Lightning from a thunderstorm sparked a fire in Naples.
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.
Lightning from a thunderstorm sparked a fire in Naples.
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 Jul 31, 9:30 AM EST, 4 hours earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME 1030 AM EDT THU JUL 31 2014 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE EAST TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY. A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTH FROM THE MID ATLANTIC STATES FRIDAY NIGHT AND WILL STALL ALONG THE SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND COAST SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. WEAK LOW PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP ON THE FRONT AND WILL TRACK NORTHEAST THIS WEEKEND. A TRAILING COLD FRONT WILL PUSH OFFSHORE MONDAY NIGHT. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE WEST TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... UPDATE...CLOUD COVER LEADING THE APPROACHING S/WV TROF WILL INHIBIT MAX HEATING POTENTIAL ACROSS WRN NH TODAY. HAVE ADJUSTED TEMPS ACCORDINGLY. THAT BEING SAID...VIGOROUS S/WV WILL STILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE SOME SEVERE WX. ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE LOW FREEZING LEVELS. SOME SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS ARE ALREADY OCCURRING IN ERN NY...AND FURTHER DAYTIME HEATING...HOWEVER MINIMAL...WILL ONLY LEAD TO CONTINUED DESTABILIZATION. HI-RES MODEL GUIDANCE SEEMS TO HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON THE PLACEMENT OF FORCING THIS MORNING...SO HAVE BLENDED IN THE LATEST RUNS TO THE TODAY PORTION OF THE FORECAST. PREVIOUSLY... THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERN TODAY REVOLVES AROUND THE CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. CAPE VALES ARE EXPECTED TO BE RELATIVELY LOW TODAY WITH MLCAPE VALUES EXPECTED TO PEAK IN THE 500-800 J/KG RANGE. HOWEVER...THE APPROACH OF A STRONG SHORT WAVE TROUGH WITH ATTENDANT ANOMALOUSLY LOW MID LEVEL TEMPERATURES /500MB TEMPS AS LOW AS -17C/ AND STRONG MID LEVEL FLOW/DEEP LAYER SHEAR WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF WIDELY SCT STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. WITH SFC DEWPOINTS MIXING OUT INTO THE LOWER TO MID 50S...SFC DEWPOINT DEPRESSIONS SHOULD BE AS HIGH AS 20 TO 25 DEGREES THIS AFTERNOON AS SFC TEMPS PUSH INTO THE 70S. THIS WILL CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE FOR STRONG WIND GUSTS THROUGH EVAPORATIONAL COOLING. IN ADDITION...SOME SEVERE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE AS WELL WITH SUCH COLD TEMPERATURES ALOFT. SEVERAL MODES OF CONVECTION ARE POSSIBLE TODAY...WITH ORGANIZED MULTICELLS LIKELY ALONG WITH A FEW BOWING SEGMENTS AND PERHAPS A COUPLE OF SUPERCELLS GIVEN THE DEEP LAYER SHEAR VALUES. STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INITIATE AROUND MIDDAY...WITH FIRST PREFERENCE GIVEN TO NH AS THE FORCING FOR ASCENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE SHORT WAVE TROUGH WILL MOVE INTO THAT AREA OF THE CWA FIRST. HOWEVER...A FEW CELLS MAY INITIATE IN MAINE AROUND THAT TIME ALONG SUBTLE CONVERGENCE ZONES AND IN AREAS OF DIFFERENTIAL HEATING. HIGHEST POPS WILL BE ACROSS NORTHERN ZONES TODAY. EARLY ON IN THE MORNING...STRATUS AND AREAS OF DENSE FOG WILL BE PRESENT IN RIVER VALLEYS AS WELL AS MUCH OF THE CWA NORTHEAST OF PORTLAND. THIS SHOULD LIFT EARLY ON THIS MORNING. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... ANY SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL WANE QUICKLY EARLY THIS EVENING WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. THE BULK OF THE NIGHT IS EXPECTED TO BE FAIR...WITH AREAS OF FOG ONCE AGAIN DEVELOPING LATE. ON FRIDAY...COLD AIR ALOFT WILL REMAIN. THIS WILL ACT IN TANDEM WITH CONTINUED SOUTHERLY LOW LEVEL SFC FLOW TO AID IN A FEW SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. HOWEVER...ACTIVITY IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE AS WIDESPREAD AS TODAY AND ISN/T EXPECTED TO BE SEVERE. JUST LOW CHANCE POPS AT THIS TIME. