Alert archive / Maine / Beach Hazards Statements in 2026

Beach Hazards Statement 21, NWS Caribou, ME

August 20, 2026Hancock County, Washington County, Maine

NWS Caribou, ME issued this beach hazards statement at Aug 20, 2026, 2:20 PM EDT for Hancock County, Washington County, Maine. It took effect at Aug 21, 2026, 8:00 AM EDT. It was in force for 12 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 20, 2026, 2:20 PM EDT (18:20 UTC)
In effect from
Aug 21, 2026, 8:00 AM EDT
Expired
Aug 21, 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 18:20 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 12:00Z, 6.3 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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Gray, ME at 12:00Z on 2026-08-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 6 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Gray, ME at 12:00Z on 2026-08-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -3 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
6 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-86 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1239 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-3 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
88 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

906 
WHUS41 KCAR 201820
CFWCAR

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Caribou ME
220 PM EDT Thu Aug 20 2026

MEZ029-030-210230-
/O.NEW.KCAR.BH.S.0021.260821T1200Z-260822T0000Z/
Coastal Hancock-Coastal Washington-
220 PM EDT Thu Aug 20 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH
FRIDAY EVENING...

* WHAT....The warm air temperatures in the 80s 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 Friday morning through Friday 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
026 
WHUS41 KCAR 210143
CFWCAR

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Caribou ME
943 PM EDT Thu Aug 20 2026

MEZ029-030-220000-
/O.CON.KCAR.BH.S.0021.260821T1200Z-260822T0000Z/
Coastal Hancock-Coastal Washington-
943 PM EDT Thu Aug 20 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EDT FRIDAY
THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING...

* WHAT...The warm air temperatures from around 80 to the lower 80s 
  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 Friday morning through Friday 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.

&&

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Caribou, ME issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 19, 11:32 PM EDTDense Fog AdvisoryCARAroostook, Hancock, Penobscot, Washington8 hr

Nearby

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.