NOUS41 KBOX 251716
PNSBOX
CTZ002>004-MAZ002>024-026-NHZ011-012-015-RIZ001>008-260501-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
SPOTTER REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
114 PM EDT THU MAY 25 2006

STORM DATE: MAY 12-15, 2006

...IMPRESSIVE LONG DURATION RECORD CHALLENGING BOSTON AREA RAIN 
EVENT SUMMARY... 

THE FOLLOWING IS A SAMPLING OF 4 DAY STORM TOTAL OBSERVATIONS FOR 
THE STORM THAT CAUSED MAJOR TO RECORD FLOODING IN PORTIONS SOUTH 
CENTRAL NEW HAMPSHIRE AND THE NORTHEAST TIP OF MASSACHUSETTS WITH 
MINOR FLOODING IN OTHER PARTS OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. 

THE ASOS AND CO-OP DATA LISTED BELOW BECOMES OFFICIAL WHEN ITS 
CHECKED FOR ACCURACY ETC BY THE NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER. 

THIS LISTING MAY STILL BE INCOMPLETE THOUGH ITS CONSIDERED RELIABLY 
ACCURATE FOR THE DATA AND DATE POSTED. THIS MAY YET BE UPDATED 
ONE FINAL TIME LATE FRIDAY...RESOURCE AND WEATHER PERMITTING.

WHILE THIS STORM DELIVERED RAIN INTERMITTENTLY OVER AN APPROXIMATELY 
100 HOUR PERIOD...IT WAS ORIGINALLY SUBDIVIDED INTO THREE SEGMENTS 
FOR DATA MANAGEMENT PURPOSES. 

PART ONE...WHICH COVERED THE CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY FLOODING 
DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS FRIDAY MAY 12TH. ESSENTIALLY 5 TO 8 INCHES 
OCCURRED IN WESTERN HARTFORD COUNTY WITH LESSER AMOUNTS NORTH AND 
EAST OF HARTFORD.  

PART THREE...THE FINAL SEGMENT...OCCURRED MONDAY AFTERNOON THE 15TH 
INTO EARLY THE 16TH WITH GENERALLY LESS THAN 1.5 INCHES. IT WAS THE 
PRIMARY UPPER LEVEL CIRCULATION THAT HELPED GUIDE RECORD RAINFALL 
GENERATING MOISTURE INTO NORTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS OVER THE PREVIOUS 
WEEKEND /13TH-14TH/ AND WAS FINALLY LIFTING OUT ACROSS THE AREA LATE 
MONDAY THE 15TH...AFTER HAVING BEEN ESSENTIALLY STATIONARY FOR 
SEVERAL DAYS FROM THE OHIO VALLEY TO THE MID ATLANTIC STATES.
 
SO...THE MAIN PORTION OF THIS UNIQUE LONG DURATION STORM OCCURRED 
FROM FRIDAY EVENING THROUGH MONDAY MORNING AND ITS CONTENTS ARE 
EMBEDDED IN THE 4 DAY TOTALS LISTED BELOW.  

PENDING NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER CERTIFICATION...A NEW STATE OF 
MASSACHUSETTS MONTHLY RAINFALL RECORD WAS LIKELY ESTABLISHED WITH 
THIS EARLY WARM SEASON 4 DAY RAIN EVENT. THE SALISBURY NEWBURYPORT 
CO-OPERATIVE OBSERVER MONTHLY TOTAL FOR MAY THROUGH 6 PM FRIDAY MAY 
19TH...WAS 19.94 INCHES...AND WELL ABOVE THE PREVIOUSLY KNOWN MONTH 
OF MAY STATE RECORD OF 13.6 INCHES SET IN MAY 1984 AT PERU.  THE NWS 
METAR SITE AT BEVERLY ALSO EASILY EXCEEDED THIS PREVIOUSLY KNOWN 
RECORD FOR THE MONTH OF MAY AND WAS 16.60 INCHES AS OF 8 AM THURSDAY
THE 25TH.  

ALSO EMBEDDED WITHIN THE DATA BELOW OF THIS REPORT ARE DAILY RECORDS 
SET THIS PAST WEEKEND AT BOSTON /MAY 13 AND 14 RESPECTIVELY/. 

