A pre-frontal trof and upper level disturbance crossed the region during the afternoon and evening of the 27th. The trof and upper level disturbance combined with unseasonably warm humid conditions to produce severe thunderstorms across northern Maine.
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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 CAR wrote it up.
A pre-frontal trof and upper level disturbance crossed the region during the afternoon and evening of the 27th. The trof and upper level disturbance combined with unseasonably warm humid conditions to produce severe thunderstorms across northern Maine. Thunderstorms developed during the afternoon and persisted into the evening. The thunderstorms produced damaging winds.
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 May 27, 2:30 PM EST, 1 hour 50 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME 330 PM EDT WED MAY 27 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A STRONG SUBTROPICAL RIDGE WILL REMAIN OFF THE EAST COAST THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK BRINGING A WARM AND HUMID FLOW OF AIR TO OUR REGION THROUGH SATURDAY. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION SATURDAY NIGHT FOLLOWED BY COOLER DRIER WEATHER ON SUNDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... THE MAIN CONCERNS THIS TERM WILL BE CONVECTION AND THE POTENTIAL FOR SVR STORMS. LATEST MESO ANALYSIS CONTINUED TO SHOW MUCAPES OF 700-1000 JOULES EXPANDING INTO CENTRAL AND NORTHERN MAINE. THIS COINCIDES W/A DECENT THETA E RIDGE IN PLACE. ATMOSPHERE IS DESTABILIZING AS LIS DOWN TO -2 IN WNW AREAS AND EXPANDING E AS HEATING CONTINUES FOR A FEW MORE HRS. LINE OF CONVECTION IN QUEBEC FIRED UP W/PLENTY OF LIGHTNING. HRRR 3KM AND THE NAM12 PICKED UP ON THIS LINE BUT A BIT OVERDONE W/THE PROJECTED SCATTERED CONVECTION FURTHER AS EVIDENT FROM THE LATEST RADAR LOOP. THE HRRR AND NAM TO PROJECT A LINE OF CONVECTION W/POSSIBLY BOWING SEGMENTS LATER THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING CHALLENGE TO SEVERE POTENTIAL WILL BE 1)TIMING AND 2)850-500 MB LAPSE RATES PRETTY MEAGER(6.0 C/KM). SOME STORM COULD HAVE ROTATION AS MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOWED LLVL VEERING THROUGH 7K FT. STORMS DEFINITELY HAVE LLVL INSTABILITY IN PLACE W/0-3KM LAPSE RATES CLOSE TO 6.8 C/KM AND SB CAPES OF 1400+ JOULES. THEY ALSO HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE DEVIATE FROM THE ENE MOVEMENT WHICH WOULD POINT TO POSSIBLE ROTATING STORMS IF THEY HOLD TOGETHER MOVING E. ATTM, DECIDED TO STAY W/THE ENHANCED WORDING FOR STRONG WIND GUSTS AND HEAVY RAINFALL MAINLY ACROSS THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS AND PORTIONS OF NORTHERN MAINE. NEEDED TO PULL BACK ON TIMING FROM PREVIOUS PACKAGE. THIS WILL BE MONITORED THROUGH THE EVENING. ACTIVITY WILL WIND DOWN AFTER 01Z AS THE PRE- FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVES E INTO NEW BRUNSWICK AND WE LOSE THE HEATING AND BEST FORCING. ADDED FOG INTO THE FORECAST OVERNIGHT THE DENSE FOG POSSIBLE OVER THE DOWNEAST AND COAST. KEPT OVERNIGHT MINS UP INTO THE 60S THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE CWA W/THE EXCEPTION FOR THE COAST AS OVERNIGHT TEMPS WILL BE DOWN IN THE 50S. ANOTHER ROUND OF CONVECTION POSSIBLE THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. SPC HAS THE REGION IN A MARGINAL OUTLOOK MEANING SOME ISOLD SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE. SURFACE COLD FRONT IN CONJUCTION W/THE UPPER TROF ARE FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS THE REGION LATER IN THE DAY. EXPECTING ANOTHER POSSIBLE ACTIVE DAY AS SB/MUCAPES ARE FORECAST TO HIT 1500+ JOULES IN THE AFTERNOON W/EVEN HIGHER VALUES ACROSS THE INTERIOR DOWNEAST REGION. ATMOSPHERE APPEARS TO BE MORE FAVORABLE FOR HAIL AS FREEZING LEVELS DROP DOWN TO AROUND 11K FT. 0-6KM SHEAR RIGHT AROUND 30 KTS. 850-500MB LAPSE RATES LOOK TO BE MORE FAVORABLE FOR CONVECTION W/VALUES 6.2-6.5 C/KM. LINE SEGMENTS APPEAR TO BE THE MAIN MODE. AFTERNOON HIGH TEMPS ARE FORECAST TO BE IN THE 70S AND LOWER 80S. THE EXCEPTION WILL BE ALONG THE COAST AS AN ONSHORE FLOW OFF THE GULF OF MAINE WILL ALLOW FOR COOLER TEMPS. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... A COLD FRONT WILL BE PUSHING ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN PORTION OF THE AREA THURSDAY EVENING. THERE MAY BE A LINGERING SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM IN EASTERN AREAS EARLY THURSDAY EVENING. SKIES WILL THEN CLEAR FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST THURSDAY NIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRING BRIGHT SUNSHINE WITH A WARM AFTERNOON ON FRIDAY AS THE HIGH BUILDS OVER. THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A MOSTLY CLEAR NIGHT FRIDAY NIGHT. A STRONGER COLD FRONT APPROACHING ON SATURDAY WILL BRING AN INCREASING SOUTH WIND AND A WARM AFTERNOON. CLOUDS WILL INCREASE AND SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY MOVE INTO WESTERN AREAS SATURDAY AFTERNOON. STRONG WINDS LINED UP AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT WILL BRING THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG GUSTY WINDS IN ANY STORMS SATURDAY AFTERNOON. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM, SOME POSSIBLY WITH STRONG GUSTY WINDS, WILL BE LIKELY SATURDAY EVENING AS A STRONG COLD FRONT CROSSES THE AREA. SKIES WILL BEGIN TO CLEAR FROM NORTH TO SOUTH SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY AS THE FRONT PUSHES OFFSHORE. SOME SIGNIFICANTLY COOLER AND DRIER AIR WILL FOLLOW THE FRONT ON SUNDAY WITH HIGHS ONLY IN THE 60S ACROSS THE AREA. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING OVER THE REGION WILL BRING A CLEAR AND COOL NIGHT SUNDAY NIGHT FOLLOWED BY A SUNNY AND SEASONABLE DAY ON MONDAY. THE HIGH WILL LIKELY MAINTAIN DRY WEATHER THROUGH MID WEEK. THE NEXT CHANCE FOR SOME SHOWERS MAY COME ON THURSDAY AS MOISTURE INCREASES BEHIND THE HIGH AND A WEAK COLD FRONT BEGINS TO PUSH DOWN FROM CANADA. && .AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... NEAR TERM: VFR THIS EVENING DROPPING TO MVFR AND POSSIBLE IFR LATER TONIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. THE IFR AND POSSIBLY LIFR WILL MAINLY FROM KHUL DOWN TO KBHB FOR FOG/STRATUS. SHORT TERM: CONDITIONS MAY BEGIN MVFR THURSDAY EVENING THEN IMPROVE TO VFR FROM NORTH TO SOUTH FOLLOWING A COLD FRONT THURSDAY NIGHT. VFR CONDITIONS ARE THEN EXPECTED FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY MORNING. CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY LOWER TO IFR LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON OR SATURDAY EVENING IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH A STRONG COLD FRONT. CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE TO VFR ACROSS THE NORTH SUNDAY MORNING THEN ACROSS THE REST OF THE AREA DURING THE DAY ON SUNDAY. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM: SCA STAYS UP THROUGH THURSDAY. WINDS/SEAS ARE RUNNING BELOW SCA ATTM W/10 KTS AND SEAS 3-4 FT. CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TO INCREASE LATER TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY AS SSW WINDS INCREASE TO 15-20 KTS W/GUSTS UP TO 25 KT. SEAS ARE PROJECTED TO CLIMB TO 5-6 FT. FOG WILL BE A NUISANCE FOR NAVIGATION AS IT IS OUT ON THE WATERS ATTM. SHORT TERM: AN SCA MAY BE NEEDED SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT FOR INCREASING SOUTH WINDS AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT. WINDS WILL BECOME NORTHERLY EARLY SUNDAY MORNING THEN DIMINISH ON SUNDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN BEHIND THE FRONT. && .CAR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ME...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM EDT THURSDAY FOR ANZ050-051. && NEAR TERM...HEWITT SHORT TERM...BLOOMER LONG TERM...BLOOMER AVIATION...HEWITT/BLOOMER MARINE...HEWITT/BLOOMER
