Maine, 2010

Tropical Storm in Maine, September 3 to 4, 2010

September 3 to 4, 2010 · NWS CAR · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Tropical Storm Earl made landfall on the east coast of Nova Scotia during the mid morning of the 4th. The minimum surface pressure across the region with the storm was 989 mb.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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 CAR wrote it up.

Tropical Storm Earl made landfall on the east coast of Nova Scotia during the mid morning of the 4th. The minimum surface pressure across the region with the storm was 989 mb. The storm brought sustained winds of 15 to 25 mph to the immediate Downeast coast during the early morning hours of the 4th while tracking east of the region. Wind gusts near the immediate coast generally ranged from 30 to 40 mph. A peak wind gust of 41 mph was reported at West Quoddy. There were no reports of wind related damage. Storm surge was not a factor.|The storm also brought heavy rain to portions of the region. Rainfall totals of 1.50 to 3.00 inches were common across much of the region...with localized totals of 4.00 to 5.00 inches. However...the heavy rains fell after several weeks of dry conditions which had led to unusually low water levels on area rivers and brooks. Thus...although the heavy rain caused elevated water levels on small brooks and rivers...no river or brook flooding was reported. Minor street flooding was reported in the town of Machias...with one street temporarily closed.

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 Caribou, ME wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 3, 3:06 PM EST, 7 hours 54 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 3, 3:06 PM EST, 7 hours 54 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 3, 3:07 PM EST, 7 hours 53 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 tropical storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Tropical Storm, Coastal Hancock

When
September 3, 11:00 PM EST to September 4, 7:00 AM EST
Where
Coastal Hancock forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
44.563, -68.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tropical Storm Earl tracked east of the region during the early morning hours of the 4th...eventually making landfall on the east coast of Nova Scotia mid morning. The|minimum surface pressure across the region was 989 mb. Sustained winds of 15 to 25 mph...with gusts of 30 to 40 mph...occurred along the immediate Downeast coast during the early morning hours of the 4th. A peak gust of 35 mph was reported at Prospect Harbor. There were no reports of wind related damage. Storm surge was not a factor.|The storm also brought heavy rain. Rainfall totals of 1.50 to 3.00 inches were common across much of the region...with localized totals of 4.00 to 5.00 inches. However...the rains occurred after several weeks of dry conditions which had led to unusually low water levels. Thus...although the heavy rain caused elevated water levels on brooks and rivers...no flooding was reported.

Tropical Storm, Coastal Washington

When
September 3, 11:00 PM EST to September 4, 7:00 AM EST
Where
Coastal Washington forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
44.970, -67.609 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tropical Storm Earl tracked east of the region during the early morning hours of the 4th...eventually making landfall on the east coast of Nova Scotia mid morning. The|minimum surface pressure across the region was 989 mb. Sustained winds of 15 to 25 mph...with gusts of 30 to 40 mph...occurred along the immediate Downeast coast during the early morning hours of the 4th. A peak gust of 41 mph was reported at West Quoddy. There were no reports of wind related damage. Storm surge was not a factor.|The storm also brought heavy rain. Rainfall totals of 1.50 to 3.00 inches were common across much of the region...with localized totals of 4.00 to 5.00 inches. However...the rains occurred after several weeks of dry conditions which had led to unusually low water levels. Thus...although the heavy rain caused elevated water levels on brooks and rivers...no significant flooding was reported. Minor street flooding was reported in the town of Machias due to standing water...with one street temporarily closed.

What these are

Tropical Storm
A tropical cyclone with sustained winds of 34 to 63 knots (39 to 73 mph).

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Maine in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Maine, September 2010The 2010 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: 261633, 261634.