Coastal Rockingham storm history

High surf and rip currents impacted the New Hampshire Seacoast all weekend long as Hurricane Erin passed well off to the east with multiple rescues being recorded. A farther and son were caught in a rip current on the evening of August 24th at Hampton Beach. There were no lifegua…

A man and woman from Massachusetts died and 6 others had to be rescued when a strong rip current developed along the beach in Seabrook, New Hampshire. Both victims were administered CPR at the scene and taken to a nearby hospital. The 49-year-old man was pronounced dead shortly a…

In the Portsmouth region at the Seavey Island gauge, the tide reached 13.17 feet MLLW at 1212 pm. The storm surge was recorded at 3.33 feet. The Hampton, New Hampshire gage topped out at 14.20 feet MLLW with a storm surge of 4.20 feet. The water level at the Seavey Island and Ham…

An intense and rapidly deepening area of low pressure over the Great Lakes region (975 mb) combined with modestly high astronomical tides to produce the third highest storm tide ever in Portland (records 1912-present). In the Portsmouth region at the relatively new Seavey Island …

Along the Seacoast of New Hampshire, the astronomical tide was 10.3 feet MLLW at 1030 am. The storm tide reached 13.2 feet MLLW due to an accompanying 2.9 foot storm surge. Flood stage is 11.0 feet MLLW in Hampton Beach. Significant flooding occurred in Rye and Hampton where ocea…

In Hampton, New Hampshire, major flooding occurred along the New Hampshire seacoast where up to 3 feet of water covered some roadways in the Back Bay area of Hampton. Route 1A was shut down at Wallis Sands Beach. Ocean Boulevard was also closed in Rye as large rocks, the size of …

High astronomical tides combined with strong northeast winds and large battering waves to produce severe coastal flooding across most of the New Hampshire coast. Many roads were closed and residents evacuated. Damage to marinas, buoys, docks and coastal property was significant. …

Snow overspread the Seacoast midday on the 2nd. Warmer air near the coast delayed the onset of accumulating snow, but steady light to moderate snow picked up in the afternoon and continued into the evening. Snow tapered off after midnight on the 3rd. Snowfall totals range from 4 …

Rockingham County averaged 1.78 inches of precipitation in December, approximately 2.3 inches below normal. The July'December stretch was the 5th driest on record. Level 2 water restrictions in Exeter remained in place as reservoir levels failed to recover. The USDM on December 3…

Rockingham County averaged 2.04 inches of precipitation in November, approximately 2 inches below normal. The rainfall deficits carried over from summer grew near 6 inches, making it the 7th driest stretch between July through November on record. The USDM on November 25th had 49%…

Rockingham County averaged 2.48 inches of precipitation in September, approximately an inch below normal. The rainfall deficits carried over from summer grew near 4 inches, making it the 9th driest stretch between July through September on record. The USDM on September 30th had 6…

Light snow overspread the area in the evening on the 15th. This continued into the morning of the 16th when an area of strong warm air advection resulted in a laterally translating band of moderate to heavy snow. This swept through the region by the afternoon of the 16th. Periods…

Snow overspread the area in the late evening on the 8th. Strong warm air advection resulted in a broad area of steady snow. A focused band of heavier snow lifted through the Seacoast, with a dry slot eventually approaching and leading to lighter snowfall. At times a very deep sno…

An early season heat wave impacted New Hampshire from June 17th through the 20th with the peak of the heat occurring June 19th-20th when excessive heat was observed through southern and central parts of the state. Heat index values reached above 105F across southern New Hampshire…

In the Portsmouth region at the Seavey Island gauge, the tide reached 11.97 feet MLLW at 10:47AM. The storm surge was recorded at 2.07 feet. In Hampton, New Hampshire, Highland Ave along NH101 flooded due to high water levels and battering surf. Most closures were due to inundati…

Snow squalls arrived at the Seacoast during the afternoon on the 14th. The Portsmouth International Airport at Pease reported visibility of one quarter mile with winds gusting to 25 mph. The squalls lasted about 20 minutes at any given location before conditions improved. Snowfal…

