Maine, 2000

Flash Flood and Flooding in Maine, December 17 to 18, 2000

December 17 to 18, 2000 · NWS GYX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A deep low pressure center tracked northeastward across the eastern Great Lakes bringing strong southerly winds, temperatures in the 50s, and heavy rains into the region. In general, 2 to 4 inches of rain fell across the area, and the wind and warm temperatures rapidly melted up to a foot of snow that was on the ground.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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.

A deep low pressure center tracked northeastward across the eastern Great Lakes bringing strong southerly winds, temperatures in the 50s, and heavy rains into the region. In general, 2 to 4 inches of rain fell across the area, and the wind and warm temperatures rapidly melted up to a foot of snow that was on the ground. The rainfall and snowmelt caused several rivers and streams to overflow their banks. In Oxford County, the Swift River in Roxbury overflowed its banks from late in the evening on the 17th to the morning of the 18th. The Saco River also overflowed its banks in Oxford County, closing portions of Route 113 near Weston's Beach. At Skowhegan in Somerset County, the Kennebec River exceeded the 35,000 cfs flood flow during the 18th, reaching a maximum flow of 43,790 cfs around 3 pm.

The radar

The Portland,ME radar (KGYX), 79 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:43 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 flood, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Oxford

When
December 17, 9:45 PM EST to December 18, 5:00 AM EST
Where
Oxford County, Countywide
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
44.500, -70.757 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Southern Oxford

When
December 17, 11:15 PM EST to December 18, 12:15 PM EST
Where
Southern Oxford forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
44.500, -70.757 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Southern Somerset

When
December 18, 9:00 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Southern Somerset forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
45.514, -69.959 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Maine in 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyWarnings in Maine, December 2000

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: 5177860, 5177861, 5177862.