Top 5(ish) New England Weather events

[geo1]

man epic winters and epic sports teams we have been spoiled the last 20 years!

[CapturedNature]

I guess the top 5 impactful events that I have witnessed would be (in no particular order):

December 1992 Storm (got to see deep snow to crashing waves after years no big storms)

December 1989 Cold (coldest weather I've ever seen)

January 1998 Ice Storm (Most devastation and longevity I've ever witnessed)

June 1, 2011 Tornado (Got to witness the aftermath first hand)

January 2011 Snow (multiple storms dropped a seasons worth of snow on my house in less than a month)

Honorable mentions would be the October 2011 Storm, the 1972 Ice Storm (I think that help shape my interest in weather events) and the cold months of January 1994 & February 2015.  I gave the nod to December 1989 because I was at Lyndon and the elevation and northern latitude enhanced the cold for me.  I don't know that I'll experience a month like that again.

Lots of good memories here by all!

[Torch Tiger]

The Great Torch of 2012 is an honorable mention, though not a single event.

[LSC97wxnut]

Blizzard of '78 - I was 4, but I have vivid memories of snowbanks taller than me and sliding down all the snow that had blown between our cars and my dad being home from work all week because nothing was moving.

6/1/2011 - Working in Marlborough, MA at the time watching the cell develop and seeing the board light up when the first reports started coming about the tornado in just as I was leaving for the day.  Darkest western sky I can remember seeing from any daytime storm so far away.

Hurricane Gloria - I think I watched Dick Albert and The Weather Channel non-stop as a young 11 year-old the days leading up to the storm.  We had a huge yard with no overhanging trees, so I spent a lot of the storm outside in the wind once we lost power as we were on the dry side of the storm.

Jan-Feb 2015 - I am putting this stretch of weather in as I was living in the Cleveland Circle area at this time with our 7 month-old daughter.  Watching the snowbanks get higher, and higher, and higher was amazing.  Just nowhere to put the snow by the end.  That combined with trying to push a BoB jogging stroller around after parking who knows how far from our apartment because of all the semi-abandoned cars buried by the snowbanks.

Ice storm 2008 - Living in Maynard right on the Assabet River at the time just on the edge of the accretion.  The hillside above where we lived was covered in ice and bending trees, but down where we were, it was OK.  Drove to the office in Marlborough to find branches down everywhere and no power.  Had no idea until I got home later how close we were to not having power for a week.

Honorable mentions: 8/5/2015 hail storm and a fun drive down Beacon St in Brookline coming back from daycare with daughter in the car.  12/14/2007 snow gridlock.

I was in school at LSC during the Perfect Storm and April Fools, so I didn't experience them directly, only from afar.  Bob doesn't really make my list as for where we lived, it was a rainy, (really) windy day and we didn't even loose power.

[dendrite]

On 9/7/2019 at 7:21 AM, dendrite said:

The great high pressure of Feb 1981.

What a pants tent.

[tamarack]

Ice storm: December 2008. About an inch and a half of ice at 31F. Amazing event. Most people posting on here were on the forums for this one so they've seen all the pics and such even if they didn't directly experience it. Can't match January 1998 up in NNE but basically no ice storm can. 

Comparing just worst-to-worst, they may have been close (though the "Godzilla effect" high tension towers in Quebec are indeed unmatched.)   But 1998 tore things apart from Montreal to Machias - can't recall another ice storm that covered nearly that much area.

[TalcottWx]

Feb 2013 Blizzard, Winter 2015, June 1 2011 Tornado/Central MA, 97 April Fools Day, Jan 2005 Blizzard

[Brewbeer]

1. Octo snow bomb 2011.  98.5 hours with 3 kids and no power.  Unbelievable tree and electric utility equipment damage.

2. Blizzard of '78.  Lived in Natick, unbelievable snow and wind, also no power (but we had a wood stove) and extended no travel / no school.

Honorable mention:  Springfield tornado 2011.  I wasn't in it but it went 1/2 mile south of my office.  Did strip the trees along the river pretty good.  But is was nothing like the life altering events of the first two, and nothing else I've experienced comes close.

[#NoPoles]

Dec 12, 1982 Schaefer Stadium Snow Plow game. Pats Vs Dolphins

[Cold Miser]

I am bad with dates but...
March 93 Snow
April 97 Snow
Some insane heatwave in like July/August of 91.
Irene

2 other snowstorms in the past 7 years, but I don't recall the dates without going into my archives which are at home.