Some light snow began during the evening of the 6th with ocean effect showers moving westward into the Seacoast. The moderate snow began later in the evening on the 6th. Several rounds of heavy snow with snowfall rates in excess of 1 to 2 inches per hour occurred through the even…

Southeast winds increased during the overnight hours on December 17th as the surface low approached the region. By daybreak on the 18th, strong to damaging onshore southeast winds impacted the entire state. Impacts were greatest across the Seacoast region of the state and on the …

Rain changed to snow at the Seacoast during the morning on the 14th. Snowfall became moderate to heavy at times during the afternoon, where snowfall rates and lower sun angle helped snow accumulate. Snowfall totals ranged from 6 to 10 inches.

By the evening on the 3rd wind chills were reaching -30 degrees. Ambient air temperatures continued to fall into the double digits below zero with winds gusting in excess of 35 mph. The coldest wind chill values approached -40 degrees early on the 4th before winds gradually began…

The Seacoast experienced three periods of strong to damaging winds. One in the early morning hours of the 23rd generally had wind gusts in the 40 to 50 mph range. A second during the morning to midday period featured wind gusts of 60 to 65 mph. The final round of strong wind gust…

On August 30th drought monitor, Rockingham County was 8% in extreme drought and 92% in severe drought. By the end of the month, 5% of the county was in severe drought and 95% in moderate drought. The improvement was the result of widespread shower activity with most of the county…

On the August 2nd drought monitor, Rockingham County was 87% in severe drought and 13% moderate drought. By the end of the month, 92% of the county was in severe drought. The deterioration was the result of spotty shower activity with most of the county receiving between 1 and 3 …

Snow squalls crossed the Seacoast between 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm. The Portsmouth International Airport at Pease observed a visibility of 1/4 mile and a wind gust of 27 knots at 7:32 pm.

Snow overspread the Seacoast early in the morning on the 25th. A hybrid type snow band pushed through the area then gradually transitioned into a laterally quasi-stationary band which generally remained north of the area. Moderate to occasionally heavy snowfall occurred during th…

Light snow began on the morning of the 29th, with the intensity of snowfall picking up after daybreak. An intense band of snow developed around mid morning over southern New England and remained mostly over the Gulf of Maine until midday. The band backed into the Seacoast and rem…

In Hampton, the astronomical tide was 8.8 feet with a storm surge of 3.6 feet at high tide to reach a 12.4 foot storm tide. Flood stage in Hampton is 11.0 feet (MLLW). The Seavey Island tide gauge topped out at 11.6 feet (MLLW). Widespread flooding occurred along the back bay are…

Snow overspread the Seacoast very early in the morning on the 7th. Snow was moderate to heavy through daybreak, after which the snow remained generally light through mid afternoon. The heaviest snow remained just offshore, but snow totals ranged from 5 to 7 inches.

The astronomical high tide in Hampton of 9.2ft combined with a storm surge of 1.5ft to reach a 11.7ft storm tide, which was .7ft above the minor flood stage. The tide remained above flood stage for 2 hours and 9 minutes at the Hampton tide gage. In addition, large, battering wave…

Snow moved into the area on the evening of the 1st and continued through the morning hours on the 2nd. The bulk of the accumulation came with moderate to heavy snow in the mesoscale snow band as it moved north through New Hampshire. Snowfall rates were 1 inch per hour at times, a…

The astronomical tide in Hampton of 9.2 feet combined with a storm surge of 2.8 feet at high tide to reach a 12.0 foot storm tide (flood stages is 11.0 feet). The tide remained above flood stage for 2 hours and 12 minutes at the Hampton tide gage. The new Seavey Island tide gauge…

Snow began just after midnight on the 17th. Snow quickly became heavy as an intense band of snow moved through the area. While the band became stationary north of the Seacoast, as it moved through snowfall rates of 3 to 4 inches per hour were observed. During mid morning hours an…