OF EVEN GREATER IMPORTANCE FOR BOSTON CLIMATOLOGY ARE THE MULTI 
CONSECUTIVE DAY TOTALS.

BOSTONS 8.49 INCHES THAT OCCURRED OVER 4 CALENDAR DAYS ENDING MAY 
16TH IS FOURTH HIGHEST 96 HOUR TOTAL IN ALL OF THE BOSTON DATABASE 
DATING BACK TO 1872.  THE RECORD IS THE 12.47 INCHES FOR THE 4 DAY 
PERIOD ENDING AUGUST 20TH 1955. WHEN YOU CAREFULLY REVIEW THE 
DATA....THE SECOND AND THIRD RANKING 4 CONSECUTIVE DAY RAINFALLS 
WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS AUGUST 1955 TROPICAL STORM DIANE.   

IN ESSENCE THEN...IN 134 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS RECORD KEEPING FOR 
BOSTON...THIS WAS THE SECOND LARGEST 4 DAY RAINFALL EVER!

THE 72 HOUR CALENDAR DAY 7.98 INCHES AT BOSTON WAS THE THIRD RANKED 
SEPARATE EVENT EPISODE BEHIND THE 
7.99 INCHES ENDING OCTOBER 22 1996 AND THE 
MASSIVE 12.47 INCHES ENDING AUGUST 19 1955. 

THE 48 HOUR CALENDAR DAY 7.61 INCHES AT BOSTON RANKED 4TH BEHIND 
ENDING 8/19/55  11.94    
ENDING 10/21/96  7.89
ENDING 9/17/33   7.83

AND FINALLY FOR BOSTON...THE MONTHLY MAY TOTAL OF 12.21 INCHES AS OF 
8 AM THIS THURSDAY MORNING THE 25TH IS NOW ONLY 1.16 INCHES SHY OF 
THE RECORD AND RANKS NUMBER 2 ALL TIME FOR MAY...AT BOSTON.

IT IS ALSO THE 4TH WETTEST MONTHLY TOTAL IN BOSTON RECORDS DATING 
BACK TO 1872. TOPS IS THE 17.09 INCHES IN AUGUST 1955 FOLLOWED BY 
THE 13.38 INCHES IN MAY 1954 AND THE 13.2 INCHES IN JUNE 1982.

THE BLUE HILL OBSERVATORY IN MILTON MASSACHUSETTS DID NOT HAVE 
NEARLY AS MUCH RAIN AS NEARBY BOSTON YET A NEW MONTH OF MAY RECORD 
HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED AT THAT 635 FOOT ABOVE SEA LEVEL SITE LOCATED 
APPROXIMATELY 11 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BOSTON. THE 9.59 INCHES AS OF 8 
AM THIS MORNING THE 25TH SURPASSES THE PREVIOUS 9.16 INCH RECORD SET 
IN 1954.  DAILY RECORDS ALSO OCCURRED THERE ON THE 13TH AND 14TH.   

THE MAY 2006 STORM COMPARES FAVORABLY TO THE OCTOBER 20-22 1996 
EVENT FOR NORTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS IN THAT BOTH HAD LARGE AND NEARLY 
STATIONARY LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS SOUTH OF OUR LATITUDE THAT ON 
SATELLITE IMAGERY APPEARED TO INGEST A PLUME OF TROPICAL MOISTURE 
WITHIN THE VAST CONVEYOR OF ONSHORE ATLANTIC FLOW.

A PRELIMINARY REVIEW OF RAINFALL AND RIVER STAGE INFORMATION 
SUGGESTS THIS MAY 2006 EVENT WAS A CLEARLY MORE SEVERE FOR PORTIONS 
OF ESSEX COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS THAN THE OCTOBER 1996 
EVENT. RAINFALL AMOUNTS APPEARED TO BE SLIGHTLY HEAVIER AND FLOOD OF 
RECORD STAGES WERE REACHED ON THE PARKER IPSWICH AND SAUGUS RIVERS 
IN ESSEX COUNTY OF THE NORTHEAST TIP OF MASSACHUSETTS...HIGHER 
READINGS THAN IN OCTOBER 1996. HOWEVER...THE INTENSITY OF THE RAIN 
THIS WEEKEND MAY HAVE BEEN SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THAT OF THE OCTOBER 96 
EVENT. 

