Lightning — Suffolk, Massachusetts

2001-07-10 · near Revere, Suffolk, Massachusetts

Wider weather episode

Severe thunderstorms rolled through much of western and central Massachusetts, dropping large hail and downing trees and power lines in Hampden, Hampshire, Worcester, and Middlesex Counties. Hail the size of ping pong balls was reported in South Oxford, while quarter-sized hail fell in South Amherst, Belchertown, Ware, Chester, and Huntington. A spotter in Springfield reported nickel-sized hail, and dime-sized hail was observed in Northampton, Warren, Chester, Brookfield, and West Boylston. Around 6,000 electric customers, mostly in the Connecticut River Valley, lost power during the storms.In Eastern Massachusetts, the storms produced frequent lightning. In Revere, a man out walking his dog was struck and killed by lightning. Lightning struck two homes in Norwood, as well as an antenna on Norwood Town Hall, disrupting fire department communications. Minor damage was reported in all instances. Lightning also struck a utility pole in Canton, causing several homes to lose power. In Randolph, a large section of town was left without power due to lightning strikes.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5258424. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.