Maine, 1996

High Wind in Maine, January 27 to 28, 1996

January 27 to 28, 1996 · NWS GYX · 15 events in 15 counties and zones

Damaging winds were produced over much of Maine by the last, and most intense, of three low pressure systems moving northeastward out of the Great Lakes. South to southeast flow brought moist and unseasonably warm air into the area.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 15 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$200,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
15

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS GYX wrote it up.

Damaging winds were produced over much of Maine by the last, and most intense, of three low pressure systems moving northeastward out of the Great Lakes. South to southeast flow brought moist and unseasonably warm air into the area. The high winds mainly affected central and eastern Maine, downing trees and power lines, and causing some structural damage. About 40,000 customers lost power. Gusts over 70 mph were common. The highest official gust was 78 mph at Eastport, where one large tugboat sank and another was heavily damaged. Unofficial gusts of 124 mph were reported in an elevated location nearby. In Searsport, winds and waves did $200,000 damage to the town warf.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

15 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Southern Franklin

When
January 27, 4:00 PM EST to January 28, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Southern Franklin forecast zone
Coordinates
44.974, -70.444 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Southern Somerset

When
January 27, 4:00 PM EST to January 28, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Southern Somerset forecast zone
Coordinates
45.514, -69.959 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Southern Penobscot

When
January 27, 4:00 PM EST to January 28, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Southern Penobscot forecast zone
Coordinates
45.401, -68.649 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Interior Hancock

When
January 27, 4:00 PM EST to January 28, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Interior Hancock forecast zone
Coordinates
44.563, -68.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Central Washington

When
January 27, 4:00 PM EST to January 28, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Central Washington forecast zone
Coordinates
44.970, -67.609 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Androscoggin

When
January 27, 4:00 PM EST to January 28, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Androscoggin forecast zone
Coordinates
44.166, -70.206 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Kennebec

When
January 27, 4:00 PM EST to January 28, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Kennebec forecast zone
Coordinates
44.409, -69.767 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Interior Waldo

When
January 27, 4:00 PM EST to January 28, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Interior Waldo forecast zone
Coordinates
44.485, -69.122 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Coastal York

When
January 27, 4:00 PM EST to January 28, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Coastal York forecast zone
Coordinates
43.429, -70.670 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Sagadahoc

When
January 27, 4:00 PM EST to January 28, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Sagadahoc forecast zone
Coordinates
43.912, -69.839 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Lincoln

When
January 27, 4:00 PM EST to January 28, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Lincoln forecast zone
Coordinates
43.998, -69.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Knox

When
January 27, 4:00 PM EST to January 28, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Knox forecast zone
Coordinates
44.076, -69.126 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Coastal Waldo

When
January 27, 4:00 PM EST to January 28, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Coastal Waldo forecast zone
Property damage
$200,000
Coordinates
44.485, -69.122 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Coastal Hancock

When
January 27, 4:00 PM EST to January 28, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Coastal Hancock forecast zone
Coordinates
44.563, -68.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Coastal Washington

When
January 27, 4:00 PM EST to January 28, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Coastal Washington forecast zone
Measured
68 kt (78 mph)
Coordinates
44.970, -67.609 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Maine in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Maine, January 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5556470, 5556471, 5556472, 5556473, 5556474, 5556475, 5556476, 5556477, 5556478, 5556479, 5556480, 5556481, 5556482, 5556483, 5556484.