High Wind — Eastern Hampden, Massachusetts

2021-03-01 to 2021-03-02 · Eastern Hampden, Massachusetts

Event narrative

At 407 PM EST on March 1, a mesonet site atop Mt. Tom recorded a wind gust to 62 mph and at 412 AM EST on March 2, it gusted to 78 mph. Other wind gusts included 61 mph on the ASOS at Westfield-Barnes Airport (KBAF) at 453 AM EST on the 2nd and 56 mph at Westover Airport (KCEF) at 356 AM EST on the 2nd. In Wilbraham at 1045 PM EST, a 50-foot spruce tree was down on Stony Hill Road. Also, another tree was down on Crane Hill Road.

Wider weather episode

An arctic cold front moved through southern New England on the afternoon of March 1st. It was followed by very strong/damaging west-northwest winds, which continued through much of the night and into the early morning hours on March 2nd. There were many reports of downed trees and at one point, more than 60,000 customers were without power in Massachusetts.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 940238. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.