Intensifying low pressure lifting north through Quebec province brought strong winds to much of northern and eastern Maine through the early morning hours of the 29th. South to southeast winds increased to sustained speeds of 25 to 35 mph across the region.
Every event with a place to put it; 12 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Intensifying low pressure lifting north through Quebec province brought strong winds to much of northern and eastern Maine through the early morning hours of the 29th. South to southeast winds increased to sustained speeds of 25 to 35 mph across the region. Estimated wind gusts approaching 60 mph occurred across much of the region...with measured wind gusts of 60 to 65 mph along portions of the Downeast coast. A peak wind gust of 65 mph was reported at West Quoddy in coastal Washington county. The strong winds snapped branches and toppled trees on power lines across the region...creating power outages. The most extensive power outages occurred across Hancock county where around 2700 customers lost power. Also in Hancock county...the ferry terminal at Bass Harbor was damaged when the strong winds caused a portion of a ramp to collapse into the water.
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 Oct 28, 9:32 PM EST, 2 hours 58 minutes earlier.
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</html>SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME 1249 AM EDT WED OCT 29 2008 MEZ001-002-005-006-290615- NORTHWEST AROOSTOOK-NORTHEAST AROOSTOOK-NORTHERN PENOBSCOT- SOUTHEAST AROOSTOOK- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALLAGASH...CLAYTON LAKE...MADAWASKA... FORT KENT...FRENCHVILLE...PRESQUE ISLE...CARIBOU...VAN BUREN... MARS HILL...MILLINOCKET...EAST MILLINOCKET...PATTEN...MEDWAY... HOULTON...HODGDON...SHERMAN...SMYRNA MILLS 1249 AM EDT WED OCT 29 2008 ...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTHERN MAINE MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY SMALL HAIL AND LOCALIZED WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH... AT 1245 AM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A FEW THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL UP TO A QUARTER INCH AND LOCALIZED WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH NEAR RUSSEL CROSSING AND BRIDGEWATER. THESE STORMS ARE RAPIDLY MOVING NORTHWARD AT 50 TO 55 MPH AND MAY AFFECT THE PRESQUE ISLE...CARIBOU AND EAGLE LAKE...FORT KENT AREAS WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR BEFORE EXITING INTO CANADA BY 200 AM EDT. VJN
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
12 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Sustained south to southeast winds of 25 to 35 mph...with estimated gusts approaching 60 mph...toppled trees and power lines producing power outages.
Sustained south to southeast winds of 25 to 35 mph...with estimated gusts of around 60 mph...toppled trees and power lines producing power outages. The ferry terminal at Bass Harbor was damaged when the strong winds caused a portion of a ramp to collapse into the water.
Sustained south to southeast winds of 25 to 35 mph...with measured gusts of 60 to 65 mph...toppled trees and power lines producing power outages. A peak wind gust of 65 mph was measured at West Quoddy...with a 63 mph gust measured at Cutler.
Sustained south to southeast winds of 25 to 35 mph...with estimated gusts approaching 60 mph...toppled trees and power lines producing power outages.
Sustained south to southeast winds of 25 to 35 mph...with estimated gusts approaching 60 mph...toppled trees and power lines producing power outages.
Sustained south to southeast winds of 25 to 35 mph...with estimated gusts approaching 60 mph...toppled trees and power lines producing power outages.
Sustained south to southeast winds of 25 to 35 mph...with estimated gusts approaching 60 mph...toppled trees and power lines producing power outages.
Sustained south to southeast winds of 25 to 35 mph...with estimated gusts approaching 60 mph...toppled trees and power lines producing power outages.
Sustained south to southeast winds of 25 to 35 mph...with estimated gusts approaching 60 mph...toppled trees and power lines producing power outages.
Sustained south to southeast winds of 25 to 35 mph...with estimated gusts approaching 60 mph...toppled trees and power lines producing power outages.
Sustained south to southeast winds of 25 to 35 mph...with estimated gusts approaching 60 mph...toppled trees and power lines producing power outages.
Sustained south to southeast winds of 25 to 35 mph...with estimated gusts approaching 60 mph...toppled trees and power lines producing power outages.
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, October 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 137847, 137848, 137849, 137850, 137851, 137852, 137853, 137854, 137855, 137856, 137857, 137858.