Severe thunderstorms with a mesoscale convective system moving southeast across the region during the afternoon of the 25th produced extensive wind damage across northern and eastern Maine. were received.
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.
Severe thunderstorms with a mesoscale convective system moving southeast across the region during the afternoon of the 25th produced extensive wind damage across northern and eastern Maine. Numerous reports of toppled or snapped trees...along with downed power lines...were received. Minor structural damage was also reported at several locations. The driver of a vehicle near Houlton was injured when a tree was blown on to the car.
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 May 25, 3:57 AM EST, 9 hours 13 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME 457 AM EDT TUE MAY 25 2010 .SYNOPSIS... ANOTHER HOT DAY WITH INCREASING HUMIDITY TODAY. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AS A STRONG COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST THIS AFTERNOON. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO CROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED OVER HUDSON BAY WILL BUILD DOWN ACROSS THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... INGREDIENTS ARE COMING TOGETHER FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS MAINLY NORTHERN AND CENTRAL SECTIONS. SPC HAS PLACED NORTHERN MAINE IN A SLIGHT RISK FOR SVR STORMS WITH WINDS BEING THE HIGHEST RISK. ATTM...AN MCS IS BEARING DOWN ON NORTHERN MAINE FROM QUEBEC. THIS COMPLEX HAS A HISTORY OF WIND GUSTS OVER 60 KTS IN ONTARIO AND QUEBEC OVERNIGHT. WIND IS THE PRIMARY THREAT AND HAVE LOADED DAMAGING WINDS IN GRIDS FOR NORTHERN MAINE. WILL NEED TO MONITOR FOR DERECHO TYPE WINDS THIS MORNING. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOW INVERTED 'V' AND DRY MID LVLS THIS MORNING. H850 WINDS INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY THIS AFTERNOON TOWARDS 40 KTS. SFC BASED CAPE WILL BE WELL OVER 1000 J/KG ACROSS THE CWA AS EARLY AS LATE MORNING WITH NAM MODEL VALUES EXCEEDING 3000 J/KG LOCALLY BY MID AFTERNOON. WHILE SOME STORMS MAY REACH 40K FT ALTITUDE...MOST CAPE IS BELOW THE ZONE FOR FAVORABLE HAIL FORMATION AND LAPSE RATES ABV H700 ARE NOT PARTICULARLY IMPRESSIVE WRT TO HAIL FORMATION. HOWEVER...AS PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED IN THE LAST DISCUSSION...HAIL WILL BE A THREAT IN ANY SUPERCELLS THAT FORM TODAY. FOR DOWNEAST...EXPECT PLENTY OF SUNSHINE DURING THE MORNING HOURS WHICH WILL HELP DESTABILIZE THE ATMOSPHERE FOR THE AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES WILL BE APPROACHING 90 IN INTERIOR DOWNEAST WITH DEWPOINTS INTO THE MID 60S. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... BLOCKING PATTERN HAS SIGNS OF SETTING UP W/LOW PRES EAST OF LABRADOR TRYING TO BACK TO WEST. HIGH PRES CENTERED NEAR GREENLAND IS FCST TO RIDGE DOWN INTO THE REGION PROVIDING COOL AND DRY WEATHER. GFS WAS INDICATING THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME PRECIP UP AGAINST THE MTNS W/THE FRONT DROPPING SOUTHWARD. THE NAM/ECMWF/CANADIAN GEM AND SREF KEEPS THINGS DRY TO PUSH THE FRONT FURTHER INTO NH AND VT. BACKED AWAY FROM THE GFS AND LEFT OUT ANY MENTION OF PRECIP. DAYCREW/S ASSESSMENT ON TEMPERATURES AND WINDS LOOKED GOOD MATCHING UP W/THE LATEST GUIDANCE AND ONLY MINOR TWEAKS WERE MADE. DAYTIME TEMPS FCST TO BE IN THE 60S FOR THE NORTH AND 70S SOUTH. FIRE WX CONCERNS ARE THERE AND THIS IS ADDRESS IN THE FIRE WX SECTION BELOW. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... BLOCKING PATTERN LOOKS TO CONTINUE FOR THIS TERM WITH A BRIEF BREAK FOR SATURDAY AS FRONTAL BOUNDARY IS SHOWN BY THE GFS/CANADIAN HEMISPHERIC AND ECMWF TO AFFECT THE REGION ON SATURDAY. KEPT CHC POPS IN THE FCST FOR SATURDAY MAINLY FOR THE NORTH AND CENTRAL AREAS. INSTABILITY IS THERE ESPECIALLY SHOWN BY THE ECMWF FOR TSTMS IN THE AFTERNOON. THE ECMWF HAS BEEN CONSISTENT W/THIS SETUP AND MUCH WARMER THAN THE GFS OR HEMISPHERIC. DECISION WAS TO TWEAK GMOS MAX TEMPERATURES FOR SATURDAY UP A CATEGORY TO ACCOUNT FOR THE ECMWF/S TREND. SPEAKING OF THE ECMWF...IT WANTS TO BRING A CLOSED LOW ACROSS THE CWA SUNDAY INTO MONDAY W/PRECIP CHCS BOTH DAYS. THE GFS KEEPS UPPER LOW IN CANADA W/A WNW FLOW OVER THE CWA. STAYED CLOSE TO THE GMOS WHICH POINTS TO A DRIER SCENARIO BY COOL. && .AVIATION /07Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... NEAR TERM: VFR TO START...BUT SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE IN NORTH BY LATE THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING IN NORTHERN MAINE WITH WIND GUSTS ABOVE 50 KTS AND SMALL HAIL POSSIBLE. VFR CONDITIONS WILL RETURN LATER TONIGHT EXCEPT BRIEF PERIODS OF LOCALLY DENSE FOG IN AREAS WHERE HEAVY SHOWERS OCCURRED EARLIER IN THE EVENING. SHORT TERM: VFR RIGHT INTO THE WEEKEND. A LIGHT TO MODERATE CHOP CAN BE EXPECTED WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY AFTERNOON W/A NNW WIND. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM: FOG IS DECAYING OVER THE WATERS THIS MORNING. SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAY ROLL OFF THE DOWNEAST COAST LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WINDS WILL INCREASE TONIGHT TOWARDS 15 TO 20 KTS BUT NO SIGNIFICANT GUSTS ARE EXPECTED EXCEPT IN THUNDERSTORMS. SHORT TERM: NO HEADLINES ANTICIPATED THIS TERM. MODIFIED THE WAVE HEIGHTS A BIT FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY USING THE LATEST WNAWAVE4 WHICH SHOWS 2-4 FOOT SEAS. WINDS GUSTS OF 20 KTS EXPECTED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND AGAIN THURSDAY AFTERNOON. && .FIRE WEATHER... NEAR TERM: ANOTHER DRY AND HOT DAY DOWNEAST TO INCLUDE BANGOR AREA. NORTHERN AREAS WILL BE MORE HUMID WITH THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY THIS AFTERNOON. MIN RH EXPECTED BELOW 40 PERCENT IN MUCH OF DOWNEAST BEFORE THUNDERSTORMS START MOVING INTO THE AREA. WINDS WILL SLOWLY PICK UP DURING THE DAY BUT MORE SIGNIFICANT GUSTS WILL BE IN ASSOCIATION WITH THUNDERSTORMS. SHORT TERM: EXPECTATION HERE IS THAT FIRE DANGER COULD REMAIN ELEVATED BOTH WEDNESDAY INTO FRIDAY AS DRY CONDITIONS PREVAIL. WE ARE EXPECTING WIND GUSTS TO HIT 20 MPH FOR WEDNESDAY AND AGAIN THURSDAY. && .HYDROLOGY... PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES OF NEARLY 2 INCHES...DEW PTS IN THE MID 60S...MBE VALUES UNDER 5 KTS AND HIGH FREEZING LEVELS BRING THE CONCERN OF LOCALLY HEAVY PRECIPITATION LATE THIS AFTERNOON IN NORTHERN MAINE. THE MCS COMPLEX MOVING TOWARDS NORTHERN MAINE HAS A HISTORY OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION IN ONTARIO AND QUEBEC OVERNIGHT. A LOW LEVEL JET ARRIVING THIS AFTERNOON LOWERS THE MBE VALUES COULD ALLOWS CELLS TO REGENERATE OVER THE SAME LOCATION. CORFIDI VECTORS DECREASE DURING THE AFTERNOON. && .CLIMATE... HIGHS IN THE LOW 90S EXPECTED DOWNEAST TO INCLUDE BANGOR TODAY. THE RECORD HIGH FOR TODAY IN BANGOR IS 92F. NORTHERN AREAS LIKELY TO FALL BELOW RECORD HIGHS AS THUNDERSTORMS AND THICKENING CLOUDS WILL START ARRIVING THIS MORNING. && .CAR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ME...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && NEAR TERM...MWALKER SHORT TERM...HEWITT LONG TERM...HEWITT AVIATION...MWALKER MARINE...MWALKER/HEWITT FIRE WEATHER...MWALKER/HEWITT HYDROLOGY...MWALKER CLIMATE...MWALKER
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME 204 PM EDT TUE MAY 25 2010 MEZ001>006-010-011-031-032-261815- NORTHWEST AROOSTOOK-NORTHEAST AROOSTOOK-NORTHERN SOMERSET- NORTHERN PISCATAQUIS-NORTHERN PENOBSCOT-SOUTHEAST AROOSTOOK- CENTRAL PISCATAQUIS-CENTRAL PENOBSCOT-SOUTHERN PISCATAQUIS- NORTHERN WASHINGTON- 204 PM EDT TUE MAY 25 2010 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 221 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL MAINE...NORTH CENTRAL MAINE...NORTHERN MAINE...SOUTHEAST 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. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. MEZ015>017-029-030-261815- SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT-INTERIOR HANCOCK-CENTRAL WASHINGTON- COASTAL HANCOCK-COASTAL WASHINGTON- 204 PM EDT TUE MAY 25 2010 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 221 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL MAINE AND SOUTHEAST 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. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
