Cold in Maine, January 24 to 25, 2004

Name: Cold in Maine, January 24 to 25, 2004
Start: 2004-01-24T06:00
End: 2004-01-25T12:00
Location: Maine

January 24 to 25, 2004 · NWS GYX · 17 events in 17 counties and zones

A strong area of low pressure over Eastern Canada resulted in strong northwest winds and bitter temperatures as arctic air spilled into the Northeast on Jan. 24 and Jan.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 17 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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 17

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 strong area of low pressure over Eastern Canada resulted in strong northwest winds and bitter temperatures as arctic air spilled into the Northeast on Jan. 24 and Jan. 25. Wind chill values of 22 to 42 degrees below zero were recorded across the region on the morning of Jan. 25.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Gray, ME wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 24, 2:56 AM EST, 3 hours 4 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 24, 2:56 AM EST, 3 hours 4 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
256 AM EST SAT JAN 24 2004

.DISCUSSION...
MAIN FORECAST PROBLEM FOR THIS PACKAGE IS WIND CHILL HEADLINES FOR
EARLY TODAY AND TONIGHT AND EARLY SUNDAY MORNING.

CURRENTLY...SKIES ARE MAINLY CLEAR ACROSS MUCH OF THE FORECAST
AREA. NOTICED IN LAST HOUR THAT BML HAS REPORTED A CEILING AND LIGHT
SNOW...AND HIE IS STARTING TO SHOW SIGNS OF DEVELOPING A CEILING.
THIS WILL HAVE TO BE MONITORED FOR POSSIBLE INCLUSION IN THE EARLY
PART OF THE FORECAST.

WINDS ARE VARIABLE.  IN THE FAVORED LOCATIONS...WINDS HAVE
DECOUPLED...WHILE OTHER AREAS HAVE GUSTS OVER 20 KNOTS.  THIS WILL
PROBABLY CONTINUE THROUGH SUNRISE.

FOR TODAY...CIRRUS AND POSSIBLE SOME ALTOSTRATUS WILL CROSS THE
SOUTHERNMOST ZONES AS A CLIPPER PASSES WELL SOUTH OF THE FORECAST
AREA.  ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS...STEP LAPSE RATE AND MINIMAL MOISTURE
MAY RESULT IN CUMULUS DEVELOPMENT.  ELSEWHERE..MOSTLY SUNNY SHOULD
BE OK.  WILL USE A BLEND OF MAV/MET MOS FOR HIGHS TODAY...AS THE
MAV NUMBERS WERE TOO LOW YESTERDAY WITH LITTLE IN THE WAY OF
ADDITIONAL COLD AIR ADVECTION.

FOR TONIGHT...THE CLOUDS MAY HOLD IN OVER THE MOUNTAINS AS A
REINFORCING SHOT OF COLD AIR ENTER THE FORECAST AREA.  ELSEWHERE...
WOULD EXPECT SKIES TO CLEAR.  BASED ON THE FACT THAT THE WIND
SHOULD HOLD UP AT LEAST FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE NIGHT...WIND CHILL
ADVISORIES AND WARNINGS MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT.  AT THIS POINT...
WILL LET THE DAY SHIFT GET A BETTER LOOK AT THIS.  WITH THE WIND...
WILL GO JUST ABOVE MAV MOS NUMBERS FOR LOWS IN MOST PLACES.

FOR SUNDAY...THE ATMOSPHERE SHOULD BE DRY AS THE COLD AIR ADVECTION
EXITS IN THE MORNING.  FOR MOST LOCATIONS...MOSTLY SUNNY SHOULD BE
FINE.  AFTER A COLD START...WILL LEAN TOWARD THE COLDER MAV NUMBERS
FOR HIGHS.

WITH HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE TO THE WEST OF THE FORECAST AREA
SUNDAY NIGHT...THIS MAY BE THE BEST RADIATIONAL COOLING NIGHT FOR
THE CURRENT SET.  LOOKS LIKE HIGH LEVEL MOISTURE MAY TEMPER THIS IN
THE SOUTHERN ZONES...AND TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY.

PUSHED BACK THE CHANCE OF SNOW ON MONDAY AS RIDGING AHEAD OF THE
SHORT WAVE AND WARM AIR ADVECTION SHOULD PRECLUDE MUCH ACTIVITY
BEFORE SUNSET.  WILL ALSO SLOW THE ADVANCE ON MONDAY NIGHT...AND
KEEP THINGS AS THEY ARE FOR TUESDAY...SINCE THERE IS STILL MODEL
DISCREPANCY AT THAT DISTANCE.

&&

.MARINE...
STICK CLOSE OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE ETA WINDS OUT TO 48 HRS THEN USE A
ETA/GFS BLEND BEYOND. WILL CARRY SCA WITH WINDS 20 TO 25 KTS TODAY.
EXPECT WINDS TO INCREASE TONIGHT BEHIND A WEAK COLD FRONTAL
BOUNDARY. WINDS OF 40 KTS AT 850 MB...BUT EXPECT AN INVERSION
AT 3000 WILL JUST ENOUGH TO KEEP GALE WINDS FROM MIXING DOWN.
FREEZING SPRAY WILL BE MODERATE TO HEAVY TONIGHT...BUT WILL HOLD OFF
ON ANY WARNINGS FOR NOW IN A BORDERLINE SITUATION. BUMPED WINDS UP A
TAD WED TRENDING TOWARD THE 00Z GFS.
&&

.GYX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ME...WIND CHILL WARNING FOR THIS MORNING MEZ007>009-012>014
     WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR THIS MORNING MEZ018>028
     SCA
NH...WIND CHILL WARNING FOR THIS MORNING NHZ001>004
     WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR THIS MORNING NHZ005>010-013-014
     SCA

HAYES

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 24, 4:22 AM EST, 1 hour 38 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
422 AM EST SAT JAN 24 2004

MEZ007>009-012>014-018>028-NHZ001>010-013-241119-
ANDROSCOGGIN ME-BELKNAP NH-CENTRAL SOMERSET ME-COASTAL CUMBERLAND ME-
COASTAL WALDO ME-COASTAL YORK ME-INTERIOR CUMBERLAND ME-
INTERIOR ROCKINGHAM NH-INTERIOR WALDO ME-INTERIOR YORK ME-
KENNEBEC ME-KNOX ME-LINCOLN ME-MERRIMACK NH-NORTHERN CARROLL NH-
NORTHERN COOS NH-NORTHERN FRANKLIN ME-NORTHERN GRAFTON NH-
NORTHERN OXFORD ME-SAGADAHOC ME-SOUTHERN CARROLL NH-SOUTHERN COOS NH-
SOUTHERN FRANKLIN ME-SOUTHERN GRAFTON NH-SOUTHERN OXFORD ME-
SOUTHERN SOMERSET ME-STRAFFORD NH-SULLIVAN NH-
422 AM EST SAT JAN 24 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN AND SOUTHERN MAINE
AND NORTHERN...CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST NEW HAMPSHIRE.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

WIND CHILL WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS OF
NEW HAMPSHIRE AND WESTERN MAINE THIS MORNING.  WIND CHILL ADVISORIES
ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE REMAINDER OF WESTERN MAINE AND WEST CENTRAL AND
SOUTHEAST NEW HAMPSHIRE THIS MORNING AS WELL.

WIND CHILL VALUES WILL ONCE AGAIN DROP TO 20 TO 35 BELOW ZERO TONIGHT
AND SUNDAY MORNING.  ADDITIONAL WIND CHILL ADVISORIES AND WIND CHILL
WARNINGS MAY BE ISSUED LATER TODAY TO ACCOUNT FOR THESE WIND CHILL
VALUES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

THERE IS A CHANCE OF SNOW MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY.  AT THIS
TIME...IS APPEARS ONLY A COUPLE OF INCHES OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

HAYES

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

17 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Cold/Wind Chill, Androscoggin

When: January 24, 6:00 AM EST to January 25, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Androscoggin forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 44.166, -70.206 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Central Somerset

When: January 24, 6:00 AM EST to January 25, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Central Somerset forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 45.514, -69.959 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Coastal Cumberland

When: January 24, 6:00 AM EST to January 25, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Coastal Cumberland forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 43.806, -70.330 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Coastal Waldo

When: January 24, 6:00 AM EST to January 25, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Coastal Waldo forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 44.485, -69.122 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Coastal York

When: January 24, 6:00 AM EST to January 25, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Coastal York forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 43.429, -70.670 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Interior Cumberland

When: January 24, 6:00 AM EST to January 25, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Interior Cumberland forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 43.806, -70.330 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Interior Waldo

When: January 24, 6:00 AM EST to January 25, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Interior Waldo forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 44.485, -69.122 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Interior York

When: January 24, 6:00 AM EST to January 25, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Interior York forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 43.429, -70.670 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Kennebec

When: January 24, 6:00 AM EST to January 25, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Kennebec forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 44.409, -69.767 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Knox

When: January 24, 6:00 AM EST to January 25, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Knox forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 44.076, -69.126 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Lincoln

When: January 24, 6:00 AM EST to January 25, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 43.998, -69.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Northern Franklin

When: January 24, 6:00 AM EST to January 25, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Northern Franklin forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 44.974, -70.444 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Northern Oxford

When: January 24, 6:00 AM EST to January 25, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Northern Oxford forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 44.500, -70.757 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Sagadahoc

When: January 24, 6:00 AM EST to January 25, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Sagadahoc forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 43.912, -69.839 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Southern Franklin

When: January 24, 6:00 AM EST to January 25, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Franklin forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 44.974, -70.444 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Southern Oxford

When: January 24, 6:00 AM EST to January 25, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Oxford forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 44.500, -70.757 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Southern Somerset

When: January 24, 6:00 AM EST to January 25, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Somerset forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 45.514, -69.959 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Cold/Wind Chill: Cold or wind chill below warning criteria that caused deaths, injuries or damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Maine in 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history Warnings in Maine, January 2004

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: 5382034, 5382035, 5382036, 5382037, 5382038, 5382039, 5382040, 5382041, 5382042, 5382043, 5382044, 5382045, 5382046, 5382047, 5382048, 5382049, 5382050.