Maine, 2005

Storm Surge in Maine, April 3, 2005

April 3, 2005 · NWS GYX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Low pressure developed over the Gulf States on Friday, April 1, and intensified as it moved slowly northeastward through the Mid-Atlantic States on the 2nd and 3rd, reaching northern New England by the morning of the 4th. A prolonged east-southeasterly gale developed in the Gulf of Maine, causing a high storm tide with large ocean waves, especially on the morning of the 3rd.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
1

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.

Low pressure developed over the Gulf States on Friday, April 1, and intensified as it moved slowly northeastward through the Mid-Atlantic States on the 2nd and 3rd, reaching northern New England by the morning of the 4th. A prolonged east-southeasterly gale developed in the Gulf of Maine, causing a high storm tide with large ocean waves, especially on the morning of the 3rd. Minor coastal flooding was reported in Kennebunk with isolated minor to moderate flooding in Saco. About 200 feet of roadway on Surf Street in Saco was eroded with another road partially washed out. In Camp Ellis, two feet of water covered roads. At one of residence in Saco, sand filled a new in-ground pool. Waves crashed over the seawall in Kennebunk. Total damage was estimated at $200,000.

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 Apr 2, 2:58 PM EST, 13 hours 42 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 2, 2:58 PM EST, 13 hours 42 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 2, 6:13 AM EST, 22 hours 27 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
613 AM EST SAT APR 2 2005

MEZ007>009-012>014-018>028-NHZ001>010-013-014-031112-
ANDROSCOGGIN ME-BELKNAP NH-CENTRAL SOMERSET ME-COASTAL CUMBERLAND ME-
COASTAL ROCKINGHAM NH-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-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...AUBURN...AUGUSTA...BATH...BELFAST...
BERLIN...BIDDEFORD...BRUNSWICK...CLAREMONT...CONCORD...DERRY...
DOVER...DURHAM...EXETER...FAIRFIELD...FARMINGTON...FRANKLIN...
GARDINER...HAMPTON...KENNEBUNK...KITTERY...LACONIA...LEBANON...
LEWISTON...LISBON FALLS...LONDONDERRY...NORTH WINDHAM...
OLD ORCHARD BEACH...PORTLAND...PORTSMOUTH...ROCHESTER...ROCKLAND...
RUMFORD...SACO...SANFORD...SKOWHEGAN...SOMERSWORTH...
SOUTH PORTLAND...TOPSHAM...WATERVILLE...WESTBROOK AND WINSLOW
613 AM EST SAT APR 2 2005

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

HEAVY RAIN AND SNOW MELT WILL RESULT IN THE POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS
FLOODING THROUGHOUT MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE OVERNIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

THE THREAT OF SERIOUS FLOODING WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY AND MAY
CONTINUE THROUGH MID WEEK ON LARGER MAIN STEM RIVERS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 storm surge/tide. Local standard time, as filed.

Storm Surge/Tide, Coastal York

When
April 3, 4:40 AM EST to 6:45 AM EST
Where
Coastal York forecast zone
Property damage
$200,000
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
43.429, -70.670 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Storm Surge/Tide
Water pushed ashore above the normal tide by a storm’s winds and low pressure.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Maine in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings in Maine, April 2005The 2005 hurricane season

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5451498.