Rhode Island, 2019

High Wind and Strong Wind in Rhode Island, October 10, 2019

October 10, 2019 · NWS BOX · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

A strong ocean storm well to the south and southeast of Nantucket combined with strong high pressure over the Canadian maritime provinces to create a prolonged period of strong to damaging winds across Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The ocean storm was briefly named Subtropical Storm Melissa.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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
$900
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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 BOX wrote it up.

A strong ocean storm well to the south and southeast of Nantucket combined with strong high pressure over the Canadian maritime provinces to create a prolonged period of strong to damaging winds across Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The ocean storm was briefly named Subtropical Storm Melissa.

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 Boston/Norton, MA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 10, 3:30 AM EST, 1 hour 14 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 10, 3:30 AM EST, 1 hour 14 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 10, 3:09 AM EST, 1 hour 35 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

3 strong wind, 2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Washington

When
October 10, 4:44 AM EST to 5:44 AM EST
Where
Washington forecast zone
Measured
45 kt (52 mph) measured sustained
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
41.397, -71.620 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A mesonet station at the University of Rhode Island measured sustained winds of 41 mph.

Strong Wind, Newport

When
October 10, 6:05 AM EST to 7:05 AM EST
Where
Newport forecast zone
Measured
45 kt (52 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$500
Reported by
Amateur Radio
Coordinates
41.500, -71.281 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

In Middletown, a large tree was down on Paradise Avenue.

Strong Wind, Southeast Providence

When
October 10, 7:50 AM EST to 8:50 AM EST
Where
Southeast Providence forecast zone
Measured
45 kt (52 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$200
Reported by
Amateur Radio
Coordinates
41.871, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

In Providence, wires were reported down on Kenyon Street.

High Wind, Block Island

When
October 10, 10:11 AM EST to 11:11 AM EST
Where
Block Island forecast zone
Measured
37 kt (43 mph) measured sustained
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
41.397, -71.620 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A mesonet site at the Block Island Jetty recorded sustained winds of 43 mph.

Strong Wind, Eastern Kent

When
October 10, 3:13 PM EST to 4:13 PM EST
Where
Eastern Kent forecast zone
Measured
45 kt (52 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$200
Reported by
Amateur Radio
Coordinates
41.673, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

In East Greenwich, a large branch was down on Middle Road between Tillinghast Road and Bassett Circle.

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Strong Wind
Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Rhode Island in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Rhode Island, October 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 855353, 855354, 855355, 855260, 855357.