A warm and humid air mass along with an approaching cold front combined to produce 4 to 6 inches of rain in less than 3 hours across Merrimack County. The resulting flash flooding washed out several roads in Bradford and Sutton.
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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.
A warm and humid air mass along with an approaching cold front combined to produce 4 to 6 inches of rain in less than 3 hours across Merrimack County. The resulting flash flooding washed out several roads in Bradford and Sutton.
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 Aug 13, 2:08 PM EST, 2 hours 17 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME 308 PM EDT WED AUG 13 2014 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE AND AN OCCLUDED FRONT WILL TRACK INTO NEW ENGLAND... BRINGING LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN INTO THE AREA TONIGHT. THE RAIN WILL TAPER OFF ON THURSDAY FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST TOMORROW. AN UPPER LEVEL LOW AND SCATTERED SHOWERS LINGER OVER THE WEEKEND. HIGH PRESSURE RETURNS FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK...BEFORE ANOTHER AREA OF LOW PRESSURE BRINGS RAIN BACK TO THE REGION. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS A NEGATIVELY TILTED TROUGH CENTERED OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION. THIS TROUGH IS DIGGING INTO THE NORTHEAST WITH SHORT WAVE ENERGY LIFTING INTO NEW ENGLAND. CLOUD TOPS CONTINUE TO COOL OVER NH AND MA WHERE THE BEST LIFT CURRENTLY IS. ONLY A COUPLE LIGHTNING STRIKES HAVE BEEN NOTED TODAY OVER NH AND MAINE SO FAR...BUT MORE CONVECTIVE ELEMENTS SHOULD INTENSIFY AS BETTER DYNAMICS PIVOT INTO THE AREA. HAVE INCLUDED ISOLATED THUNDER BETWEEN 21-03Z WITH HEAVY RAIN WORDING. STILL EXPECTING 1-3" OVERALL AS THE WARM FRONTAL BOUNDARY INTERACTS WITH THE LEFT EXIT REGION OF THE UPPER LEVEL JET. PWATS ARE AROUND 1.5-2.00" AS MOISTURE CONTINUES TO BE DRAWN UP ALONG THE BOUNDARY. THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS AS IS AND LASTS THROUGH MIDNIGHT. THIS EVENT WILL BEGIN TO WIND DOWN FROM SW TO NE LATE TONIGHT AS AN OCCLUDED FRONT AND TRIPLE POINT PASS BY ALONG THE COAST. OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES WILL BE ON THE WARM SIDE TONIGHT AFTER A COOL DAY WITH READINGS IN THE MID 50S TO LOWER 60S. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... RAIN WILL LINGER ON THROUGH EARLY TOMORROW AFTERNOON OVER CENTRAL MAINE AS THE FORCING EXITS TO OUR NORTHEAST. WIDESPREAD FOG IS LIKELY IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS THANKS TO PLENTY OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. SOME CLEARING SKIES BEHIND THE OCCLUSION WILL CONTRIBUTE TO HIGHS ON THURSDAY RANGING FROM THE MID TO UPPER 60S TO MID 70S. THE UPPER LOW REMAINS STALLED TO OUR NW OVER QUEBEC THROUGH FRIDAY. AT THE SURFACE...WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BEGINS TO BUILD IN FROM THE WEST DRAWING IN DRIER AIR. THIS WILL ALLOW SOME COOLER AIR TO FILTER INTO THE MOUNTAINS WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE UPPER 40S ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS...AND MT WASHINGTON IN THE MID 30S. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... VERY UNSETTLED PATTERN TO CONTINUE FOR MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE. BROAD SCALE UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL REMAIN IN PLACE OVER THE WEEKEND. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR MAINLY DIURNALLY DRIVEN SCATTERED SHOWERS ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. BY MONDAY...ALL MODELS WITHIN THE 12Z MODEL SUITE CONTINUE TO SHOW A STRONG IMPULSE WITHIN THE UPPER LEVEL LOW CROSSING THE REGION WITH ADDITIONAL SCATTERED SHOWERS AND POSSIBLY A THUNDERSTORM. BY TUESDAY...DRY CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY OVER THE REGION AS RIDGING OCCURS FOR ONLY A 12 TO 18 HOUR PERIOD. THEREAFTER...YET ANOTHER COASTAL SYSTEM WILL CROSS THE REGION WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS OR A PERIOD OF RAIN ON TUESDAY. && .AVIATION /19Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... SHORT TERM...LIFR/IFR CONDITIONS TONIGHT AT ALL TERMINALS AND INTO TOMORROW MORNING FOR +RA...FOG...AND POSSIBLY DZ AT KRKD. WEST WINDS WILL ARRIVE AROUND 13Z IMPROVING CONDITIONS TO MVFR. RAIN SHOULD TAPER OFF OVERNIGHT FROM WEST TO EAST. LONG TERM...UPPER LEVEL LOW PRES WILL DRIFT ACROSS THE REGION THRU THE WEEKEND. THIS WILL MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO CLEAR OUT COMPLETELY...WITH MVFR CIGS