A line of severe thunderstorms moving through New Hampshire produced severe winds that downed trees and power lines throughout the central and southeastern part of the state.  About 18,000 customers lost electrical service during the storms.  Trees were reported down in Madison, Salisbury, Haverhill, Woodsville, Claremont, Bow, Alton, Lempster, Wentworth, Jackson, Franklin, Kingston, Rochester, Warner, Newbury, Henniker, Newport, and Bradford.  Lightning destroyed a storage barns in Laconia and Sunapee, and struck homes in Greenland and Stratham.  In Franklin, lightning struck the tower of the opera house which housed city hall, causing an estimated $50,000 in damage.

Thunderstorm Wind in MERRIMACK, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 15:15:00 to 31-MAY-02 15:15:00 (EST)
Location: BOW CENTER
Magnitude: 50 E
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Thunderstorm Wind in MERRIMACK, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 14:45:00 to 31-MAY-02 14:45:00 (EST)
Location: SUTTON
Magnitude: 50 E
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Thunderstorm Wind in ROCKINGHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 17:25:00 to 31-MAY-02 17:25:00 (EST)
Location: KINGSTON
Magnitude: 50 E
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Thunderstorm Wind in STRAFFORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 16:05:00 to 31-MAY-02 16:05:00 (EST)
Location: ROCHESTER
Magnitude: 50 E
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Thunderstorm Wind in CARROLL, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 15:00:00 to 31-MAY-02 15:00:00 (EST)
Location: MADISON
Magnitude: 50 E
Reported by: UNKNOWN

Thunderstorm Wind in MERRIMACK, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 15:10:00 to 31-MAY-02 15:10:00 (EST)
Location: SALISBURY
Magnitude: 50 E
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in SULLIVAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 14:30:00 to 31-MAY-02 14:30:00 (EST)
Location: LEMPSTER
Magnitude: 50 E
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Thunderstorm Wind in BELKNAP, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 15:20:00 to 31-MAY-02 15:20:00 (EST)
Location: ALTON
Magnitude: 50 E
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Lightning in BELKNAP, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 15:15:00 to 31-MAY-02 15:15:00 (EST)
Location: LACONIA
Property damage: 20K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Lightning in ROCKINGHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 17:55:00 to 31-MAY-02 17:55:00 (EST)
Location: STRATHAM
Property damage: 20K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Thunderstorm Wind in GRAFTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 14:05:00 to 31-MAY-02 14:05:00 (EST)
Location: HAVERHILL
Magnitude: 50 E
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in GRAFTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 14:00:00 to 31-MAY-02 14:00:00 (EST)
Location: WOODSVILLE
Magnitude: 50 E
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in SULLIVAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 14:25:00 to 31-MAY-02 14:25:00 (EST)
Location: CLAREMONT
Magnitude: 50 E
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in MERRIMACK, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 15:00:00 to 31-MAY-02 15:00:00 (EST)
Location: WARNER
Magnitude: 50 E
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Thunderstorm Wind in MERRIMACK, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 15:10:00 to 31-MAY-02 15:10:00 (EST)
Location: FRANKLIN
Magnitude: 50 E
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Lightning in MERRIMACK, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 15:10:00 to 31-MAY-02 15:10:00 (EST)
Location: FRANKLIN
Property damage: 50K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Lightning in SULLIVAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 15:25:00 to 31-MAY-02 15:25:00 (EST)
Location: SUNAPEE
Property damage: 20K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Thunderstorm Wind in MERRIMACK, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 14:40:00 to 31-MAY-02 14:40:00 (EST)
Location: NEWBURY
Magnitude: 50 E
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Thunderstorm Wind in MERRIMACK, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 15:05:00 to 31-MAY-02 15:05:00 (EST)
Location: HENNIKER
Magnitude: 50 E
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Thunderstorm Wind in SULLIVAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 14:30:00 to 31-MAY-02 14:30:00 (EST)
Location: NEWPORT
Magnitude: 50 E
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Lightning in ROCKINGHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 17:10:00 to 31-MAY-02 17:10:00 (EST)
Location: GREENLAND
Property damage: 40K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Thunderstorm Wind in GRAFTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 14:25:00 to 31-MAY-02 14:25:00 (EST)
Location: WENTWORTH
Magnitude: 50 E
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Thunderstorm Wind in MERRIMACK, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 14:30:00 to 31-MAY-02 14:30:00 (EST)
Location: BRADFORD
Magnitude: 50 E
Reported by: UNKNOWN

Thunderstorm Wind in CARROLL, NEW HAMPSHIRE
From 31-MAY-02 15:00:00 to 31-MAY-02 15:00:00 (EST)
Location: JACKSON
Magnitude: 50 E
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER