August brought more dry weather and continued drought conditions to much of southern New England. By the end of the month, most, if not all of Massachusetts was in a drought designation.
Every event with a place to put it; 15 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
August brought more dry weather and continued drought conditions to much of southern New England. By the end of the month, most, if not all of Massachusetts was in a drought designation. For many, the drought began in July 2016. At this point, this is a drought categorized largely by well below normal precipitation and groundwater and agricultural impacts. Most of the region experienced below normal rainfall during the month of August. Much of eastern Massachusetts south of Boston, received less than half the normal amount of rainfall for the month. The exception was southern Worcester County where above normal rainfall was experienced. However, this additional rainfall did little to dispel drought conditions. Boston experienced its driest meteorological summer (June/July/August) on record with only 3.92 inches of rainfall. The previous record was 3.97 inches in 1957.
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs issued a drought warning for the northeast and central portions of the state, a drought watch for southeast Massachusetts and the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts, and a drought advisory for western Massachusetts and Cape Cod and the Islands on August 12th. This was an upgrade for each region from July. Of note: this is the first time a Drought Warning has been in effect for any portion of Massachusetts since the original creation of the state's drought plan in 2001. Soil moisture (measured by the Climate Prediction Center) was abnormally dry, except across east coastal Massachusetts where conditions were found to be excessively dry. Groundwater conditions (measured by the United States Geological Survey) were found to be below to well below normal for most of Massachusetts. Cape Cod and the Islands were at or above normal at this time. River and streamflow conditions were below to well below normal with 27 gage sites in southern New England at record low levels.
Farmers have had to irrigate their crops much more than normal for August. Losses were started to be reported by producers in the Connecticut River valley area of Massachusetts. In addition, sources of irrigation have been dwindling. While data thus far has been anecdotal, many farmers are having to choose which fields to irrigate and which to let go, as well as not doing 2nd and 3rd plantings of late summer crops. Known losses, according to the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation, include a total loss of the peach crop, reduced apple and cranberry crops, and no second and third cut hay. More than 160 public water systems in Massachusetts have imposed some sort of water use restrictions, 70 of those have the strictest parameters in place, allowing residents to use outdoor water one day a week or less.
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 Jul 31, 8:15 PM EST, 3 hours 45 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Taunton MA 915 PM EDT SUN JUL 31 2016 .SYNOPSIS... Low pressure will move eastward along a stalled front off the New Jersey coast tonight through early Tuesday, while high pressure remains over northern New England. That puts southern New England in a moist easterly flow with scattered showers through Tuesday morning. High pressure will build southward from northern New England Tuesday night into Friday, bringing dry conditions. Temperatures will warm up toward the end of this week. A cold front may approach late Friday, crossing the region on Saturday with scattered showers and a few thunderstorms possible. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM MONDAY MORNING/... 915 pm Update... Area of showers moving through western New England is being handled very well by HRRR and in-house high-res ensemble, showing weakening as it heads east and outruns better moisture convergence. Still expect showers to make it to coast overnight, but rainfall will be much less than what has been falling around NYC metro area this evening. Otherwise little change to forecast. Clouds and patchy fog will dominate once again overnight with persistent E flow. Forecast lows in 60s look good. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... Plenty of moisture remains with persistent E/NE flow means cloudiness will dominate along with a few showers. Activity should become more focused in western New England once again due to upslope enhancement. In the morning, it looks like the most widespread showers will be to our north, in association with the aforementioned short-wave trough... and to our south in association with a developing surface low off of NJ. On Monday afternoon, like today, there could be a few breaks of sun, allowing for high temperatures to reach the upper 70s to near 80. A weak area of low pressure will also be moving across central NY state. Models show surface-based CAPE reaching 1500 j/kg as far east as the slopes of the Berkshires. Weak easterly upslope flow will aid some vertical motion. TQ Index reaches 17-18 there with Total Totals of 46 and negative Lifted Indices. So, have introduced a chance of thunderstorms in addition to the showers in western MA and portions of northern CT. Shower probabilities again range from 50 to 60 percent far west to only 30 percent in southeast MA. As low pressure travel eastward along the front to our south, we will have light northeast wind flow Monday night. Dewpoints will be slightly lower but there still is a chance of scattered showers. Cannot rule out some isolated fog patches late at night in the usual fog-prone valleys or along the south coast. Lows mainly 60-65, except mid to upper 60s on the islands. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... Highlights... * Scattered showers will linger through midday Tuesday with a few thunderstorms possible across central and western areas * Mostly dry weather expected Tuesday afternoon through Friday, with a warming trend toward the end of this week * A cold front approaches late Friday through Saturday, bringing a greater chance for showers and a few thunderstorms Overview and model preferences... Medium range model suite continues to show fairly good agreement through most of this week. Thereafter, timing differences return with the approach of a cold front toward next weekend. Expecting an open wave in the mid level flow to move offshore Tuesday and Tuesday night. This should leave southern New England in either a nearly zonal flow, or beneath a slight ridging pattern, through late this week. Another open wave moving across Canada may influence our weather next weekend. The timing differences make it tough to say just how much impact it will have. Guidance has come into better agreement keeping a low pressure south of 40N as it moves east Tuesday into Tuesday night. This should mean more influence from a high pressure over northern New England. This high pressure will slowly move across southern New England during mid week timeframe. Another front approaches, possibly as early as Friday afternoon, or more likely late Friday night into Saturday. Uncertainty and lower confidence exists due to model timing issues. Once this front moves by, we should be looking at another high pressure out of Canada. Used a consensus blend of available guidance for this forecast, to smooth over the differences in the individual model solutions. Details... Through midday Tuesday... As weak low pressure passes by to our south, will still see some scattered showers lingering. Good low to mid level moisture continues to push across the region with E-NE winds in place. Could see showers anywhere, but think the best chance will be across south coastal and western areas. Some marginal instability remains in place, so a few thunderstorms can not be ruled out Tuesday morning. Any precipitation should start tapering off Tuesday morning. Will also see patchy early morning fog, which should also burn off by mid morning. With the onshore flow in place, expecting max temperatures around 5 degrees below seasonal normals. Tuesday afternoon through Thursday... May still see a couple of lingering showers near the coast and around the E slopes of the Berkshires Tuesday afternoon, but the drying trend should be well underway by then. Large high pressure will slowly build across New England Wednesday and Thursday. Light N-NE winds will remain in place on Wednesday, but will shift to S-SW by Thursday as the high pushes offshore. Current forecast suggests highs on Thursday may be as much as 5 degrees above seasonal normals. Dew points will still likely be high enough to feel muggy, to most, through Thursday. These relatively high dew points are expected to lead to patchy late night/early morning fog, each night. Friday and Saturday... Models continue to signal another cold front approaching the region, but timing is still uncertain. Decided to be consistent with previous forecast and latest operational GFS and ECMWF, and went along with the slower frontal timing. Chance of showers increases from west to east late Friday, but really peaks Friday night into Saturday. This is the lowest confidence portion of this forecast. Sunday... The weather outcomes for this day depend greatly on if a cold front moves offshore, as currently expected. Thinking is dryer, but not much cooler behind the cold front. && .AVIATION /01Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... Forecaster Confidence Levels. Low - less than 30 percent. Moderate - 30 to 60 percent. High - greater than 60 percent. Moderate confidence through Monday night. 2340Z update... Expect CIGS tonight to be mainly MVFR across eastern areas with some IFR in patchy overnight fog in the normally prone locations. Expect conditions lowering to IFR ceilings overnight in northern CT and western and central MA. Conditions slowly improving to MVFR then VFR on Monday. Scattered showers redevelop to our west and south, then spread toward the east slopes of the Berkshires and portions of western MA and northern CT overnight. Still a chance of a shower east of there as well, with the moist easterly flow. KBOS TAF...Moderate confidence. Expecting mainly IFR-MVFR conditions overnight. MVFR may improve to VFR during the day Monday with MVFR possible again Monday night. Scattered showers are possible tonight through Monday night. KBDL TAF...Moderate confidence. Scattered showers from this evening through Monday. An isolated thunderstorm also possible late Monday afternoon. VFR becoming MVFR CIGS this evening, then likely lowering to IFR CIGS overnight. Improvement to MVFR and eventually VFR by late Monday. MVFR CIGS again possible Monday night. Outlook /Tuesday through Friday/... Tuesday...High confidence in trends. Moderate confidence in timing. Mainly VFR. Scattered showers through midday, then tapering off during the afternoon. May see brief local MVFR conditions in any showers. Patchy late night/early morning fog with MVFR-IFR conditions Tuesday night in the normally prone areas. Wednesday through Friday...High confidence. VFR. A few areas of MVFR possible in patchy late night/early morning valley fog, mainly in the usual fog prone locations both nights. && .MARINE... Forecaster Confidence Levels. Low - less than 30 percent. Moderate - 30 to 60 percent. High - greater than 60 percent. Short Term /through Monday Night/...High confidence. Winds and seas are expected to remain below Small Craft Advisory thresholds through Monday night. Our waters are in between high pressure over northern New England and a stationary front from the NJ coast eastward to south of the waters. Low pressure will be traveling along that frontal boundary, passing south of the waters Monday night. As a result, winds will be from the east to northeast over the northern waters tonight and from the east to southeast over the southern waters. Then on Monday and Monday night, winds should become more