(I was in Rockland County NY during Sandy, which was a bigger event down there)
 

[SouthCoastMA]

1991 - Hurricane Bob (storm surge @ swifts beach)

Dec 9th 2005 - Nuke CCB preceded by Sun/Rainbow

Jan 22 2005 - Blizzard

Date Unknown (early to mid 2000's?) - Microburst1
TS Irene - Microburst2

March 13 1993 - Blizzard conditions (1st whiteout i can remember) for several hours followed by pounding sleet

Honorable Mentions:
Feb 2013 - Tree damage from Blizzard
Blizzard 96
April Fools 97
Feb 14/15 2015 Blizzard 
TS Floyd/Hurricane Sandy

[SJonesWX]

On 9/8/2019 at 8:24 PM, OceanStWx said:

I mean I don't think it counts if I only lived through Scooter running naked through the streets does it?

I could add the 10/18/09 snow at Foxboro coupled with the 59-0 thrashing of Tennessee.

that event was definitely an interesting one. i was in MHT that day and it was raining with some occassional flakes mixed in. got home and flipped on the Pats game and couldn't believe how hard it was snowing (plus the score!)

[Chrisrotary12]

12/9/05 (Brockton) - stinger CCB with vivid lightning

1/27-28/13 (Nashua) - 33" (personal best)

Blizzard of 2005 (Brockton) - week off from school

October Snow 2011 (Lowell) - off campus apartment didn't lose power, but my former dorm did and my buddies gave me all their beer

(Guessing on the date) 7/6/1999 Hail Storm (Brockton) - hit while I was pitching in an all-star baseball tournament as storm hit

 

[ma blizzard]

5 minutes ago, Chrisrotary12 said:

12/9/05 (Brockton) - stinger CCB with vivid lightning

1/27-28/13 (Nashua) - 33" (personal best)

Blizzard of 2005 (Brockton) - week off from school

October Snow 2011 (Lowell) - off campus apartment didn't lose power, but my former dorm did and my buddies gave me all their beer

(Guessing on the date) 7/6/1999 Hail Storm (Brockton) - hit while I was pitching in an all-star baseball tournament as storm hit

 

[CoastalWx]

On 9/10/2019 at 2:43 PM, Chrisrotary12 said:

12/9/05 (Brockton) - stinger CCB with vivid lightning

1/27-28/13 (Nashua) - 33" (personal best)

Blizzard of 2005 (Brockton) - week off from school

October Snow 2011 (Lowell) - off campus apartment didn't lose power, but my former dorm did and my buddies gave me all their beer

(Guessing on the date) 7/6/1999 Hail Storm (Brockton) - hit while I was pitching in an all-star baseball tournament as storm hit

 

I think that was the hail date. There were two massive storms that hit within a few days of each other. 

[dendrite]

I had back to back hail storms with that in Auburn, NH.

[dendrite]

2 hours ago, dendrite said:

I had back to back hail storms with that in Auburn, NH.

I lied. They were 7/24 and 7/25.

[amarshall]

7/6/99 crusher hail and tor warning for Marshfield

Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk

[USCAPEWEATHERAF]

For severe weather, June 2008 Hail storm, July 23rd, 2019 Tornado EF-1, 110mph winds. 

Winter events: combo of Winter 2004-2005, and 2014-2015, single event of FEB 8-9th 2013, microburst 2005 DEC 9th NOREASTER.

Hurricane Season 2004, the discovery of Wunderground.com Dr. Masters' blog.

[moneypitmike]

I'll go with:

 

'78

Rocktober

Irene's flooding

1993

[weatherwiz]

1. May 31, 1998 Severe Weather Outbreak -

This date can actually be defined as that entire weekend (Friday, May 29 to Sunday, May 31). I was in 4th grade at the time and I was going to my sisters for the weekend who lived in Windsor Locks. I don't remember the exact timing, but we had some real nasty t'storms move through late Friday afternoon. This was a pretty decent event (though I think the worst was just southwest of SNE). IMO, this day also gets very underlooked when discussing the 5/31/98 event as it played a crucial part in the outbreak. 

The cold front which produced the t'storms Friday, stalled south of the region. This boundary then moved north Sunday as a warm front...and a pretty active one as it produced rain and t'storms...I think even some severe weather. Anyways...enough of the weather set-up. From watching the news and reading the newspaper, I knew there was a risk for severe weather Sunday and I was PUMPED b/c I was going to be in Windsor Locks...just b/c of the 10/3/79 event I associated Windsor Locks with a great severe spot lol. The day started off cloudy/rainy, but by mid-morning skies quickly became sunny and it got hot and humid. 

