Heavy Snow — Hillsborough, New Hampshire

1996-12-07 to 1996-12-08 · Hillsborough, New Hampshire

Wider weather episode

A low pressure system centered over Georgia at 7 AM on December 7th moved rapidly northeast across North Carolina. The intensifying system then moved about parallel to the Mid-Atlantic coast with its center reaching Plymouth County in southeastern Massachusetts during the early morning hours of December 8th, before passing along the New Hampshire coast by late morning. This storm dropped from 7 to 15 inches of heavy, wet snow on the region, resulting in widespread damage to trees and power lines. At the height of the storm on Saturday evening, December 7th, the Public Service Company of New Hampshire reported 94,000 electric customers were without power statewide and 16 communities in the state set up public shelters. This was the greatest power loss since 86,000 lost power during Hurricane Bob in August, 1991. Thousands remained without power for several days as power crews from Canada, New York, and Maine labored to restore electric power.In Manchester, a man died from injuries suffered when a snow-laden falling tree limb struck him on the head. Snow plowing crews were hampered by downed power lines. Some residents claimed this to be the worst winter storm damage they had experienced in 30 years. Some snowfall totals and total snow on the ground (which included snow which remained on the ground following the December 6th storm) included: Jaffrey, 15 inches with 21 inches on the ground; Marlow, 12.5 inches with 19 inches on the ground; Keene, 10 inches with 17 inches on the ground; Manchester, 11.4 inches with 14 inches on the ground; and Nashua, 7 inches with 12 inches on the ground. Damage from this storm, including losses to private and public property and businesses was in the millions of dollars.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5582379. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.