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME 1149 AM EDT WED MAY 27 2015 MEZ001>006-010-011-031-032-281600- NORTHWEST AROOSTOOK-NORTHEAST AROOSTOOK-NORTHERN SOMERSET- NORTHERN PISCATAQUIS-NORTHERN PENOBSCOT-SOUTHEAST AROOSTOOK- CENTRAL PISCATAQUIS-CENTRAL PENOBSCOT-SOUTHERN PISCATAQUIS- NORTHERN WASHINGTON- 1149 AM EDT WED MAY 27 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL MAINE...EASTERN MAINE...FAR NORTHERN MAINE...NORTH CENTRAL MAINE...NORTHERN MAINE AND WEST CENTRAL MAINE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. ...SOME THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY EVENING... THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING MAINLY NORTH OF A LINE FROM DANFORTH TO DOVER-FOXCROFT. SOME THUNDERSTORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE STRONG WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...HEAVY RAINFALL AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL. SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS COULD HAVE SOME ROTATION WITHIN THEM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. ANOTHER ROUND OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IS POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTHERN AND CENTRAL MAINE ON THURSDAY. GUSTY WINDS, SMALL HAIL, AND HEAVY RAINFALL ARE POSSIBLE IN THE STRONGER STORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MEZ015>017-029-030-281600- SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT-INTERIOR HANCOCK-CENTRAL WASHINGTON- COASTAL HANCOCK-COASTAL WASHINGTON- 1149 AM EDT WED MAY 27 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR COASTAL DOWNEAST MAINE AND INTERIOR DOWNEAST MAINE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SOME THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING MAINLY NORTH OF THE COAST. SOME THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. ANZ050>052-281600- COASTAL WATERS FROM EASTPORT, ME TO SCHOODIC POINT, ME OUT 25 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM SCHOODIC POINT, ME TO STONINGTON, ME OUT 25 NM- INTRA COASTAL WATERS FROM SCHOODIC POINT, ME TO STONINGTON, ME- 1149 AM EDT WED MAY 27 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. HEWITT
The Caribou radar (KCBW), 127 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:21 UTC.
12 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were toppled at the intersection of Routes 161 and 162 by wind gusts estimated at 65 mph. The road between Cross Lake and Sinclair was blocked by the fallen trees. The time is estimated.
Trees were toppled in Saint Agatha and along Long Lake by wind gusts estimated at 65 mph. A house under construction was also damaged on Pelletier Island in Long Lake. The time is estimated.
Trees and power lines were toppled in Sinclair by wind gusts estimated at 65 mph. The time is estimated.
Trees were toppled on power lines in Madawaska by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
Trees were toppled around Cross Lake by wind gusts estimated at 65 mph. The time is estimated.
Trees were toppled in Grand Isle by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph. The time is estimated.
Trees and power lines were toppled in Van Buren and along portions of Route 1A by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
Trees were toppled on power lines in New Sweden by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
Numerous trees were toppled by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph. The time is estimated.
A maple tree was toppled by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph. The time is estimated.
A tree was toppled on power lines in Westfield by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph. The tree caught fire.
Trees were toppled in Presque Isle by wind gusts estimated at 60 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Maine in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Maine, May 2015
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: 579628, 579630, 579632, 579629, 579635, 579639, 579631, 579633, 579636, 579634, 579637, 579638.