I think it was also the neighbors kids birthday b/c there was a party going on...the Red Sox also played the Yankees this day and scored 10 runs in the 3rd inning I think...I remember eating a banana with my two nephews and friends and we were walking up and down the street chanting, "Red Sox rule, Yankees drool". Anyways...I kept closely watching TWC and listening to the radio and the were mentioning tornadoes and I was pumped...then the watch came out. Unfortunately, since I had school the next day I had to return home to West Hartford...I was pissed b/c I wanted to stay.

When I got home I didn't even have to put TWC on b/c my parents already had it on. We closely watched as the t'storms in NY started approaching CT. Finally, the storms pushed into the state and a tornado warning went out for Litchfield County and the cell was headed in our direction. My parents went into the kitchen and I heard them making preparations to get myself, two brothers, and our kitty into the basement. My two brothers were scared but I was loving it. 

 

The t'storms hit and it was NUTS...strong winds, nickel hail (first time I'd seen hail) and then...a funnel cloud (or what my dad and I swear was a funnel cloud). We were both looking out the window (towards the east) and keep it mind its like 9:30-10:00 PM and real dark...only lightning lighting up the sky. In between the two houses across the street was this incredibly low cloud that may have been rotating. I'll never forget that. Also, around this time we got a call from my sister screaming, "THERE'S A TORNADO....OH MY GOD....THERE'S A TORNADO"...Windsor Locks also doesn't have many homes with basements in them and she is freaking out b/c she had 3 kids at the time...so we told her get into either the bathroom or a closet with blankets. Turns out not a tornado but she was dead smack in the middle of the microburst. 

2. December 2006 snowstorm

 WOW...that was wild. I think I got 14'' of snow in 3-hours; including thundersnow. Ended up with 27'' of snow...half the storm total coming in that 3-hours when the death band just sat and pivoted. By far the most snow I had ever seen...until 2013. 

3. June 10, 2008 (I think it was the 10th)

20 minutes of hail...mostly pea but as big as nickle...it piled up and accumulated...never, ever seen anything like that and haven't since. The duration of the hail was unbelievable. 

4. May 15, 2018

Was in Danbury on a date that day and we were just a FEW MILES from the Microbust which occurred at Candlewood Lake). Had nickle hail and just insane winds. It was so wild couldn't even hear the thunder. What was really crazy was the power went out even before the gust front got to us. 

5. Blizzard of 2013

Jaw dropping snow rates and flake size...it was like a severe thunderstorm with snow...winds were pretty strong too. I think I got 27.5'' of snow or 28' which just beat out Feb 2006. The snow drifts were wild. At some point could barely even see the street from outside my window. I think snow rates were like 3-4''/hour in WeHa. But I think Steve posted getting like 5-6''/hr...those radar returns were beyond insane. 

 

[USCAPEWEATHERAF]

The July 23rd, 2019 tornado on Cape Cod that occurred in my town of Harwich, wasn't the only severe weather event this past summer, another hail event with stones about quarter sized occurred on June 22nd, 2019.  That was cool.https://twitter.com/89Nich/status/1180108248122351616/photo/1

[tamarack]

On ‎9‎/‎7‎/‎2019 at 10:02 AM, tamarack said:

lol.  Feb heat wave (CAR +14.7 for the month)  St. John and Allagash ice runs.

My top 5 (with then-current residence):

Jan 1998 ice storm  (Gardiner)
April 1987 Kennebec flood  (Gardiner)
April 1982 blizzard   (Fort Kent)
Bob (Gardiner)
Feb. 2, 1976 SE gale (Fort Kent)   Temp 44 to -6 in 5 hr,  CAR 957 mb,  BGR 200 cars drowned as Penobscot estuary rises 15 feet in 15 minutes, Stonington gust 110+.

Honorable mentions (both New Sharon):  Dec 6-7, 2003 (24" blizz), Pi Day 2017 (2nd strongest blizz after 4/82)

Not New England, but some from my former life in NNJ - chronological, not prioritized:

Nov. 1950 Apps Gale - my 1st wx memory.  Watched trees thrashing until tops began falling, at which point dad thought it wise to go inside.

Jan. 1953 Ice Storm - 45 years (to the day) prior to #1, above.  6 days w/o power, probably piqued my interest both in wx and trees.

March 1956 - 24" dump, my first big snowstorm.

Feb. 1961 - 24" or more atop a 25"+ pack, greatest depth in NJ records.  NYC's strongest Feb wind.

