Severe thunderstorms with large hail and damaging winds developed during the afternoon of the 4th in advance of a cold front crossing the region. Isolated flash flooding also occurred in the Caribou area.
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 large hail and damaging winds developed during the afternoon of the 4th in advance of a cold front crossing the region. Isolated flash flooding also occurred in the Caribou area. The thunderstorms continued into the early evening.
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 4, 1:00 PM EST, 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME 200 PM EDT MON JUL 4 2011 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH SOUTH OF THE AREA TONIGHT THEN WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER ON TUESDAY. A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE THROUGH WEDNESDAY FOLLOWED BY HIGH PRESSURE THURSDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... SVR WX ONGOING W/WARNINGS ISSUED. THINGS WILL QUIET DOWN AFT 23Z. LARGE HAIL AND STRONG WIND THE MAIN THREAT. SVR TSTM WATCH#593 THROUGH 8 PM. ADDED FOG TO ALL AREAS LATER TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY. DRIER AND WARMER FOR TUESDAY W/PLENTY OF SUNSHINE. TEMPS IN THE 80S. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL SLIDE EAST TUESDAY EVENING. THE NEXT TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT TO APPROACH IN OUR ACTIVE SUMMER PATTERN WILL BEGIN MOVING IN LATE TUESDAY NIGHT. SOME SHOWERS MAY AFFECT FAR NORTHWESTERN AREAS EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING. WEDNESDAY WILL BE WARM AND HUMID WITH LOW STRATUS CLOUDS OVER THE NORTH AND PARTIAL SUNSHINE DOWNEAST. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO NORTHWESTERN AREAS DURING THE MIDDAY AND AFTERNOON THEN PROGRESS EASTWARD DURING THE AFTERNOON. SOME HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. THE STORMS WILL CLEAR TO THE EAST LATER WEDNESDAY NIGHT. DRIER AIR WILL FOLLOW ON THURSDAY. MOIST GROUND AND SOMEWHAT COOLER AIR ALOFT WILL LIKELY MEAN CUMULUS CLOUDS LIMITING SUNSHINE IN CENTRAL AND NORTHERN AREAS THURSDAY SO WILL GO PARTLY SUNNY. DOWNEAST AREAS MAY BECOME MOSTLY SUNNY LATE. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... A STRONGER RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO BUILD OVER ON FRIDAY LIKELY BRINGING A MOSTLY SUNNY SKY. THE HIGH SHOULD SET UP TO THE SOUTH OVER THE WEEKEND INTO MONDAY KEEPING DOWNEAST AREAS PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY AND MAINLY DRY. WEAK DISTURBANCES ACROSS THE NORTH MAY BRING SMALL CHANCES FOR SHOWERS OVER NORTHERN AREAS EACH DAY OVER THE WEEKEND AND MONDAY. && .AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... NEAR TERM: VFR TO MVFR FOR LATE AFTERNOON W/TSRAS W/HAIL AND WIND. POTENTIAL FOR IFR AND MVFR LATER TONIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. SHORT TERM: VFR CONDITIONS TUESDAY EVENING MAY LOWER TO MVFR OR IFR IN LOW STRATUS LATE AT NIGHT INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY. MAINLY MVFR CONDITIONS ARE THEN EXPECTED WEDNESDAY IN VARIABLE LOW CLOUDS BUT CONDITIONS COULD DROP DOWN INTO IFR IN ANY THUNDERSHOWERS. VFR CONDITIONS IN DRIER WEATHER SHOULD PREVAIL THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. SOME LOW CLOUDS AND SHOWERS MAY LOWER CONDITIONS TO MVFR OVER THE NORTH ON SATURDAY WITH VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED DOWNEAST. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM: NO HEADLINES. FOG THE MAIN THREAT THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY. SHORT TERM: WINDS AND SEAS SHOULD BE BELOW SCA THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND. WEST WINDS WILL BRING GOOD VISIBILITIES TUESDAY. FOG MAY RETURN WITH THE HUMIDITY LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY. DRIER AIR SHOULD THEN RETURN THURSDAY. DRY WEATHER SHOULD PREVAIL FRIDAY INTO THE WEEKEND. && .CAR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ME...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && NEAR TERM...HEWITT SHORT TERM...BLOOMER LONG TERM...BLOOMER AVIATION...HEWITT MARINE...HEWITT/BLOOMER
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME 1215 PM EDT MON JUL 4 2011 MEZ001>006-010-011-015>017-029>032-051615- NORTHWEST AROOSTOOK-NORTHEAST AROOSTOOK-NORTHERN SOMERSET- NORTHERN PISCATAQUIS-NORTHERN PENOBSCOT-SOUTHEAST AROOSTOOK- CENTRAL PISCATAQUIS-CENTRAL PENOBSCOT-SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT- INTERIOR HANCOCK-CENTRAL WASHINGTON-COASTAL HANCOCK- COASTAL WASHINGTON-SOUTHERN PISCATAQUIS-NORTHERN WASHINGTON- 1215 PM EDT MON JUL 4 2011 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 593 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...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS PLEASE REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CARIBOU ANZ050>052-051615- 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- 1215 PM EDT MON JUL 4 2011 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 593 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .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...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS PLEASE REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CARIBOU