northeasterly. Seas may build to as high as 3 or 4 feet on the southern outer waters due to the persistent easterly flow and low pressure passing to our south. Northeast winds could gust up to 20 kt toward daybreak Tuesday. Scattered showers and patchy fog may reduce visibility this evening through Monday night. An isolated thunderstorm is possible over the southern waters, especially on Monday afternoon and evening. Outlook /Tuesday through Friday/...High confidence. Light winds and seas expected through most of this period, especially Wednesday and Thursday. A low pressure should pass by south of the waters on Tuesday, which could lead to scattered rainfall and areas of fog with poor visibility. Increasing southwest winds Friday may result in rough seas across the outermost coastal waters. && .BOX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...None. MA...None. RI...None. MARINE...None. && SYNOPSIS...Belk/GAF NEAR TERM...JWD SHORT TERM...GAF LONG TERM...Belk AVIATION...Belk/GAF MARINE...Belk/GAF
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 344 AM EDT SUN JUL 31 2016 CTZ002>004-MAZ002>024-026-RIZ001>008-010745- 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-NORTHWEST PROVIDENCE RI- SOUTHEAST PROVIDENCE RI-WESTERN KENT RI-EASTERN KENT RI-BRISTOL RI- WASHINGTON RI-NEWPORT RI-BLOCK ISLAND RI- 344 AM EDT SUN JUL 31 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN CONNECTICUT...ALL OF MASSACHUSETTS EXCEPT BERKSHIRE COUNTY...AND RHODE ISLAND. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ANZ230>237-250-251-254>256-010745- BOSTON HARBOR-CAPE COD BAY-NANTUCKET SOUND-VINEYARD SOUND- BUZZARDS BAY-RHODE ISLAND SOUND-NARRAGANSETT BAY-BLOCK ISLAND SOUND- COASTAL WATERS EAST OF IPSWICH BAY AND THE STELLWAGEN BANK NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY-MASSACHUSETTS BAY AND IPSWICH BAY- COASTAL WATERS FROM PROVINCETOWN MA TO CHATHAM MA TO NANTUCKET MA OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS EXTENDING OUT TO 25 NM SOUTH OF MARTHAS VINEYARD AND NANTUCKET- COASTAL WATERS FROM MONTAUK NY TO MARTHAS VINEYARD EXTENDING OUT TO 20 NM SOUTH OF BLOCK ISLAND- 344 AM EDT SUN JUL 31 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. FOR THE LATEST UPDATES...PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBPAGE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BOSTON YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AT WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSBOSTON YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AT @NWSBOSTON
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
15 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
The U.S. Drought Monitor continued the Severe Drought (D2) designation in northern Worcester County through the month of August.
The U.S. Drought Monitor continued the Severe Drought (D2) designation in western Middlesex County through August 9th. At that time it was upgraded to an Extreme Drought (D3) designation, which continued through the end of August.
Newspaper reports indicate thousands of fish, trapped in small pools in Martin's Brook (a tributary of the Ipswich River), died as the pools evaporated. In other river basins, low water levels have meant fish have been unable to breed properly, their food supply has diminished, and the fish have been easy targets for predators.
The U.S. Drought Monitor continued the Severe Drought (D2) designation in western Essex County through August 16th. It was upgraded to an Extreme Drought (D3) designation at that time, which continued through the end of August.
The U.S. Drought Monitor continued the Severe Drought (D2) designation in eastern Essex County through August 16th. It was upgraded to an Extreme Drought (D3) designation at that time, which continued through the end of August.
The U.S. Drought Monitor continued the Severe Drought (D2) designation in eastern Hampshire County through the month of August.
The U.S. Drought Monitor continued the Severe Drought (D2) designation in southeastern Middlesex County through August 16th. It was upgraded to an Extreme Drought (D3) designation at that time, which continued through the end of August.
The U.S. Drought Monitor continued the Severe Drought (D2) designation in Suffolk County through August 16th. It was upgraded to an Extreme Drought (D3) designation at that time, which continued through the end of August.
The U.S. Drought Monitor continued the Severe Drought (D2) designation in northwestern Middlesex County through the month of August.
The U.S. Drought Monitor expanded the Severe Drought (D2) designation into eastern Franklin County on August 2nd.
The U.S. Drought Monitor expanded the Severe Drought (D2) designation into western Hampden County on August 2nd.
The U.S. Drought Monitor expanded the Severe Drought (D2) designation into eastern Hampden County on August 2nd.
The U.S. Drought Monitor expanded the Severe Drought (D2) designation into southern Worcester County on August 2nd.
The U.S. Drought Monitor expanded the Severe Drought (D2) designation into western Norfolk County on August 2nd and that continued through August 16th. It was upgraded to an Extreme Drought (D3) designation at that time, which continued through the end of August.
The U.S. Drought Monitor expanded the Severe Drought (D2) designation into eastern Norfolk County on August 2nd and continued through August 16th. It was upgraded to an Extreme Drought (D3) designation at that time, which continued through the end of August.
The U.S. Drought Monitor expanded the Severe Drought (D2) designation into northern Bristol County on August 2nd, continuing through August 30th. It was upgraded to an Extreme Drought (D3) designation at that time, which continued through the end of August.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Massachusetts in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Massachusetts, August 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: 657582, 657590, 657591, 657592, 657594, 657595, 657596, 657598, 657581, 657583, 657584, 657585, 657586, 657587, 657588.