New Hampshire, 2019

High Wind in New Hampshire, February 25 to 26, 2019

February 25 to 26, 2019 · NWS GYX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A strong low pressure system moved through the Great Lakes on the 24th and 25th, with central pressure falling into the low 970s mb by the time it reached Quebec. As strong high pressure built down through the Canadian Prairies an intense pressure gradient developed between the two features.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS GYX wrote it up.

A strong low pressure system moved through the Great Lakes on the 24th and 25th, with central pressure falling into the low 970s mb by the time it reached Quebec. As strong high pressure built down through the Canadian Prairies an intense pressure gradient developed between the two features. This led to strong winds and wind gusts all across the Northeast, with the mountains and southern New Hampshire hit hardest locally.

What forecasters said that day

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 Gray, ME wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 25, 9:00 AM EST, 0 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 25, 9:00 AM EST, 0 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 25, 3:08 AM EST, 5 hours 52 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Feb 25, 5:28 AM EST, 3 hours 32 minutes before
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Local storm report, Feb 25, 5:50 AM EST, 3 hours 10 minutes before
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Local storm report, Feb 25, 5:51 AM EST, 3 hours 9 minutes before
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Local storm report, Feb 25, 6:15 AM EST, 2 hours 45 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Feb 25, 7:08 AM EST, 1 hour 52 minutes before
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Local storm report, Feb 25, 7:53 AM EST, 1 hour 7 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Coastal Rockingham

When
February 25, 9:00 AM EST to February 26, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Coastal Rockingham forecast zone
Measured
53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
42.985, -71.089 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds began to increase early in the morning of the 25th as cold air advection developed behind a cold front. After daybreak winds increased sharply and continued through the day. The most intense burst of winds came in the late afternoon and early evening. This is when Portsmouth International Airport at Pease measured a 61 mph gust. In addition trees and wires were down as well as some minor structural damage to roofs and siding occurred.

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in New Hampshire in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in New Hampshire, February 2019

Sources

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 801379.