Drought classification remained the same throughout the entire region during the month of November with D2 and D3 classification remaining centered across southeast New Hampshire. Severe drought impacted 19% of the state with 11% of the state under Extreme drought conditions. Due…

The drought peaked in intensity during the first week of October before beneficial widespread rains impacted the state towards the middle of October. Concord received a monthly rainfall total of 5.11, Manchester received 4.01, and Durham received 4.59. Conditions became dry once …

The drought peaked in intensity during the first week of October before beneficial widespread rains impacted the state towards the middle of October. Concord received a monthly rainfall total of 5.11, Manchester received 4.01, Whitefield received 5.48, and Durham received 4.59. E…

The astronomical tide in Hampton of 9.4 feet combined with minimal storm surge of 0.3 feet at high tide to reach a 9.5 foot storm tide (MLLW) which is short of flood stage inundation impacts. Flood stage in Hampton is 11.0 feet (MLLW). Although winds were offshore, large, long pe…

In Hampton, the astronomical tide was 10.1 feet with a storm surge of 1.5 feet at high tide to reach an 11.6 foot storm tide. Flood stage in Hampton is 11.0 feet (MLLW). Although winds were offshore, large, long period swell entered the Gulf of Maine leading to splash-over along …

Drought continued to expand and intensified through the month of September with the state of New Hampshire recording the 7th driest September on record. D2 severe drought expanded to cover every county in New Hampshire by the end of the month. In addition, an area of D3 extreme d…

Tropical Storm Isaias brought moderate impacts to Rockingham County with scattered reports of trees and branches down leading to scattered power outages. Storm surge remained around 1 foot but hit at low tide with no coastal flooding reported.

On the night of May 7th the highest astronomical tide of the month of 10.65 ft MLLW combined with a storm surge of .8 ft to cause minor flooding in the Hampton Beach Area. A report along with photos from Johnson Ave, showed up to 1 foot of inundation along with water reaching up …

The astronomical tide in Hampton was 8.44 feet with the storm tide topping out at 11.38 feet. The resulting 2.94 foot storm surge kept the Hampton tide gauge above flood stage for over an hour. In Hampton, significant splash-over occurred along the North Beach Seawall with struct…

On the evening of December 1st a band of heavy snowfall lifted out of Massachusetts into Seacoast New Hampshire. Snowfall rates were observed to be in excess of 1 inch per hour in the late evening before snow began to taper. Snow came in waves through the day on December 2nd, add…

A King Tide event coincided with a weak area of low pressure which brought a foot of storm surge to coastal New Hampshire on October 28th. The Hampton Tide Gauge recorded a storm tide of 11.91 feet, which was close to a foot above flood stage. Tidal flooding was reported in Hampt…

Strong wind gusts in the early morning hours of the 17th led to downed trees and power lines across the Seacoast causing numerous power outages across Rockingham County. Portsmouth International Airport at Pease recorded a wind gust of 53 mph.

Light snow began on the evening of the 3rd. As low pressure intensified off Cape Cod an intense band of snow developed northwest of the track. Parts of this band clipped southeast New Hampshire with snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour early in the morning on the 4th. Snow qu…

Winds began to increase early in the morning of the 25th as cold air advection developed behind a cold front. After daybreak winds increased sharply and continued through the day. The most intense burst of winds came in the late afternoon and early evening. This is when Portsmout…

Snow broke out across Seacoast New Hampshire just after midnight on the 20th, with heavy snow moving into area in the early morning hours. Snow changed to significant amounts of sleet during the morning and continued for much of the day, keeping snow amounts lower than areas fart…

Intense low pressure combined with high astronomical tides to produce coastal flooding in Hampton. Six inches of water covered roads in the Backbay area while significant splash-over occurred along Route 1A in Hampton.

In the late evening of the 15th a band of heavy snow lifted out of southern New England into southern New Hampshire. Snowfall quickly increased in intensity, and rates of 1 inch per hour were observed after midnight. Early morning of the 16th a dry slot moved overhead and precipi…