A POSSIBLY IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 1996 AND 2006... ANTECEDENT 
GROUND CONDITIONS FOR THE FIRST 11 DAYS OF MAY 2006 SHOWED MONTHLY 
TOTALS IN THE 3 TO 6 INCH RANGE. BACK IN 1996...A QUICK SURVEY OF 
MIDDLETON HAVERHILL AND BOSTON DAILY DATA SHOWED ONLY AROUND 2 
INCHES OF RAIN...ALLOWING FOR A LITTLE DRIER PRESTORM SOIL 
CONDITION. 

AS OF SATURDAY MAY 20TH...THE MONTHLY TOTALS IN ESSEX COUNTY 
MASSACHUSETTS ARE ALREADY BETWEEN 15 AND NEARLY 20 INCHES AT SEVERAL 
LOCATIONS. THE 6 PM FRIDAY MAY 19TH COOPERATIVE OBSERVER REPORT OF 
19.94 INCHES AT  SALISBURY-NEWBURYPORT CORROBORATES THE 19.41 INCHES 
AT ROCKPORT RECEIVED AT 6PM SATURDAY THE 20TH.      

OTHER HISTORICAL EVENTS THAT WERE REVIEWED WERE 

OCTOBER 2005 /INTERIOR SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND/.  

10/20-22/1996 NORTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS NORTHWARD.

JAN AND APRIL 1996 EVENTS  SNOWMELT RELATED 

APRIL 1987 SNOWMELT RELATED

8/18-20/1955 DIANE RELATED WHICH STILL APPEARS TO BE THE AREA WIDE 
BENCHMARK FLOOD EVENT.

9/17-22/1938 THE HURRICANE OF SEPT 38...PRECEDED BY SEVERAL DAYS OF 
EXCESSIVE RAIN.

3/9-22/1936 WHICH WAS HEAVILY SNOWMELT RELATED.  

A LISTING OF ENTIRE MONTH OF MAY TOTALS OVER 13 INCHES IS AT THE END 
OF THIS REPORT.

********************STORM TOTAL RAINFALL********************

LOCATION          STORM TOTAL    TIME/DATE    COMMENTS
                     RAINFALL       OF
                     (INCHES)   MEASUREMENT


CONNECTICUT

...HARTFORD COUNTY...
   BRISTOL               8.00   645 AM  5/13   SPOTTER
   UNIONVILLE            6.10  1020 AM  5/13   SPOTTER
   GRANBY                5.91  1106 PM  5/16  
   WINDSOR LOCKS         4.64  1012 AM  5/16   ASOS
   NEWINGTON             4.60  1030 PM  5/13   SPOTTER
   HARTFORD              3.75  1009 AM  5/25   BRAINARD ASOS

...TOLLAND COUNTY...
   TOLLAND               3.68   159 PM  5/14   SPOTTER
   MANSFIELD HOLLOW DAM  2.70   800 AM  5/13   COOP

...WINDHAM COUNTY...
   WILLIMANTIC           3.74  1002 AM  5/16   ASOS
   HAMPTON               2.70   800 AM  5/13   COOP

MASSACHUSETTS

...BARNSTABLE COUNTY...
   PROVINCETOWN          6.10  1005 AM  5/16   AWOS
   EAST FALMOUTH         4.85  1133 AM  5/14   SPOTTER
   CHATHAM               3.97  1004 AM  5/16   ASOS
   HYANNIS               3.52  1014 AM  5/16   ASOS
   FALMOUTH              2.61  1003 AM  5/16   OTIS ANG

...BRISTOL COUNTY...
   NEW BEDFORD           5.50   600 PM  5/15   SPOTTER
   NORTON                5.32   944 AM  5/16   CO-OP
   NEW BEDFORD           4.86  1014 AM  5/16   ASOS
   MANSFIELD             4.78   222 PM  5/15   MAY TOTAL 7.02
   TAUNTON               4.69   857 AM  5/16   ASOS
   TAUNTON               4.63   859 AM  5/17   NWS
   WEST MANSFIELD        4.15   925 PM  5/15   SPOTTER
   ACUSHNET              3.85   811 PM  5/14   SPOTTER
   FAIRHAVEN             3.20   100 PM  5/14   SPOTTER

