A storm system produced heavy snow, strong winds, and minor coastal flooding in southern New England. This was a tough storm to forecast.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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.
A storm system produced heavy snow, strong winds, and minor coastal flooding in southern New England. This was a tough storm to forecast. Although it was not deep low pressure and although it passed just south of the 40N/70W benchmark, its precipitation shield was expansive because of a broad 700 mb low over southeast New England, abundant moisture, and a very cold air mass in place. By far, the heaviest snow fell to the north (Laconia, NH) and west (Binghamton, NY), where more than 3 feet fell. But amounts ranged from 10 to 20 inches across much of southern New England. There was some minor coastal flooding at the time of high tide and also a flash freeze in eastern Massachusetts as the storm pulled away to the northeast.
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 Dec 16, 7:42 PM EST, 1 hour 18 minutes earlier.
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall ranged from 9 to 16 inches. Some representative reports included 16.0 inches in Suffield, 14.5 inches in Burlingotn, 13.8 inches in West Hartford, 12.3 inches at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks (KBDL), 12.0 inches in Wethersfield, and 11.0 inches in Farmington.
Snow ranged from 8 to 13.5 inches in Tolland County. Some representative amounts included 13.5 inches in Storrs, 12.3 inches in Tolland, 11.5 inches in Coventry, 11.0 inches in Vernon, 10.0 inches in Ellington, and 8.0 inches in Andover.
Snow averaged 8 to 12 inches in Windham County. However, in the higher elevations a CoCoRaHS observer in Putnam recorded 19.3 inches. Some specific amounts included 12.0 inches in North Grosvenordale, 11.9 inches in Sterling, 10.5 inches in Moosup, 9.5 inches in Scotland, 9.0 inches in Pomfret, and 8.3 inches in Killingly.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Connecticut in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Connecticut, December 2020
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: 927952, 927954, 927956.