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME 937 AM EDT MON JUL 4 2011 MEZ001>006-010-011-015>017-029>032-041645- NORTHWEST AROOSTOOK-NORTHEAST AROOSTOOK-NORTHERN SOMERSET- NORTHERN PISCATAQUIS-NORTHERN PENOBSCOT-SOUTHEAST AROOSTOOK- CENTRAL PISCATAQUIS-CENTRAL PENOBSCOT-SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT- INTERIOR HANCOCK-CENTRAL WASHINGTON-COASTAL HANCOCK- COASTAL WASHINGTON-SOUTHERN PISCATAQUIS-NORTHERN WASHINGTON- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALLAGASH...CLAYTON LAKE...MADAWASKA... FORT KENT...FRENCHVILLE...PRESQUE ISLE...CARIBOU...VAN BUREN... MARS HILL...BAKER LAKE...BILLY-JACK DEPOT...BAXTER ST PARK... CHAMBERLAIN LAKE...CHURCHILL DAM...MOUNT KATAHDIN...MILLINOCKET... EAST MILLINOCKET...PATTEN...MEDWAY...HOULTON...HODGDON... SHERMAN...SMYRNA MILLS...GREENVILLE...MONSON...BLANCHARD... LINCOLN...HOWLAND...SPRINGFIELD...BANGOR...BREWER...ORONO... OLD TOWN...AMHERST...AURORA...DEDHAM...EASTBROOK...GREAT POND... ORLAND...DEBLOIS...GRAND LAKE STREAM...MEDDYBEMPS...PEMBROKE... PERRY...PRINCETON...ELLSWORTH...BAR HARBOR...BLUE HILL... EASTPORT...MACHIAS...CHERRYFIELD...DOVER-FOXCROFT...MILO... GUILFORD...DANFORTH...VANCEBORO...TOPSFIELD 937 AM EDT MON JUL 4 2011 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING... A COLD FRONT PUSHING INTO THE REGION TODAY HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BRING SOME SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO THE AREA. THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AREAS DOWN THROUGH THE DOWNEAST REGION FROM THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING. ANY STORMS COULD CONTAIN DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. MCB/JAH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME 1124 AM EDT MON JUL 4 2011 MEZ001>006-010-011-015>017-029>032-041645- NORTHWEST AROOSTOOK-NORTHEAST AROOSTOOK-NORTHERN SOMERSET- NORTHERN PISCATAQUIS-NORTHERN PENOBSCOT-SOUTHEAST AROOSTOOK- CENTRAL PISCATAQUIS-CENTRAL PENOBSCOT-SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT- INTERIOR HANCOCK-CENTRAL WASHINGTON-COASTAL HANCOCK- COASTAL WASHINGTON-SOUTHERN PISCATAQUIS-NORTHERN WASHINGTON- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALLAGASH...CLAYTON LAKE...MADAWASKA... FORT KENT...FRENCHVILLE...PRESQUE ISLE...CARIBOU...VAN BUREN... MARS HILL...BAKER LAKE...BILLY-JACK DEPOT...BAXTER ST PARK... CHAMBERLAIN LAKE...CHURCHILL DAM...MOUNT KATAHDIN...MILLINOCKET... EAST MILLINOCKET...PATTEN...MEDWAY...HOULTON...HODGDON... SHERMAN...SMYRNA MILLS...GREENVILLE...MONSON...BLANCHARD... LINCOLN...HOWLAND...SPRINGFIELD...BANGOR...BREWER...ORONO... OLD TOWN...AMHERST...AURORA...DEDHAM...EASTBROOK...GREAT POND... ORLAND...DEBLOIS...GRAND LAKE STREAM...MEDDYBEMPS...PEMBROKE... PERRY...PRINCETON...ELLSWORTH...BAR HARBOR...BLUE HILL... EASTPORT...MACHIAS...CHERRYFIELD...DOVER-FOXCROFT...MILO... GUILFORD...DANFORTH...VANCEBORO...TOPSFIELD 1124 AM EDT MON JUL 4 2011 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING... A COLD FRONT PUSHING INTO THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BRING SOME SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO THE AREA. THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AREAS DOWN THROUGH THE DOWNEAST REGION FROM THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING. ANY STORMS COULD CONTAIN DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. MCB/JAH
The Caribou radar (KCBW), 133 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:18 UTC.
9 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were toppled and large branches snapped along roads leading to Sebec Lake by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
A large tree was toppled on to power lines on the Bondeson Road by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
Trees were toppled on Page Avenue in Caribou by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
Trees and power lines were toppled on the Saint Albans Road by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
Trees and power lines were toppled in Corinna Center by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
Thunderstorms with very heavy rain produced 2.00 to 3.00 inches of rain in a short time producing flash flooding around the Caribou area. Water was reported across portions of River Road...Old Washburn Road...Mitchell Road and Fort Fairfield Road. York Street was closed due to flash flooding. An overflowing brook flooded portions of Sweden Street and Prospect Street.
Large trees were toppled in Exeter by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
Large trees were toppled around Stetson by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
Trees and power lines were toppled along Amsten Road by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
A large tree was toppled by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Maine in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Maine, July 2011
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: 333255, 333257, 333258, 333259, 333260, 333261, 333262, 333263, 333264, 333266, 333267, 333268, 333269.