High Surf in Massachusetts
Every high surf event the National Weather Service has filed in Massachusetts, year by year, with the most significant episodes. Large waves breaking on the shore that caused damage, erosion or casualties.
The most significant on the map
The most significant high surf episodes in Massachusetts.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The record
- Events
- 3
- Deaths
- 3
- Injuries
- 4
- Damage
- None recorded
Every year
The most significant
Ranked by deaths, injuries, damage and size together.
- High Surf in Massachusetts, May 25, 2003Heavy surf from southeast swells capsized a boat near Shag Rocks, about two miles north of Hull on Massachusetts Bay. One man drowned and two others were treated for hypothermia after spending about two hours in 50-degree water, according to local media reports.
- High Surf in Massachusetts, August 16, 2017Hurricane Gert moved north toward New England on August 14 and spread a high swell toward the region. Gert then turned toward the northeast on August 15 and then moved out to sea.
- High Surf in Massachusetts, September 29, 2018Coastal low pressure moving along a cold front on Friday Sept 28th passed south and east of Cape Cod, then departed south of Nova Scotia on Saturday Sept 29th. Northwest winds of 10 to 15 knots trailed the cold front and lingered over Cape Cod through Saturday.
More
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 2026-09-24.