 20 NM- 755 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST THURSDAY... ...DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST THURSDAY... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 30 IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 AM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. DENSE FOG ADVISORY. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. GALE WARNING. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A FEW STRONGER WIND GUSTS LATE THIS EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT WITH A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. GALE FORCE WINDS ARE POSSIBLE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. && THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER EVENTS THAT MAY REACH NWS WARNING CRITERIA. MOST LONG FUSED NWS WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES IN EFFECT ARE HIGHLIGHTED. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST NWS FORECASTS FOR WEATHER NOT MEETING NWS WARNING CRITERIA. ANZ330-335-338-340-345-252345- LONG ISLAND SOUND EAST OF NEW HAVEN CT/PORT JEFFERSON NY- LONG ISLAND SOUND WEST OF NEW HAVEN CT/PORT JEFFERSON NY- NEW YORK HARBOR-PECONIC AND GARDINERS BAYS- SOUTH SHORE BAYS FROM JONES INLET THROUGH SHINNECOCK BAY- 755 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST THURSDAY... ...DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST THURSDAY... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 30 IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 AM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. DENSE FOG ADVISORY. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. GALE WARNING. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A FEW STRONGER WIND GUSTS LATE THIS EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT WITH A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. && THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER EVENTS THAT MAY REACH NWS WARNING CRITERIA. MOST LONG FUSED NWS WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES IN EFFECT ARE HIGHLIGHTED. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST NWS FORECASTS FOR WEATHER NOT MEETING NWS WARNING CRITERIA.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
1035 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1030 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG RIDGEWOOD 40.98N 74.11W
02/24/2016 BERGEN NJ TRAINED SPOTTER
GLEN AVENUE CLOSED AT UPPER BOULEVARD DUE TO DOWNED
POWER LINES.
&&
FEBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
1041 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1036 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG RIDGEWOOD 40.98N 74.11W
02/24/2016 BERGEN NJ TRAINED SPOTTER
ROADS CLOSED AT SPRING AVENUE AND BERGEN COURT DUE TO
DOWNED TREES AND WIRES.
&&
FEBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
1049 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1041 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG MAPLEWOOD 40.73N 74.27W
02/24/2016 ESSEX NJ EMERGENCY MNGR
ROAD CLOSED DUE TO DOWNED TREE LIMBS AT PARKER AVENUE
AND VALLEY STREET.
&&
FEBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
1120 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1113 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG GREENWICH 41.02N 73.62W
02/24/2016 FAIRFIELD CT TRAINED SPOTTER
CONSTRUCTION FENCING BLOWN DOWN ACROSS ROAD AT THE
INTERSECTION OF MASON STREET AND HAVEMEYER PLACE.
&&
FEBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
1127 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1124 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG DANBURY 41.40N 73.47W
02/24/2016 FAIRFIELD CT SOCIAL MEDIA
WIRES DOWN ON SHELTER ROCK ROAD BETWEEN JANSEN STREET
AND CROSS STREET.
&&
FEBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
1156 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1143 PM FLASH FLOOD WESTFIELD 40.65N 74.34W
02/24/2016 UNION NJ TRAINED SPOTTER
VEHICLE STALLED IN FLOOD WATER ON MASSACHUSETTS STREET.
&&
FEBThe Brookhaven radar (KOKX), 62 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:07 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was reported down on a house on Lockwood Road.
A gust of 61 mph was measured at the Norwalk Light mesonet location.
Multiple tree limbs and power lines were reported down across the Town of Middletown.
Multiple trees and power lines were reported down throughout Durham.
Multiple trees and power lines were reported down throughout the city of New Haven.
Multiple trees and power lines were reported down in the town of Salem.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Connecticut in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Connecticut, February 2016
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: 622031, 622036, 622032, 622033, 622037, 622038.