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTH FROM THE MID ATLANTIC COAST FRIDAY NIGHT AND THIS BOUNDARY WILL HANG UP ALONG THE SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND COAST BY SATURDAY MORNING. NET RESULT WILL BE INCREASING HIGH CLOUDS OVERNIGHT. STILL APPEARS ANY ASSOCIATED PRECIP WILL REMAIN WELL SOUTH OF THE REGION. LOW TEMPS WILL RANGE FROM THE MID 50S TO LOWER 60S. MAIN QUESTION WILL BE SENSIBLE WEATHER OVER THE WEEKEND. THE ECMWF CONTINUES TO ADVERTISE A SOUTHERN STREAM WAVE AFFECTING THE REGION SATURDAY WITH WIDESPREAD RAIN/SHOWERS. THE GFS CONTINUES TO KEEP THE ACTIVITY OFFSHORE UNTIL SUNDAY NIGHT. THE ECMWF HAS SHOWN GOOD RUN TO RUN CONSISTENCY WITH THE WET SATURDAY SCENARIO...SO PLACED THE HIGHEST POPS OF THE WEEKEND ON SAT. HOWEVER...CONFIDENCE REMAINS A BIT LOW AT THIS TIME. EXPECT GRADUAL CLEARING MONDAY NIGHT AS LOW PRESSURE CONTINUES OFF TO THE EAST AND DRIER NORTHWEST FLOW SETS UP BEHIND A WEAK COLD FRONT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE WEST FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AS COOL SUMMER WEATHER CONTINUES IN THE NORTHEAST. && .AVIATION /15Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... SHORT TERM...IFR OR LOWER CONDITIONS EARLY THIS MORNING WILL GIVE WAY TO VFR AS THE MORNING PROGRESSES. RKD MAY HOLD ONTO IFR LONGER...PERHAPS INTO THE AFTERNOON. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON WITH ATTENDANT THREAT FOR LOWER CONDITIONS...GUSTY SFC WINDS...AND HAIL. LOWER CONDITIONS MAY ONCE AGAIN DEVELOP LATE TONIGHT IN SOME FOG AND STRATUS...BUT CHANCES APPEAR LOWER THAN WHAT WE ARE SEEING EARLY THIS MORNING. FRIDAY IS EXPECTED TO BE MAINLY VFR WITH SCT AFTERNOON SHOWERS. LONG TERM...MVFR OR LOWER POSSIBLE ON SATURDAY IN SHOWERS...AND POSSIBLY AGAIN SUNDAY NIGHT. && .MARINE... SHORT TERM...SUB-SCA CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY. HOWEVER...AREAS OF DENSE FOG WILL BE PRESENT FROM TIME TO TIME...ESPECIALLY OFF THE MID COAST OF MAINE. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY MOVE ACROSS THE WATERS BY LATE AFTERNOON TODAY. LONG TERM...NO PROBLEMS NOTED. && .GYX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ME...NONE. NH...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && NEAR TERM...LEGRO
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME 1032 AM EDT THU JUL 31 2014 MEZ007>009-012>014-018>028-NHZ001>010-013-014-011445- 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- 1032 AM EDT THU JUL 31 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN MAINE...CENTRAL NEW HAMPSHIRE...NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND SOUTHEASTERN NEW HAMPSHIRE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. THE MAIN THREATS ARE EXPECTED TO BE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED. SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL OR RADIO IN THEIR REPORTS. ANZ150>154-011445- 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- 1032 AM EDT THU JUL 31 2014 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. THUNDERSTORMS WITH GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE ON THE WATERS THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED. SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL OR RADIO IN THEIR REPORTS.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
117 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2014
MEZ012-019-311745-
INTERIOR CUMBERLAND-SOUTHERN OXFORD-
117 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2014
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT OXFORD COUNTY AND CUMBERLAND
COUNTY THROUGH 145 PM EDT...
AT 116 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CENTERED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM
BUCKFIELD TO SEBAGO...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 7 MILES
NORTHWEST OF TURNER TO 7 MILES SOUTH OF NAPLES...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
20 MPH. THIS CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND
AROUND SEBAGO...OXFORD...NAPLES...BUCKFIELD...SEBAGO LAKE STATE
PARK...HEBRON AND CASCO THROUGH 145 PM EDT.
HAIL UP TO THREE QUARTER INCH IN DIAMETER...HEAVY DOWNPOURS...
EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH
CAN BE EXPECTED.
IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS AND STORMS APPROACH YOUR LOCATION...MOVE INDOORS
OR INSIDE A VEHICLE. REMEMBER...LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE MORE THAN 5
MILES AWAY FROM THE PARENT THUNDERSTORM.
