An isolated severe thunderstorm produced damaging wind gusts across Piscataquis county.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS CAR wrote it up.
An isolated severe thunderstorm produced damaging wind gusts across Piscataquis county.
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 Jul 24, 1:46 PM EST, 1 hour 44 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME
246 PM EDT THU JUL 24 2008
.SYNOPSIS...
A VIGOROUS TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL
SLOWLY PUSH EAST ACROSS WESTERN MAINE EARLY TONIGHT AND INTO
EASTERN MAINE EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. THE FRONT WILL MOVE AWAY TO
THE EAST FRIDAY AFTERNOON. HIGH PRESSURE REMAIN ANCHORED WELL
OFFSHORE OVER THE WEEKEND AS LOW PRESSURE REMAINS OVER EAST
CENTRAL CANADA.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY/...
A POWERFUL FRONTAL SYSTEM IS PRESSING INTO WESTERN MAINE THIS
AFTERNOON BRINGING BANDS OF HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE
AREA. A STRONG GRADIENT OF SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS IS NEAR THE
SURFACE WITH SOUTH TO SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS ARE ALOFT. CONVECTIVE
INDICIES SHOW VERY IMPRESSIVE HELICITY BUT ONLY MARGINAL CAPES. A
TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR WESTERN MAINE INCLUDING
PISCATAQUIS...PENOBSCOT AND SOMERSET COUNTIES UNTIL 7 PM THIS
EVENING. THE SYSTEM HAS ALREADY PRODUCE A DAMAGING TORNADO IN
WESTERN NEW HAMPSHIRE. CONVECTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO THE
EVENING WITH THE CONTINUED POTENTIAL FOR SOME TORNADIC MESOSCALE
CYCLONES AS THE STRONG SHORTWAVE LIFTS SLOWLY NORTHEAST.
THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN FORMING IN BANDS WITH MOVEMENT SOUTH TO
NORTH PARALLEL TO THE BANDS. THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE
REPEATED HEAVY THUNDERSHOWERS IN GIVEN LOCATIONS RESULTING IN THE
POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING. THE HEAVY BANDS OF SHOWERS WILL LIFT
NORTH AND EAST LATER TONIGHT AND DISSIPATE AND MOVE AWAY TO THE
EAST ON FRIDAY.
&&
.SHORT TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/...
UPPER LEVEL AND SURFACE LOW PRESSURE WILL REMAIN WELL STACKED OVER
EAST CENTRAL CANADA ON SATURDAY AS SUBTROPICAL HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS
WELL SOUTH AND EAST OF THE COAST. THIS WILL KEEP US IN A WARM
SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW OF AIR. A SHORTWAVE ROUNDING THE LOW ON SUNDAY
IS EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH AND ONCE AGAIN ENHANCE THE POTENTIAL
FOR THUNDERSTORMS.
&&
.LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/...
A BROAD AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL BE OVER EASTERN CANADA AT THE
START OF THE LONG TERM AND WILL INFLUENCE LOCAL CONDITIONS THROUGH
WED NIGHT. THE LOW WILL SLOWLY DRIFT TO THE EAST AS TROUGHS SPIN
AROUND THE CENTER. A WEAK HIGH PRESS CENTER WILL RIDGE INTO THE
AREA THURS MORNING...BUT WILL BE DISPLACED BY ANOTHER LOW CENTER
AT THE END OF THE PERIOD.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
IFR TO LIFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED DOWNEAST TONIGHT AND FRIDAY WITH
A POTENTIAL FOR IMPROVEMENT FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOLLOWING THE FRONTAL
PASSAGE. MVFR CONDITIONS ACROSS THE NORTH ARE EXPECTED TO LOWER TO
IFR LATE TONIGHT AND RETURN TO MVFR LATE FRIDAY. PILOTS ARE ADVISED
OF THE POTENTIAL FOR VERY TURBULANT CONDITIONS IN CONVECTION THROUGH
EARLY FRIDAY. MVFR TO VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE WEEKEND INTO
EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH THE EXCEPTIONS OF ANY THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY
SUNDAY...AND LOW CLOUDS AND FOG DOWNEAST IN LATE NIGHTS AND EARLY
MORNINGS.
&&
.MARINE...
AN SCA FOR SEAS IS UP FOR TONIGHT INTO EARLY FRIDAY IN RESPONSE TO
THE SOUTH WINDS. WINDS AND SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO BE BELOW SCA THIS
WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.
&&
.CAR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ME...FLOOD WATCH FROM 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING
FOR MEZ001-003-004-010-031.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT
TO 8 PM EDT FRIDAY FOR ANZ050-051.
