Alert archive / Maine / Beach Hazards Statements in 2026
Beach Hazards Statement 20, NWS Caribou, ME
NWS Caribou, ME issued this beach hazards statement at Aug 15, 2026, 9:05 PM EDT for Hancock County, Washington County, Maine. It took effect at Aug 16, 2026, 8:00 AM EDT. It was in force for 12 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Aug 15, 2026, 9:05 PM EDT (01:05 UTC)
- In effect from
- Aug 16, 2026, 8:00 AM EDT
- Expired
- Aug 16, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 12 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Caribou, ME
Counties Hancock County, ME, Washington County, ME
The radar
The Caribou radar (KCBW), 142 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:03 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
The nearest sounding before it
Gray, ME (KGYX), launched 00:00Z, 1.1 hours before the alert went out and 205 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 37 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -6 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1569 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 20 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 31 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 22 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
431 WHUS41 KCAR 160105 CFWCAR Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Caribou ME 905 PM EDT Sat Aug 15 2026 MEZ029-030-170000- /O.NEW.KCAR.BH.S.0020.260816T1200Z-260817T0000Z/ Coastal Hancock-Coastal Washington- 905 PM EDT Sat Aug 15 2026 ...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EDT SUNDAY THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING... * WHAT...The warm air temperatures in the 70s to around 80 may cause people to underestimate the dangers of the cold water temperatures which are currently in the 50 to 55 degree range. * WHERE...Coastal Hancock and Coastal Washington Counties. * WHEN...From 8 AM EDT Sunday through Sunday evening. * IMPACTS...The cold water temperatures can quickly cause hypothermia to anyone immersed in the waters. Anyone on boats or paddlecraft should use extreme caution to avoid this threat. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Beach Hazards Statement is issued on days when a significant number of boats and paddlecraft are expected to be out on the water and when warm air temperatures may cause people to underestimate the danger of the cold water. Paddle smart from the start. Always wear your life jacket. Be aware of wind conditions, tides, and localized currents. && $$
1 follow-up statement
388 WHUS41 KCAR 162350 CFWCAR Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Caribou ME 750 PM EDT Sun Aug 16 2026 MEZ029-030-170100- /O.EXP.KCAR.BH.S.0020.000000T0000Z-260817T0000Z/ Coastal Hancock-Coastal Washington- 750 PM EDT Sun Aug 16 2026 ...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT WILL EXPIRE AT 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... The Beach Hazards Statement will be allowed to expire at 8 PM. $$
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this beach hazards statement went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Caribou, ME wrote its last area forecast discussion before this beach hazards statement went out at Aug 15, 1:50 PM EDT, 7 hours 15 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- 1) Fair weather this weekend will give way to a return of rain Sunday night through Monday.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 15, 1:50 PM EDT, 7 hours 15 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Caribou ME
150 PM EDT Sat Aug 15 2026
.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
- Increasing confidence in at least half an inch of storm total
rain over much of the forecast area Sunday night through the
day on Monday
&&
.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Fair weather this weekend will give way to a return of rain
Sunday night through Monday.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...Fair weather this weekend will give way to a
return of rain Sunday night through Monday.
KEY MESSAGE 1 DESCRIPTION...
High pressure continues through the day on Sunday, keeping dry
weather and light winds in place. Temperatures remain mild, with
highs in the 70s across the forecast area. Clear skies tonight
into early Sunday morning will allow for efficient radiational
cooling and could result in low temperatures dipping into the
upper 40s across the north, and lower 50s Downeast.
The left exit region of an incoming jet streak aloft Sunday
night into Monday will support an incoming low pressure system,
with rain entering our area from the west after midnight Sunday
night. There is increasing consensus that a coastal low will
develop along a front as it crosses the CWA, which could
locally enhance rainfall amounts Downeast. Rainfall totals may
approach or even exceed an inch through the day on Monday,
particularly in areas of upslope flow such as the Central
Highlands and into the Bangor region due to the development of
the coastal low.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
Tonight...VFR, with possible brief IFR fog again at PQI and HUL
late. NW winds 5 to 10 kts with gusts to 15 kts early will
become light and variable overnight.
Sunday...VFR, with increasing VFR level cloud cover through the
day. SSW winds around 5 kts.
Sunday night-Monday night: VFR trending towards MVFR/IFR
in rain showers. Fog possible Monday night. S winds 10 to 15
kts with gusts 20 to 25 kts possible, becoming light and
variable Monday night. LLWS possible.
Tuesday-Tuesday night: VFR. N wind around 5 kts becoming
variable overnight.
Wednesday: VFR early, with increasing chance for MVFR/IFR from
KHUL northwards into the afternoon as showers and thunderstorms
move into the area. SW winds 5 to 10 kts with gusts to 20 kts.
Thursday: Improving towards VFR. Winds W to NW at 5 to 10 kts.
&&
.MARINE...
Winds below 20 kts and seas below 5 ft across all waters tonight
through Sunday. Wind gusts may approach 25 kts on the outer
waters on Monday, while seas lift towards 3 to 6 ft Monday
afternoon. Coastal waters could see marginal small craft
advisory criteria Monday afternoon through Monday night before
seas diminish once more into the day on Tuesday. Rain late
Sunday night into Monday could limit visibility at times.
&&
.CAR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ME...Beach Hazards Statement until 8 PM EDT this evening for MEZ029-
030.
MARINE...None.
&&
DISCUSSION...AES
AVIATION...AESNearby
Beach Hazards Statements in Maine, 2026Every beach hazards statement in 2026
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.