LAT...LON 4382 7075 4430 7044 4441 7027 4436 7026
4414 7040 4407 7048 4402 7047 4389 7054
HANESSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME 120 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2014 MEZ012-311745- SOUTHERN OXFORD- 120 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2014 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT OXFORD COUNTY THROUGH 145 PM EDT... AT 119 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CENTERED 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GREENWOOD...OR ABOUT 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BETHEL...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND GREENWOOD...WEST PARIS...LOCKE MILLS...BRYANT POND...SUMNER AND MILTON THROUGH 145 PM EDT. HAIL UP TO THREE QUARTER INCH IN DIAMETER...HEAVY DOWNPOURS... EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS AND STORMS APPROACH YOUR LOCATION...MOVE INDOORS OR INSIDE A VEHICLE. REMEMBER...LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE MORE THAN 5 MILES AWAY FROM THE PARENT THUNDERSTORM. LAT...LON 4458 7062 4445 7036 4418 7066 4429 7087 HANES
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME 145 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2014 MEZ012-013-311815- SOUTHERN FRANKLIN-SOUTHERN OXFORD- 145 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2014 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT OXFORD COUNTY AND FRANKLIN COUNTY THROUGH 215 PM EDT... AT 145 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CENTERED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 2 MILES SOUTHWEST OF TEMPLE TO 3 MILES SOUTH OF GREENWOOD...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 5 MILES WEST OF FARMINGTON TO 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF SOUTH PARIS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. THIS CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND GREENWOOD...DIXFIELD... BRYANT POND...PERU...TEMPLE AND WEST PARIS THROUGH 215 PM EDT. HAIL UP TO THREE QUARTER INCH IN DIAMETER...HEAVY DOWNPOURS... EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED. LAT...LON 4480 7001 4427 7059 4425 7080 4475 7030 HANES
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME 151 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2014 MEZ012-020-311815- ANDROSCOGGIN-SOUTHERN OXFORD- 151 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2014 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY AND OXFORD COUNTY THROUGH 215 PM EDT... AT 151 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CENTERED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 3 MILES WEST OF TURNER TO 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MECHANIC FALLS... MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH. THIS CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND HEBRON...MECHANIC FALLS...LIVERMORE AND TURNER THROUGH 215 PM EDT. HAIL UP TO THREE QUARTER INCH IN DIAMETER...HEAVY DOWNPOURS... EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS AND STORMS APPROACH YOUR LOCATION...MOVE INDOORS OR INSIDE A VEHICLE. REMEMBER...LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE MORE THAN 5 MILES AWAY FROM THE PARENT THUNDERSTORM. LAT...LON 4443 7011 4408 7037 4404 7051 4431 7035 HANES
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
214 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2014
MEZ012-013-311900-
SOUTHERN FRANKLIN-SOUTHERN OXFORD-
214 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2014
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT OXFORD COUNTY AND FRANKLIN COUNTY
THROUGH 300 PM EDT...
AT 214 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CENTERED 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PERU...
OR ABOUT 9 MILES SOUTH OF RUMFORD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THIS
CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND
DIXFIELD...PERU AND WILTON THROUGH 300 PM EDT.
HAIL UP TO THREE QUARTER INCH IN DIAMETER...HEAVY DOWNPOURS...
EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH
CAN BE EXPECTED.
IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS AND STORMS APPROACH YOUR LOCATION...MOVE INDOORS
OR INSIDE A VEHICLE. REMEMBER...LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE MORE THAN 5
MILES AWAY FROM THE PARENT THUNDERSTORM.
LAT...LON 4436 7051 4441 7059 4470 7039 4470 7037
4458 7019
HANESSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
217 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2014
MEZ020-021-311900-
ANDROSCOGGIN-KENNEBEC-
217 PM EDT THU JUL 31 2014
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY AND KENNEBEC
COUNTY THROUGH 300 PM EDT...
AT 217 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CENTERED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM
5 MILES NORTHWEST OF LEEDS TO 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF MECHANIC FALLS...
OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 9 MILES NORTHEAST OF TURNER TO 5 MILES
NORTHEAST OF MECHANIC FALLS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THIS
CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND
TURNER...MECHANIC FALLS...LIVERMORE... AND MOUNT VERNON THROUGH 300
PM EDT.
HAIL UP TO THREE QUARTER INCH IN DIAMETER...HEAVY DOWNPOURS...
EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH
CAN BE EXPECTED.
IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS AND STORMS APPROACH YOUR LOCATION...MOVE INDOORS
OR INSIDE A VEHICLE. REMEMBER...LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE MORE THAN 5
MILES AWAY FROM THE PARENT THUNDERSTORM.
LAT...LON 4461 6983 4430 7009 4406 7048 4422 7032
4429 7030 4436 7025
HANESThe Portland,ME radar (KGYX), 27 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:32 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Lightning ignited a fire that destroyed a home on Chipmunk Lane in Naples. The lightning struck two tall pine trees 30 feet from the home and found its way to the attic area of the structure.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Maine in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Maine, July 2014
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: 536013.