...DUKES COUNTY...
   MARTHAS VINEYARD      3.92   957 AM  5/16   ASOS

...ESSEX COUNTY...
   NEWBURYPORT          14.47   921 AM  5/16   CO-OP
   ROCKPORT             12.64   315 PM  5/15  
   TOPSFIELD            12.60   503 PM  5/15   SPOTTER
   IPSWICH              12.46   515 PM  5/15  
   GLOUCESTER           11.75  1021 AM  5/15   SPOTTER
   SWAMPSCOTT           11.75  1023 AM  5/15   SPOTTER
   ANDOVER              11.60  1031 AM  5/15  
   BEVERLY              11.50  1017 AM  5/16   ASOS
   MARBLEHEAD           10.74   812 PM  5/15   SPOTTER
   SALEM                10.68  1019 AM  5/15   SALEM STATE 
   METHUEN               9.19  1000 PM  5/15   SPOTTER
   LAWRENCE              9.06  1017 AM  5/16   ASOS

...FRANKLIN COUNTY...
   CONWAY                5.75   223 PM  5/15  
   CHARLEMONT            3.00   735 AM  5/13   SPOTTER
   GREENFIELD            2.81   921 AM  5/14   COOP
   NORTHFIELD            2.59  1100 AM  5/14   SPOTTER
   SUNDERLAND            2.42   947 AM  5/14   COOP
   ORANGE                1.88  1001 AM  5/16   ASOS

...HAMPDEN COUNTY...
   SOUTHWICK             4.80   253 PM  5/14   SPOTTER
   WESTFIELD             3.98  1012 AM  5/16   ASOS
   CHICOPEE              2.85  1011 AM  5/16   WESTOVER AFB
   SPRINGFIELD           2.25   100 PM  5/13   SPOTTER
   WEST SPRINGFIELD      2.05  1151 AM  5/14   HAM RADIO

...HAMPSHIRE COUNTY...
   GOSHEN                4.50   612 AM  5/13  
   WILLIAMSBURG          4.10   222 PM  5/15  
   WORTHINGTON           3.93  1043 AM  5/16   CO-OP
   WESTHAMPTON           3.80   748 AM  5/13   SPOTTER
   WARE                  2.37   103 PM  5/14   SPOTTER
   AMHERST               2.21   800 AM  5/14   COOP

...MIDDLESEX COUNTY...
   WAKEFIELD            11.19   621 PM  5/15   SPOTTER
   NORTH CAMBRIDGE       8.99   221 PM  5/15  
   BILLERICA             8.47  1000 PM  5/15   SPOTTER
   STONEHAM              8.47   727 AM  5/15   SPOTTER
   NORTH TEWKSBURY       7.66   722 PM  5/14   SPOTTER
   BELMONT               7.60   500 PM  5/15   SPOTTER
   TYNGSBORO             7.40   123 PM  5/15  
   WAYLAND               7.37   925 AM  5/16  
   HUDSON                7.36   825 PM  5/15   SPOTTER
   LOWELL                7.02  1042 AM  5/15   SPOTTER
   TEWKSBURY             6.38   650 AM  5/15   HAM RADIO
   CHELMSFORD            6.15   703 AM  5/15   SPOTTER
   PEPPERELL             5.99   705 PM  5/15   SPOTTER
   BEDFORD               5.61  1016 AM  5/16   ASOS
   AYER                  4.86  1039 AM  5/15  

...NANTUCKET COUNTY...
   NANTUCKET             1.89  1004 AM  5/16   ASOS

...NORFOLK COUNTY...
   MILTON                5.64  1013 AM  5/16   BLUE HILL OBS  ASOS
   RANDOLPH              4.75   905 PM  5/15   SPOTTER
   STOUGHTON             4.65   717 PM  5/15   SPOTTER
   SHARON                4.59  1034 AM  5/15  
   DEDHAM                4.45   752 AM  5/15   SPOTTER
   MILLIS                4.40   255 PM  5/14   SPOTTER
   NORWOOD               4.12  1015 AM  5/16   ASOS
   EAST WALPOLE          2.65  1052 AM  5/15  