The Caribou radar (KCBW), 125 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:11 UTC.
28 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were toppled around Churchill Dam by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
Wind gusts were estimated at 60 mph.
Numerous trees were toppled along Route 159 between Matagamon...Shin Pond and Patten by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
Trees were toppled by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
Trees were toppled by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
Numerous trees were toppled or snapped by wind gusts estimated at 65 mph. Major power outages were also reported...along with damage to the roof of a mobile home.
Trees were toppled along Route 2A by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
A 10 ft. by 10 ft. sky light was torn from the Southside School by wind gusts estimated at 65 mph.
Numerous trees were toppled or snapped in the Houlton and Hodgdon area by wind gusts estimated at 65 mph.
Numerous trees were toppled or snapped along Route 2 from Benedicta toward Island Falls by wind gusts estimated at 65 mph.
A tree was toppled on Fletcher Road by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
Numerous trees were toppled along the east end of Town Line Road by wind gusts estimated at 65 mph. Power lines were also toppled...along with shingle damage to several roofs.
A tree was toppled on Packard Road by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
Numerous trees were toppled or snapped by wind gusts estimated at 65 mph.
Trees were toppled across Route 2 by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
Numerous trees were toppled along Route 2 near the cemetary by wind gusts estimated at 65 mph.
An estimated wind gust of 58 mph was reported.
A tree was toppled on to a car on Court Street by wind gusts estimated at 65 mph. The driver of the car was injured by the falling tree.
Numerous trees were toppled or snapped in Linneus by wind gusts estimated at 65 mph.
Several trees were toppled or snapped at the corner of Bangor Road and Benn Hill Road by wind gusts estimated at 65 mph.
Numerous trees and power lines were toppled by wind gusts estimated at 65 mph.
Power lines were toppled on Main Street in Sherman by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
Ten inch diameter trees were snapped in half and power lines toppled at a local wildlife refuge by wind gusts estimated at 65 mph.
A large tree was toppled on Route 1 by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph. The falling tree also brought down power lines.
Trees were toppled along Route 1 by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph. Power outages were also reported.
Trees and power lines were toppled on Mohawk and Enfield Roads by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
Trees were toppled and tree limbs snapped by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph. Power outages were also reported.
Large tree limbs were snapped by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Maine in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Maine, May 2010
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: 235167, 235168, 235169, 235176, 235177, 235178, 235179, 235181, 235182, 235183, 235184, 235185, 235186, 235187, 235189, 235192, 235195, 235198, 235200, 235203, 235207, 235268, 235269, 235271, 235272, 235273, 235274, 235276.