LINGERING. DAYTIME HEATING WILL ALSO RESULT IN SCATTERED SHRA...WITH MVFR OR LOWER CONDITIONS POSSIBLE IN ANY CONVECTION. && .MARINE... SHORT TERM...GENERIC SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN PLACE WITH GUSTS TO 25 KTS POSSIBLE AS THE OCCLUDED LOW CROSSES THE WATERS. A SMALL CRAFT FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS WILL BE NEEDED TO REPLACE IT AS WAVES STAY ABOVE 5 FT...ESPECIALLY OVER PENOBSCOT AND THE OUTER WATERS. LONG TERM...WINDS AND SEAS WILL BE BELOW SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THRESHOLDS. && .HYDROLOGY... POCKETS OF HEAVY RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO CROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING AHEAD OF A SURFACE LOW THAT APPROACHES AND THEN REDEVELOPS ALONG THE COAST. A STRONG LOW LEVEL EAST TO SOUTHEAST FLOW WILL CAUSE OROGRAPHIC ENHANCEMENT IN THE SOUTHEAST FACING TERRAIN AREAS. THESE AREAS WILL ALSO BE THE MOST VULNERABLE TO FLASH FLOODING DUE TO THE STEEP TERRAIN AND FAST RUNOFF. THE REST OF THE AREA WILL LIKELY SEE HEAVY RAIN... BUT LESS OF A THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING. THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEAST FACING MOUNTAINS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE AND FAR WESTERN MAINE. RAIN ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS WILL LIKELY BE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS... SO THE FLOODING THREAT IS PRIMARILY EAST OF THE HIGHER SLOPES. THE ONLY RIVER THAT MAY HAVE A THREAT OF REACHING BANKFULL IS THE PEMIGIWASSET AT WOODSTOCK. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... THE TIDE BARELY REACHED FLOOD STAGE IN HAMPTON HARBOR...AND WAS SHORT OF FLOOD STAGE ALONG THE SOUTHWEST COAST OF MAINE. SEAS RAN AROUND 5 FEET...NOT ADDING MUCH IMPACT DUE TO WAVE RUN-UP. WILL ALLOW THE ADVISORY TO EXPIRE OVER THE NEXT HOUR OR SO. A SIMILAR SITUATION SHOULD OCCUR WITH THE HIGH TIDE TONIGHT. HOWEVER...WINDS WILL SWITCH TO THE SOUTHWEST. AT THIS TIME...NO COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORIES ARE ANTICIPATED WITH THIS PACKAGE. && .GYX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ME...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT FOR MEZ007-012. NH...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT FOR NHZ002>009. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR ANZ150>154. && NEAR/SHORT TERM...HANES
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME 300 PM EDT WED AUG 13 2014 MEZ007-012-NHZ002>009-141900- NORTHERN OXFORD-SOUTHERN OXFORD-SOUTHERN COOS-NORTHERN GRAFTON- NORTHERN CARROLL-SOUTHERN GRAFTON-SOUTHERN CARROLL-SULLIVAN- MERRIMACK-BELKNAP- 300 PM EDT WED AUG 13 2014 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN MAINE...CENTRAL NEW HAMPSHIRE AND NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE. .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. FLASH FLOOD WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. MEZ008-009-013-014-018>028-NHZ001-010-013-014-141900- NORTHERN FRANKLIN-CENTRAL SOMERSET-SOUTHERN FRANKLIN- SOUTHERN SOMERSET-INTERIOR YORK-INTERIOR CUMBERLAND-ANDROSCOGGIN- KENNEBEC-INTERIOR WALDO-COASTAL YORK-COASTAL CUMBERLAND-SAGADAHOC- LINCOLN-KNOX-COASTAL WALDO-NORTHERN COOS-STRAFFORD- INTERIOR ROCKINGHAM-COASTAL ROCKINGHAM- 300 PM EDT WED AUG 13 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN MAINE...CENTRAL NEW HAMPSHIRE...NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND SOUTHEASTERN NEW HAMPSHIRE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED INTO EARLY THIS EVENING WITH RAINFALL TOTALS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN POSSIBLE. WHILE WIDESPREAD FLASH FLOODING IS NOT EXPECTED...MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS COULD OCCUR...ESPECIALLY IN URBAN AREAS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ANZ150>154-141900- 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- 300 PM EDT WED AUG 13 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...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
The Portland,ME radar (KGYX), 154 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:22 UTC.
2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain ahead of an approaching cold front produced flash flooding in Bradford washing out several roads.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding in Sutton washing out several roads in the area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Hampshire in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in New Hampshire, August 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: 539745, 539747.