Flooding in Maine, April 2 to 6, 2005

Name: Flooding in Maine, April 2 to 6, 2005
Start: 2005-04-02T22:00
End: 2005-04-06T11:00
Location: Maine

April 2 to 6, 2005 · NWS CAR · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Low pressure tracking slowly north across New England to the Saint Lawrence River Valley brought heavy rains to the region. 00 inches across terrain enhanced areas.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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: 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 CAR wrote it up.

Low pressure tracking slowly north across New England to the Saint Lawrence River Valley brought heavy rains to the region. Event rainfall totals generally ranged from 1.50 to 2.50 inches...with localized totals to around 3.00 inches across terrain enhanced areas. Water levels on rivers and streams were still elevated from a heavy rain event less than a week before which had led to flooding. The combination of already elevated water levels...heavy rain...snow melt and lingering river ice contributed to new flooding with this event.Flooding initially developed along the Piscataquis River...Kingsbury Stream and Pleasant River where several roads were closed. The elevated river levels caused the remaining river ice to move and jam resulting in ice jams across the region. Ice jams were reported on the Piscataquis River...Sebec River...Pleasant River and Kingsbury Stream.

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 Caribou, ME wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 2, 9:31 PM EST, 29 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 2, 9:31 PM EST, 29 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME
931 PM EST SAT APR 2 2005

.SYNOPSIS...LOW PRESSURE INTENSIFYING OVER THE NORTHERN APPALACHIANS
WILL SPREAD WIND AND RAIN ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION TONIGHT THROUGH
SUNDAY EVENING BEFORE TAPERING TO SHOWERS SUNDAY NIGHT. THE LOW WILL
REACH A POSITION OVER NORTHWEST NEW ENGLAND BY MONDAY MORNING AND
THEN CONTINUE NORTH OF THE STATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. THIS SLOW
MOVEMENT WILL KEEP CONDITIONS UNSETTLED WITH OCCASIONAL RAIN AND
SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH TUESDAY.

&&

.SHORT TERM (REST OF TONIGHT)...
QUICK UPDATE TO ADJUST WIND WORDING TO SHOW MORE OF A PROGRESSION TO
HIGHER WIND SPEEDS. THINK GRIDS ALREADY SHOW AN EXCELLANT PROGRESSION
AND REPRESENT WHAT IS ACTUALLY OCCURING...SO JUST UPDATED TO REFLECT
THIS TREND.

&&

.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... (ISSUED 330 PM EST SAT APR 2 2005)

SYNOPSIS...LOW PRESSURE INTENSIFYING OVER THE NORTHERN APPALACHIANS
WILL SPREAD WIND AND RAIN ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION TONIGHT THROUGH
SUNDAY EVENING BEFORE TAPERING TO SHOWERS SUNDAY NIGHT. THE LOW WILL
REACH A POSITION OVER NORTHWEST NEW ENGLAND BY MONDAY MORNING AND
THEN CONTINUE NORTH OF THE STATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. THIS SLOW
MOVEMENT WILL KEEP CONDITIONS UNSETTLED WITH OCCASIONAL RAIN AND
SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH TUESDAY.

SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT)...
BUSY AFTERNOON SO WILL KEEP IT SHORT....  MINOR ADJUSTMENTS ONLY
NEEDED TO SHORT TERM GRIDS (POPS/QPF/TEMPS).  NAM/GFS IN GUD
AGREEMENT W/ OVERALL SCENARIO NEXT FEW DAYS...  DEEP LOW OVER
CENTRAL APPALACHIANS WILL DEEPEN A BIT FURTHER AS IT SLOWLY LIFTS
NNE TNGT THEN GRADUALLY FILL AND WOBBLE NE ACROSS THE FA SUN NGT AND
MON THEN BE ENE OF THE AREA BY TUE.  MODELS SHOW A DECENT PRECIP
EVENT FOR THE ENTIRE AREA THO BEST QPF AMOUNTS PER BOTH THE NAM AND
GFS APPEAR FOCUSED OVER WRN HALF OF THE FA W/ 2-3 INCH AMOUNTS
PROGGED FOR PLACES LIKE GNR WHILE ERN HALF GENERALLY IN THE 1-2 INCH
RANGE.  RAIN SHIELD CURRENTLY HAS OVERSPREAD MOST OF THE WRN HALF OF
THE FA AND GRADUALLY SHIFTING EWRD.  CAN NOT RULE OUT SOME WET SNOW
MIXED IN FOR A BRIEF TIME THIS EVE FAR N AND NW BUT CRITICAL THCKNS
PROGS ALL SUGGEST IT WILL BE BRIEF IF IT OCCURS AT ALL AS
THICKNESSES ALL RISE RAPIDLY THIS EVE SO WILL NOT MENTION IN THE
CURRENT DATABASE.