...PLYMOUTH COUNTY...
   SCITUATE             10.20   854 PM  5/16  
   HINGHAM               7.93   706 AM  5/15   SPOTTER
   DUXBURY               6.01  1136 AM  5/15   SPOTTER
   EAST BRIDGEWATER      5.50  1033 AM  5/15  
   PLYMOUTH              4.76  1015 AM  5/16   ASOS
   BROCKTON              4.55  1033 AM  5/15  
   MARION                4.00  1037 AM  5/15  

...SUFFOLK COUNTY...
   WINTHROP             10.93   255 PM  5/15  
   EAST BOSTON           8.86  1000 AM  5/16   LOGAN AIRPORT ASOS
   DORCHESTER            8.70  1030 PM  5/14   HAM RADIO

...WORCESTER COUNTY...
   FITCHBURG             5.02   954 AM  5/16   ASOS
   WORCESTER             4.18  1016 AM  5/16   ASOS
   ASHBURNHAM            4.10   942 AM  5/16   CO-OP
   ROYALSTON             3.22   905 AM  5/16   CO-OP
   WEST BOYLSTON         3.10   500 PM  5/13   HAM RADIO
   GRAFTON               2.81   805 AM  5/13   SPOTTER
   NORTH GRAFTON         2.59   926 AM  5/14   SPOTTER

NEW HAMPSHIRE

...CHESHIRE COUNTY...
   KEENE                 2.85   758 AM  5/15   NWS COOP
   FITZWILLIAM           2.70   120 PM  5/15  
   SWANZEY               2.32  1119 AM  5/15   NH DOT

...HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY...
   MANCHESTER           11.05  1023 AM  5/15   SPOTTER
   GOFFSTOWN            10.99   700 AM  5/15  
   MANCHESTER            9.23  1008 AM  5/16   ASOS
   SOUTH WEARE           8.40   625 PM  5/14   SPOTTER
   HUDSON                7.89  1147 AM  5/16   CO-OP
   NASHUA                6.90  1007 AM  5/16   AWOS
   FRANCESTOWN           6.43   655 PM  5/14   CO-OP

RHODE ISLAND

...KENT COUNTY...
   WARWICK               4.67  1000 AM  5/16   ASOS

...NEWPORT COUNTY...
   NEWPORT               5.03   959 AM  5/16   ASOS
   TIVERTON              3.99   707 AM  5/17  

...PROVIDENCE COUNTY...
   SMITHFIELD            3.85   956 AM  5/16   AWOS
   NORTH FOSTER          2.96  1040 PM  5/14   CO-OP

...WASHINGTON COUNTY...
   WESTERLY              4.22   958 AM  5/16   ASOS
   NORTH KINGSTOWN       4.13   930 AM  5/15   SPOTTER
   BLOCK ISLAND          3.27   955 AM  5/16   AWOS 

......................
MONTH OF MAY MASSACHUSETTS TOTALS GREATER THAN 13 INCHES AS SURVEYED 
THROUGH METARS...SKYWARN AND WEBENTRY

ESSEX COUNTY
SALISBURY-NEWBURYPORT 19.94  6 PM  10/19
ROCKPORT              19.41  6 PM  10/20
IPSWICH               19.26  7 AM  10/20
BEVERLY ASOS          16.60  8 AM  10/25
MARBLEHEAD            15.79  9 PM  10/19
PEABODY               14.74  9 PM  10/19
WEST PEABODY          14.60  9 PM  10/19     
LYNN                  14.48  7 AM  10/20 
LAWRENCE ASOS         13.11  8 AM  10/25

PLYMOUTH  COUNTY      
HINGHAM               13.36  5 PM  10/19 

WORCESTER COUNTY      
GRAFTON               13.32  8 AM  10/20

MAY NEW HAMPSHIRE TOTALS 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
GOFFSTOWN             14.12 830 PM 10/19 

GREENLAND IN ROCKINGHAM COUNTY OF SOUTHEAST NEW HAMPSHIRE HAD 17.69 
INCHES AS OF ABOUT 6AM FRIDAY THE 19TH. 

$$