Rare May nor’easter brings widespread flooding and wind damage across Massachusetts

A rare May nor’easter brought widespread flooding and wind damage, toppling trees and leaving thousands without power in Massachusetts through Thursday and Friday, May 22 to 23.

Parts of the South Shore saw close to 130 mm (5 inches) of rain, while parts of Cape Cod saw wind gusts over 97 km/h (60 mph).

Multiple routes were flooded during the storm, including Route 128 southbound in Waltham at Exit 44 to Trapelo Road.

In Chelsea, Willow Street was submerged, stranding motorists and prompting police to block off the area. One individual, trapped in approximately 60 cm (2 feet) of water, managed to exit his vehicle before officers arrived, according to Chelsea police.

Meanwhile, in Everett, the rain flooded Air Force Road and brought down a large tree limb and wires on Bradford Street.

Tree damage associated with the storm was also reported in multiple areas. A large tree fell in Brookline, damaging power lines and causing temporary closures for parts of Chilton and Ivy streets.

A stretch of the MBTA’s Orange Line was shut down for roughly four hours Thursday due to flooding.

The MBTA first reported the flood conditions at the Ruggles station in Roxbury at 18:50 local time (LT), telling commuters that shuttle buses would replace service from Ruggles to Forest Hills, the end of the line. But by around 20:30 LT, the Orange Line service was shut down between North Station and Forest Hills.

Shuttle buses replaced service between Back Bay and Forest Hills in Jamaica Plain, and riders were encouraged to use the Green Line to replace service downtown. Shuttles also ran between Back Bay and Copley.

Regular service between North Station and Back Bay resumed around 23:20 LT, and the transit agency reported the delay had cleared by 23:00 LT.

While not unprecedented, nor’easters in May are relatively rare. These storms typically develop during the colder months, most often from November through March, when strong temperature contrasts between cold continental air and the warmer Atlantic Ocean support the formation of intense coastal lows.

By late spring, the jet stream usually shifts northward, and the necessary thermal gradients weaken, making the conditions less favorable for nor’easter development.

When nor’easters do occur in May, they generally lack the wintry characteristics of their cold-season counterparts. Instead of snow and ice, they are more likely to bring heavy rainfall, strong winds, and coastal impacts.

The NWS Weather Prediction Center forecasts continued scattered rain and showers across Massachusetts and the broader New England region through Sunday, May 25, as upper-level energy shifts toward southeastern Canada.

Elsewhere in the United States, a slow-moving frontal boundary and abundant Gulf moisture will fuel widespread thunderstorms across the Central and Southern Plains, as well as the Middle and Lower Mississippi Valley. The National Weather Prediction Center has issued a Slight Risk (level 2/4) of excessive rainfall for these areas through Sunday morning. Localized flash flooding is possible, especially in urban areas, near small streams, and in low-lying terrain.

Alongside heavy rainfall, severe thunderstorms are expected across the same regions. The Storm Prediction Center has issued a Slight Risk (level 2/5) for severe weather, with threats including damaging wind gusts, large hail, frequent lightning, and isolated tornadoes. The risk for hail exceeding 5 cm (2 inches) is particularly increased across the Central High Plains.

In the western U.S., upper-level disturbances will trigger scattered showers and thunderstorms over parts of the Northern and Central Rockies through late Saturday. Daytime heating is also expected to generate storm activity across the Northern Intermountain Region on Friday and the Great Basin on Saturday.

Meanwhile, a very dry and windy pattern across the Southwest is raising wildfire concerns. The combination of low relative humidity, dropping to as low as 5%, and sustained winds between 24 and 32 km/h (15 to 20 mph) has prompted a Critical Risk designation for fire weather across much of Arizona and New Mexico on Friday.

Rishav Kothari

I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.

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