ATTM... APPEARS NRN AREAS CAN ABSORB THE XPCTD QPF W/ TEMPS
REMAINING COOL THO THINGS WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED
CAREFULLY...SPCLY OVER NWRN AREAS WHERE SOME OF THE HGR QPF AMOUNTS
COULD BE REALIZED...FRONTAL BAND SHOULD LIFT NE AND CLEAR THE ENTIRE
FA BY SUN EVE AT WHICH TIME THE UPPER LOW WILL TAKE OVER ALLOWING A
TRANSITION TO MORE SHOWERY TYPE PRECIP W/ HEAVIEST PRECIP OVER MOST
AREAS. APPEARS LOW-LEVEL TEMPS DO NOT COOL ENUF TO SUPPORT WET SNOW
SHOWER ACTIVITY UNTIL MONDAY NIGHT SO WILL KEEP PRECIP LIQUID THRU
MON.

SFC/BL AND 925 PROGGED WINDS ALL SUPPORT WINDOW FROM ABOUT MDNGT
THRU LATE AM TOMORROW WHEN OUR DOWNEAST ZONES COULD EXPERIENCE WND
ADV CRITERIA WINDS...  LL JET OF 50-60 KT SLIPS ACROSS THAT AREA BUT
SOUNDINGS SHOW RELATIVELY STABLE AIRMASS IN PLACE SO THINKING IS HGR
WNDS WILL HAVE A TUF TIME MIXING DOWN.  ALSO FACTORED IN WIND
DIRECTION W/ ERLY WINDS NOT AS FAVORABLE AS ONSHORE S TO SE
WINDS...

LONG TERM (WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY)...
FOR MAX/MIN GRIDS...DEW POINT AND TEMPERATURE GRIDS HAVE OVERLAYED
MEX/MOS OVER THE GFS. HAVE MADE MANUAL MODIFICATIONS TO TEMPERATURES
ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS TO ACCOUNT FOR COLD SEA SURFACE
TEMPERATURES. HAVE USED GFS WINDS WITH MANUAL MODIFICATIONS TO NIGHT
PERIODS. SKY GRIDS AND POPS LOOK GOOD FROM PREVIOUS FORECAST FOR
RIDGE PASSAGE LATE WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY BUT HAVE INITIALIZED POP
GRIDS WITH GFS LATE THURSDAY TO THE END OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD. HAVE
BASED PRECIPITATION TYPE ON DIURNAL TEMPERATURE CHANGES.

AVIATION...
PREDOMINANTLY IFR COND THRU NEXT 24 HOURS ACROSS ALL TAF SITES.
EXPECT CIGS TO JUMP AROUND MVFR/IFR THRESHOLD BEFORE FINALLY GOING
IFR AFTER SUNSET. AT KBGR...FWC AND MAV SUGGESTING VSBY BLO 1SM
SUNDAY MORNING WITH STRENGTHENING ONSHORE FLOW. STUCK W/ PROGRESSIVE
MAV TIMING FOR LOWER VSBY INSTEAD OF LATER FWC.

MARINE...
FOR WIND GRIDS OUT TO 84 HOURS HAVE OVERLAYED MARINE MMG/MOS OVER
GFS 10 METER WINDS. FOR EARLY THIS EVENING HAVE LOWERED SPEEDS
SLIGHTLY AS THE GUIDANCE WINDS APPEAR A LITTLE FAST TO INCREASE BASE
ON COMPARISON WITH OBSERVATIONS THIS AFTERNOON. HAVE NOT MADE ANY
OTHER CHANGES TO WIND GUIDANCE NUMBERS. FOR SEAS HAVE INITIALIZED
GRIDS WITH 12Z WNA WAVE WATCH III. HAVE LOWERED HEIGHTS SLIGHTLY
EARLY THIS EVENING TO ACCOUNT FOR MANUAL CHANGES IN FORECASTED WIND
SPEED. FOR SUNDAY HAVE INCREASED WAVE HEIGHTS SINCE FORECASTED WIND
SPEED IS A LITTLE HIGHER THAN WAVE WATCH MODEL WIND SPEEDS. INCOMING
SWELL WILL MAKE UP MOST OF COMBINED SEA HEIGHT MONDAY INTO
TUESDAY...WAVE WATCH SEEMS TO HANDLE THIS FEATURE WELL. BEYOND 84
HOURS HAVE INITIALIZED GRIDS WITH GFS WINDS AND LATEST WAVE WATCH
SEAS AND HAVE NOT MADE ANY MANUAL CHANGES.

CAR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ME...FLOOD WATCH FOR MEZ017-030-032 FROM MIDNIGHT SUNDAY TO 6 AM
     TUESDAY.
  ...WIND ADVISORY FOR MEZ015>017-029-030 FROM MIDNIGHT SUNDAY TO 11
     AM SUNDAY.
MARINE...GALE WARNING FOR ANZ050 FROM 5 PM SATURDAY TO 5 PM SUNDAY.
  ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ANZ050 FROM 5 PM SUNDAY TO 6 PM
     TUESDAY.

SHORT TERM/MARINE...KHW
LONG TERM/MARINE...MIGNONE

&&

.CAR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ME...FLOOD WATCH FOR MEZ017-030-032 FROM MIDNIGHT SUNDAY TO 6 AM
     TUESDAY.
  ...WIND ADVISORY FOR MEZ015>017-029-030 FROM MIDNIGHT SUNDAY TO
     11 AM SUNDAY.
MARINE...GALE WARNING FOR ANZ050 FROM 5 PM SATURDAY TO 5 PM SUNDAY.
  ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ANZ050 FROM 5 PM SUNDAY TO 6 PM
     TUESDAY.