New Year's Eve 1962 - Winds gusting probably to 70 (uprooted huge bare-limbed oaks) with temp 5/-8, vies with 11/50 for strongest winds I've seen.  Backside winds from the storm that ate BGR.

Jan. 1966 - Baltimore blizzard, 15-18" pow at mid teens, winds gusting 50s, some side streets remained impassible a week later.

Aug. 1971 - PRE plus TS Doria, 8.9" RA in about 20 hours.  Top winds about same as Hazel, Bob (gusts approaching 60)

[H2Otown_WX]

On 9/8/2019 at 7:28 AM, ORH_wxman said:

I'll do it by type of event:

Snowstorm: December 1992 with close to 3 feet of high water content snow....it would speak for itself back in the ORH hills regardless of when it occurred....but the fact it was the storm "that broke the snow drought" made it even more memorable. It was the first double digit snow event at ORH since January 1988. The longest stretch on record there. What a way to break the streak. 

Ice storm: December 2008. About an inch and a half of ice at 31F. Amazing event. Most people posting on here were on the forums for this one so they've seen all the pics and such even if they didn't directly experience it. Can't match January 1998 up in NNE but basically no ice storm can. 

Severe: The May 31, 1998 macroburst at ORH. Produced a 104mph wind gust at holy cross. Just shy of 100mph at ORH airport. I was legit scared it was a tornado when I heard the winds starting to whistle while under a tornado warning. Made it to basement as we heard a massive crack. 3 foot diameter tree broke next to us. 

Tropical: Chased Irene on the Cape with Phil and we got sustained around 60mph with gusts near hurricane force. Pretty good all things considered. Slim pickens in New England the past 2-3 decades. Bob in '91 had some pretty good flooding but not great winds back inland. 

Heat: Probably July 1995 only because of the dewpoints with it. It wasn't as intense as 2011 but it was more uncomfortable. 

Cold: January 2004 if we're going on combo of longevity and pure misery. Thin snow pack and brutal winds. If we're going on just shear peak magnitude it's Valentines Day 2016....absolutely brutal. Only lasted about 36 hours but it was epically intense. Froze our shower drain for over a day. January 1994 gets a mention of throw some wintry appeal deep snowpack into the equation....and the lowest daytime max of 1F. Recently tied this past January. 

How close was April '97 to beating December '92? I assume April '97 would be 2nd?

[Torch Tiger]

2012 is an honorable mention. Easily the best warm season ever

[dryslot]

On 9/7/2019 at 10:15 PM, mreaves said:

In VT

1927 Flood

1938 Hurricane

1998 Ice Storm

2007 VDay Snowstorm

2011 TS Irene

I listed the first two even though I obviously wasn’t around because they had such a profound impact that I remember hearing stories growing up from people who were there and seeing remnants of the damage from them. They were the two biggest weather events of the 20th century. 

Wow, Your old to personally witness these.............

[dryslot]

1. Feb 22-28 1969, 36" snow

2. Jan 28 2015, Blizzard 28.5" snow

3. Feb 08-09 2013, Blizzard 26.0" snow

4. Hurricane Bob, 1991, 7 days no power, 2' water in the basement.

5. Flood 1987

[mreaves]

20 minutes ago, dryslot said:

Wow, Your old to personally witness these.............

Not quite lol.  Growing up I heard a lot about both events from old timers.  I knew some old farmers that would tell you about things you could see that were remnants of the damage done by those events.  

[The 4 Seasons]

On 10/4/2019 at 7:40 AM, weatherwiz said:

2. December 2006 snowstorm

 WOW...that was wild. I think I got 14'' of snow in 3-hours; including thundersnow. Ended up with 27'' of snow...half the storm total coming in that 3-hours when the death band just sat and pivoted. By far the most snow I had ever seen...until 2013. 

I don't remember a single snow event in CT in Dec 2006, let alone something historic like 27". This sounds like Feb 11/12 2006, especially with that 'death band pivoting over NYC and W CT. Or was it another part of the northeast or country?

From what i remember 06-07 was a complete dud. We didn't see any real snow until late Feb/early Mar.

[weatherwiz]

12 minutes ago, The 4 Seasons said:

I don't remember a single snow event in CT in Dec 2006, let alone something historic like 27". This sounds like Feb 11/12 2006, especially with that 'death band pivoting over NYC and W CT. Or was it another part of the northeast or country?

From what i remember 06-07 was a complete dud. We didn't see any real snow until late Feb/early Mar.

my mistake...yeah Feb 2006...I think I said Feb 2006 in the paragraph lol.

I was thinking of the December 1, 2006 severe wx event when I typed that