Low pressure over northeast Maine pushed a trailing cold front through the region on the afternoon of May 3rd. Severe thunderstorms associated with this boundary produced several reports of wind damage in central Maine.
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 GYX wrote it up.
Low pressure over northeast Maine pushed a trailing cold front through the region on the afternoon of May 3rd. Severe thunderstorms associated with this boundary produced several reports of wind damage in central Maine.
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 May 3, 7:15 AM EST, 7 hours earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
815 AM EDT MON MAY 3 2010
.SYNOPSIS...
LOW PRESSURE OVER SOUTHEASTERN CANADA WILL MOVE NORTH OF THE FORECAST
AREA THIS MORNING WITH AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS THE
REGION THIS AFTERNOON. A WEAK RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE CROSSES THE
REGION TONIGHT FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER COLD FRONT TUESDAY AFTERNOON.
A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE APPROACHES THE REGION TUESDAY NIGHT AND
CROSSES THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY. A SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW DEVELOPS
WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS A WEAK WARM FRONT CROSSES THE REGION...FOLLOWED
BY A COLD FRONT THURSDAY MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE APPROACHES THE REGION
LATER THURSDAY AND CROSSES THE REGION LATE THURSDAY NIGHT OR EARLY
FRIDAY MORNING. LOW PRESSURE APPROACHES THE REGION LATER FRIDAY AND
ITS ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT CROSSES THE REGION FRIDAY NIGHT. A WEAK
RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE CROSSES THE REGION ON SATURDAY FOLLOWED
BY ANOTHER COLD FRONT ON SUNDAY.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TODAY/...
A 995 MILLIBAR LOW WAS OVER CENTRAL QUEBEC WITH A TRAILING COLD
FRONT THROUGH LAKE ONTARIO AND CENTRAL NEW YORK STATE. RADAR
INDICATED ONLY WIDELY SCATTERED LIGHT RETURN ACROSS THE AREA AS OF
12Z. HOWEVER...EXPECT CONVECTION TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE DURING
THE DAY WITH APPROACH OF SURFACE COLD FRONT. A MILD START THIS
MORNING GIVEN CLOUD COVER AND SOUTHERLY FLOW OVERNIGHT. WE SHOULD
SEE TEMPERATURES WARM WELL INTO THE 70S TODAY...WITH A FEW LOWER
80S AWAY FROM THE COAST.
&&
.SHORT TERM /TONIGHT/...
A FEW LINGERING SHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE EARLY BEFORE THE FRONT CLEARS
THE COAST. OTHERWISE...A DRY NIGHT WITH MORE SEASONABLE LOWS AND
CLEARING SKIES UNDER WEAK RIDGING.
&&
.LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
FAST MOVING SYSTEMS THIS WEEK WILL ALTERNATE WEATHER REGIMES ON
NEARLY A DAILY BASIS. TUESDAY LOOKS TO BE THE MOST UNSTABLE DAY AS
A COLD FRONT TIMED FOR THE AFTERNOON HOURS...WHICH COULD LEAD TO
SOME DEGREE OF SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS. MODERATE INSTABILITY COULD
LEAD TO SOME HAIL/GUSTY WIND ACTIVITY. HIGH PRESSURE DRIES THINGS
OUT FOR WEDNESDAY WITH NEXT CHANCE FOR SHOWERS ON THURSDAY AS NEXT
FRONTAL BOUNDARY CROSSES THE REGION. CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION
CONTINUES THROUGH THE REST OF THE WORK WEEK AS LOW PRESSURE AND
ITS ASSOCIATED FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVE ACROSS THE REGION. WEAK RIDGE
OF HIGH PRESSURE AND ITS ASSOCIATED DRY SLOT MOVE ACROSS THE
REGION ON SATURDAY WHICH SHOULD PROVIDE ANOTHER DRY DAY BEFORE
ANOTHER FRONTAL BOUNDARY BRINGS A THREAT OF PRECIPITATION BACK TO
THE REGION ON SUNDAY. TEMPERATURES SOME 5 TO 10 DEGREES ABOVE
NORMAL TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY TRANSITIONING BACK TO NEAR NORMAL BY
SATURDAY...THEN FALLING TO 5 DEGREES OR SO BELOW NORMAL BY LATE IN
THE WEEKEND.
&&
.AVIATION /07Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
SHORT TERM /THROUGH 11Z TUESDAY/...VFR EXPECTED.
LONG TERM...
AREAS OF MVFR TUESDAY IN SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS...AND IN
PATCHY FOG TUESDAY NIGHT...IMPROVING TO VFR ON WEDNESDAY. AREAS OF
MVFR CONDITIONS THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY IN ANY SHOWERS.
&&
.MARINE...
SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...SW WINDS AND SEAS WILL INCREASE
AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT TODAY...WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 25 KT AND SEAS
BUILDING TO 5 OR 6 FT THIS MORNING....MAINLY OVER THE OPEN WATERS
NE OF PORTLAND AND CASCO BAY. WINDS AND SEAS WILL SUBSIDE BY EVENING.
LONG TERM...
CONDITIONS BELOW SCA CRITERIA TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY
WITH SCA CONDITIONS FOR WINDS/SEAS WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH
EARLY THURSDAY...THEN LOWERING TO BELOW SCA CRITERIA LATER THURSDAY INTO
FRIDAY.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...ALTHOUGH WE WILL REMAIN IN A BREEZY PERIOD FOR THE
NEXT FEW DAYS...AFTERNOON RH VALUES WILL REMAIN MODERATE...WITH A
CHANCE FOR SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS BOTH TODAY AND TUESDAY. UNSETTLED
WEATHER CONTINUES LATE INTO THE WEEK...BUT CONCERNS FOR DANGEROUS
FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL LOOK LIMITED.