&&

SHORT TERM...NORCROSS/SMF

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 2, 7:13 PM EST, 2 hours 47 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME
713 PM EST SAT APR 2 2005

MEZ001>006-010-011-015>017-029>032-031100-
CENTRAL PENOBSCOT ME-CENTRAL PISCATAQUIS ME-CENTRAL WASHINGTON ME-
COASTAL HANCOCK ME-COASTAL WASHINGTON ME-INTERIOR HANCOCK ME-
NORTHEAST AROOSTOOK ME-NORTHERN PENOBSCOT ME-NORTHERN PISCATAQUIS ME-
NORTHERN SOMERSET ME-NORTHERN WASHINGTON ME-NORTHWEST AROOSTOOK ME-
SOUTHEAST AROOSTOOK ME-SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT ME-SOUTHERN PISCATAQUIS ME-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALLAGASH...BANGOR...BAR HARBOR...
BAXTER ST PARK...BLUE HILL...BROWNVILLE JUNCTION...BUCKSPORT...
CALAIS...CARIBOU...CHERRYFIELD...CLAYTON LAKE...DAAQUAM...DANFORTH...
DEBOULLIE MOUNTAIN...DEXTER...DOVER-FOXCROFT...EAGLE LAKE...
EASTPORT...ELLSWORTH...FORT FAIRFIELD...FORT KENT...GREENVILLE...
GUILFORD...HOULTON...HOWLAND...LIMESTONE...LINCOLN...LUBEC...
MACHIAS...MADAWASKA...MILLINOCKET...MOUNT KATAHDIN...NEWPORT...
OLD TOWN...PATTEN...PORTAGE...PRESQUE ISLE...RIPOGENUS...
SAINT PAMPHILE...VAN BUREN AND VANCEBORO
713 PM EST SAT APR 2 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN AND EASTERN MAINE.

.DAY ONE...

SLOW MOVING LOW PRESSURE WILL BRING HEAVY RAINS TO THE REGION LATER
TONIGHT AND SUNDAY. THE COMBINATION OF HEAVY RAIN...MELTING SNOW AND
ALREADY ELEVATED WATER LEVELS IN AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS WILL
CONTRIBUTE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF FLOODING THROUGH THE REST OF THE
WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. ALSO...RISING RIVER LEVELS COULD
DISLODGE RIVER ICE CAUSING THE ICE TO MOVE AND POSSIBLY JAM LEADING
TO FLOODING. FOR THIS REASON A FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR
HANCOCK...PENOBSCOT AND PISCATAQUIS COUNTIES TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY
NEXT WEEK. PLEASE SEE THE FLOOD WARNING PRODUCT ( PWMFLWCAR ) FOR
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATING TO THE FLOOD WARNING. A FLOOD WATCH
REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WASHINGTON COUNTY. PLEASE SEE THE FLOOD WATCH
PRODUCT ( PWMFFACAR ) FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATING TO THE
FLOOD WATCH.

STRONG WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN ADVANCE OF THE LOW LATER
TONIGHT THEN PERSIST SUNDAY MORNING. THUS...A WIND ADVISORY IS IN
EFFECT FOR DOWNEAST MAINE OVERNIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. PLEASE
SEE THE PRODUCT ( PWMNPWCAR ) FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATING TO
THE WIND ADVISORY.

WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO GALE LEVELS ACROSS THE COASTAL
WATERS LATER TONIGHT...WITH GALE FORCE WINDS THEN PERSISTING MUCH OF
SUNDAY. THUS...A GALE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL WATERS
TONIGHT AND SUNDAY. PLEASE SEE THE COASTAL WATERS FORECAST PRODUCT
( PWMCWFCAR ) FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATING TO THE MARINE
FORECAST.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

THOUGH THE HEAVY RAINS WILL DIMINISH LATER SUNDAY...RIVERS AND
STREAMS WILL CONTINUE TO RISE AND THE RISK OF ICE JAMS WILL PERSIST.
THUS...FLOOD WATCHES AND WARNINGS WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT INTO EARLY
NEXT WEEK DUE TO THE CONTINUING FLOOD THREAT.

THE GALE WARNING WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT THROUGH MOST OF SUNDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER RAINFALL...WIND...RIVER AND FLOODING REPORTS WILL BE NEEDED
TONIGHT AND SUNDAY.

NORCROSS

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Central Piscataquis

When: April 2, 10:00 PM EST to April 6, 11:00 AM EST
Where: Central Piscataquis forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 45.837, -69.284 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Northern Piscataquis

When: April 2, 10:00 PM EST to April 6, 11:00 AM EST
Where: Northern Piscataquis forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 45.837, -69.284 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Southern Piscataquis

When: April 2, 10:00 PM EST to April 6, 11:00 AM EST
Where: Southern Piscataquis forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 43.450, -70.667

What these are

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

Every storm in Maine in 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in Maine, April 2005

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: 5448115, 5448116, 5448404.