Maine, 2003High Wind in Maine, October 15, 2003
October 15, 2003 · NWS CAR · 7 events in 7 counties and zones
then continued through the afternoon. Around 18,000 customers lost power for varying amounts of time across northern and eastern Maine.
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 7
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.
Intensifying low pressure tracking from the Great Lakes through the Saint Lawrence River Valley produced very strong winds across the region.Winds increased quickly during the morning...then continued through the afternoon. Around 18,000 customers lost power for varying amounts of time across northern and eastern Maine. So many people lost power across the state of Maine that the governor declared a State of Emergency.With the leaves still on many trees and the wet soil...the winds were able to snap branches and topple trees. Many of the branches and trees knocked down power lines contributing to numerous power outages. Along the coast...some boats were torn from their moorings and ran aground or were swamped due to the strong winds and rough seas. At Bar Harbor...a nearly 110 foot excursion vessel broke from its moorings and ran aground on a near island.
High Wind, Central Penobscot
- When
- October 15, 12:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
- Where
- Central Penobscot forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 45.401, -68.649 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Central Washington
- When
- October 15, 12:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
- Where
- Central Washington forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 44.970, -67.609 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Coastal Hancock
- When
- October 15, 12:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
- Where
- Coastal Hancock forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 44.563, -68.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Coastal Washington
- When
- October 15, 12:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
- Where
- Coastal Washington forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 44.970, -67.609 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Northern Penobscot
- When
- October 15, 12:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
- Where
- Northern Penobscot forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 45.401, -68.649 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Northern Washington
- When
- October 15, 12:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
- Where
- Northern Washington forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 44.970, -67.609 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind, Southeast Aroostook
- When
- October 15, 12:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
- Where
- Southeast Aroostook forecast zone
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 46.659, -68.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
- 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.
- High Wind in New York, October 15, 2003$3.0 million · 65 kt wind · 16 events
- High Wind in New York, October 15, 20031 injured · $1.0 million · 60 kt wind · 18 events
- Strong Wind in New Jersey, October 15, 20031 injured · $500,000 · 21 events
- High Wind in Massachusetts, October 15, 20033 injured · $250,000 · 55 kt wind · 12 events
- High Wind in Pennsylvania, October 15, 2003$700,000 · 60 kt wind · 7 events
- Strong Wind in Pennsylvania, October 15, 2003$400,000 · 10 events
- Lightning Strike in Puerto Rico, October 15, 2003$300,000 · 1 event
- High Wind in New York, October 15, 2003$110,000 · 62 kt wind · 12 events
- Strong Wind in Connecticut, October 15, 2003$100,000 · 1 event
- High Wind in New York, October 15, 2003$100,000 · 1 event
- High Wind in New York, October 15, 2003$50,000 · 50 kt wind · 5 events
- Strong Wind in Virginia, October 15, 2003$44,000 · 5 events
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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5336113, 5336114, 5336115, 5336116, 5336117, 5336118, 5336119.