&&
.GYX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ME...NONE.
NH...NONE.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 8 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM EDT THIS
EVENING FOR ANZ150-152.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME 955 AM EDT MON MAY 3 2010 MEZ007>009-012>014-018>028-NHZ001>010-013-014-041400- NORTHERN OXFORD-NORTHERN FRANKLIN-CENTRAL SOMERSET-SOUTHERN OXFORD- SOUTHERN FRANKLIN-SOUTHERN SOMERSET-INTERIOR YORK- INTERIOR CUMBERLAND-ANDROSCOGGIN-KENNEBEC-INTERIOR WALDO- COASTAL YORK-COASTAL CUMBERLAND-SAGADAHOC-LINCOLN-KNOX-COASTAL WALDO- NORTHERN COOS-SOUTHERN COOS-NORTHERN GRAFTON-NORTHERN CARROLL- SOUTHERN GRAFTON-SOUTHERN CARROLL-SULLIVAN-MERRIMACK-BELKNAP- STRAFFORD-INTERIOR ROCKINGHAM-COASTAL ROCKINGHAM- 955 AM EDT MON MAY 3 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN MAINE...CENTRAL NEW HAMPSHIRE...NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND SOUTHEASTERN NEW HAMPSHIRE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE THIS AFTERNOON AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND BRIEF GUSTY WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION ON TUESDAY. MORE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED WITH THIS SECOND FRONT. A FEW OF THE THUNDERSTORMS COULD CONTAIN GUSTY WINDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ANZ150>154-041400- STONINGTON ME TO PORT CLYDE ME OUT TO 25 NM-PENOBSCOT BAY- PORT CLYDE ME TO CAPE ELIZABETH ME OUT TO 25 NM-CASCO BAY- CAPE ELIZABETH ME TO MERRIMACK RIVER MA OUT TO 25 NM- 955 AM EDT MON MAY 3 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CASCO BAY...PENOBSCOT BAY...THE COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE ELIZABETH ME TO MERRIMACK RIVER MA...THE COASTAL WATERS FROM PORT CLYDE ME TO CAPE ELIZABETH ME AND THE COASTAL WATERS FROM STONINGTON ME TO PORT CLYDE ME. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME 212 PM EDT MON MAY 3 2010 MEZ007>009-013-014-NHZ001-031900- CENTRAL SOMERSET-NORTHERN COOS-NORTHERN FRANKLIN-NORTHERN OXFORD-SOUTHERN FRANKLIN-SOUTHERN SOMERSET- 212 PM EDT MON MAY 3 2010 ...SHOWERS AND POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS WITH GUSTY WINDS WILL IMPACT OXFORD COUNTY...SOMERSET COUNTY...FRANKLIN COUNTY AND COOS COUNTY THROUGH 300 PM EDT... AT 210 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SHOWERS AND POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS WITH GUSTY WINDS EXTENDING FROM 8 MILES SOUTH OF JACKMAN TO 15 MILES SOUTH OF COBURN GORE TO 8 MILES EAST OF COLEBROOK...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. THESE SHOWERS AND POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT DIXVILLE NOTCH STATE PARK... DIXVILLE NOTCH...WILSONS MILLS...TIM POND... DAVIS...LINCOLN PLANTATION...STRATTON...OQUOSSOC...EUSTIS AND WENTWORTHS LOCATION THROUGH 300 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME 237 PM EDT MON MAY 3 2010 MEZ009-031900- CENTRAL SOMERSET- 237 PM EDT MON MAY 3 2010 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOMERSET COUNTY THROUGH 300 PM EDT... AT 236 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CENTERED ABOUT 13 MILES WEST OF GREENVILLE... MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT MOOSEHEAD LAKE BY 250 PM. GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME 308 PM EDT MON MAY 3 2010 MEZ018-023-NHZ010-013-031945- COASTAL YORK-INTERIOR ROCKINGHAM-INTERIOR YORK-STRAFFORD- 308 PM EDT MON MAY 3 2010 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT SOUTHERN STRAFFORD COUNTY...SOUTHERN YORK COUNTY AND NORTHERN ROCKINGHAM COUNTY THROUGH 345 PM EDT... AT 306 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CENTERED 2 MILES SOUTHWEST OF NORTHWOOD MEADOWS STATE PARK...OR ABOUT 4 MILES WEST OF NORTHWOOD...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND NORTHWOOD MEADOWS STATE PARK...NORTHWOOD...DEERFIELD...LEE... BARRINGTON...GONIC...DURHAM...BERWICK...SOMERSWORTH AND MADBURY THROUGH 345 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND PEA SIZE HAIL. MARINE
The Portland,ME radar (KGYX), 123 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:16 UTC.
5 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A severe thunderstorm downed 4 trees at a campground in Solon.
A severe thunderstorm downed numerous trees in and around the town of Madison.
A severe thunderstorm uprooted large trees along Belgrade Lake.
A severe thunderstorm uprooted dozens of trees in and around Pittsfield. Central Maine Power estimated 11,000 customers were left without power by the storm.
A severe thunderstorm downed a large tree which blocked a driveway on Quaker Hill Road.
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: 232456, 232451, 232452, 232453, 232454.