&&
NEAR TERM...BLOOMER
SHORT TERM...BLOOMER
LONG TERM...NORTON
AVIATION...BLOOMER
MARINE...BLOOMER/BLOOMERHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME 308 PM EDT THU JUL 24 2008 MEZ002-006-016-017-029-030-032-251915- NORTHEAST AROOSTOOK-SOUTHEAST AROOSTOOK-INTERIOR HANCOCK- CENTRAL WASHINGTON-COASTAL HANCOCK-COASTAL WASHINGTON- NORTHERN WASHINGTON- 308 PM EDT THU JUL 24 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN MAINE AND SOUTHEAST MAINE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. MEZ003-004-010-031-251915- NORTHERN SOMERSET-NORTHERN PISCATAQUIS-CENTRAL PISCATAQUIS- SOUTHERN PISCATAQUIS- 308 PM EDT THU JUL 24 2008 ...TORNADO WATCH 745 IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL MAINE AND WEST CENTRAL MAINE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. TORNADO WATCH. FLOOD WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. MEZ005-011-015-251915- NORTHERN PENOBSCOT-CENTRAL PENOBSCOT-SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT- 308 PM EDT THU JUL 24 2008 ...TORNADO WATCH 745 IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL MAINE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. TORNADO WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. MEZ001-251915- NORTHWEST AROOSTOOK- 308 PM EDT THU JUL 24 2008 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN MAINE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ANZ050>052-251915- COASTAL WATERS FROM EASTPORT ME TO SCHOODIC POINT ME OUT 25 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM SCHOODIC POINT ME TO STONINGTON ME OUT 25 NM- INTRACOASTAL WATERS FROM SCHOODIC POINT ME TO STONINGTON ME- 308 PM EDT THU JUL 24 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. MCB
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME
340 PM EDT THU JUL 24 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0950 PM FLASH FLOOD 5 NW VAN BUREN 47.21N 68.01W
07/21/2008 AROOSTOOK ME NWS EMPLOYEE
DEBRIS AND HEAVY WATER FLOWING ACROSS US ROUTE 1 IN THE
KEEGAN AREA OF VAN BUREN. CLOGGED CULVERT ON PRIVATE ROAD
DIVERTED STORM RUNOFF AND UNNAMED STREAM DOWN PRIVATE
ROAD AND ONTO US ROUTE 1. STATE TROOPER DIRECTING TRAFFIC
AROUND.
1030 PM FLASH FLOOD EASTON 46.64N 67.91W
07/21/2008 AROOSTOOK ME DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
SEVERAL DRIVEWAYS/CULVERTS WASHED OUT IN EASTON NEAR
RIVER DES CHUTES.
1045 PM FLASH FLOOD 2 NE CARIBOU 46.88N 67.98W
07/21/2008 AROOSTOOK ME DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
MINOR DAMAGE TO INTERSECTION OF BAIRD AND POWERS ROADS.
DEBRIS FROM EROSION OF ROAD BED AND SHOULDER WASHED INTO
POWERS ROADWAY.
1100 PM FLASH FLOOD 2 SSW VAN BUREN 47.13N 67.95W
07/21/2008 AROOSTOOK ME PUBLIC
CASTONGUAY ROAD FLOODED. SEVERAL ACCESS ROADS OVERWHELMED
STORM DRAIN SYSTEM EAST OF THE INTERSECTION OF CASTONGUAY
ROAD AND US ROUTE 1. FLOODED AREA ESTIMATED 60 FEET OF
ROADWAY. LARGE DEBRIS FLOW ACROSS CASTONGUAY ROAD ALSO
FLOWED ACROSS US ROUTE 1 ASSOCIATED WITH FLOODING. MUCH
OF THIS DEBRIS WAS DEPOSITED IN THE YARD OF A PRIVATE
RESIDENCE ON EAST SIDE OF US ROUTE 1.
0100 AM HEAVY RAIN 5 NW VAN BUREN 47.21N 68.01W
07/22/2008 M3.10 INCH AROOSTOOK ME TRAINED SPOTTER
RAIN FROM 8PM 7/21 TO 1AM 7/22
0100 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 SSW VAN BUREN 47.13N 67.95W
07/22/2008 M2.80 INCH AROOSTOOK ME PUBLIC
IN THE AREA OF CASTONGUAY ROAD.
&&
MATThe Caribou radar (KCBW), 153 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:30 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were toppled in spots between Greenville and Lily Bay by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Maine in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Maine, July 2008
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: 124909.