Deep tropical moisture was drawn north across the region in advance of a slow moving cold front while low pressure lifted north along the front. a strong low level jet provided additional Atlantic moisture.
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.
Deep tropical moisture was drawn north across the region in advance of a slow moving cold front while low pressure lifted north along the front. In addition to the tropical moisture...a strong low level jet provided additional Atlantic moisture. The moisture was focused along the front and low with additional strong upper level support. The result was very heavy rain. Heavy rain developed during the morning of September 30th then persisted through that afternoon. Rainfall totals of 4.00 to 6.00 inches were common across southern Piscataquis county...with localized totals around 7.00 inches. The mainstem of the Piscataquis River crested slightly above flood stage during the early morning hours of the 1st with no significant impacts. The river began to rise above flood stage during the late evening of September 30th.
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 30, 10:19 PM EST, 1 hour 41 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME
1119 PM EDT WED SEP 30 2015
.SYNOPSIS...
LOW PRESSURE OVER THE GULF OF MAINE WILL EXIT INTO THE MARITIMES
TONIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE FROM CENTRAL CANADA WILL BUILD EASTWARD
NORTH OF MAINE THURSDAY INTO THE WEEKEND.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/...
1115 PM UPDATE: DECIDED TO KEEP FLOOD WATCH GOING PER IN-HOUSE
DISCUSSION AS SOME STREAMS AND RIVER STILL RISING SUCH AS THE
PISCATAQUIS RIVER AT DOVER-FOXCROFT AND MEDFORD. THE SAINT CROIX
RIVER IN WASHINGTON COUNTY WAS STILL RISING W/SOME STREAMS NEAR
BANKFUL IN MANY LOCATIONS. RAIN HAS ENDED IN THESE AREAS AND
RIVERS AND STREAMS ARE EXPECTED TO RECEDE OVERNIGHT INTO THURSDAY.
HRLY TEMPS WERE ADJUSTED W/THE FAR W AND NW AREAS SEEING UPPER 30S
BY MORNING.
WINDS WILL SHIFT FROM N TO NW OVRNGT AND REMAIN QUITE BREEZY WITH
AT LEAST PRTL CLRG OVR THE N AND THINNING OVR DOWNEAST AREAS BY
THU MORN. COOLER AND BREEZY CONDITIONS CONT ON THU WELL BEHIND THE
LOW DEPARTING THRU THE MARITIMES AND AHEAD OF SFC HI PRES BUILDING
SE FROM N CNTRL CAN WITH PTLY TO MSLY SUNNY SKIES N AND PTLY TO
MSLY CLDY SKIES OVR CNTRL AND DOWNEAST AREAS.
&&
.SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
THE FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH EAST OF THE GULF OF MAINE THURSDAY
NIGHT. A LARGE AREA OF CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD EAST
LATER THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. THIS WILL BRING PARTLY
CLOUDY SKIES TO NORTHERN AREAS WITH PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES
CENTRAL AND DOWN EAST. LOW TEMPERATURES THURSDAY NIGHT WILL RANGE
FROM THE LOW 30S ACROSS FAR NORTHWEST AREAS WITH MID TO UPPER 30S
ACROSS NORTHEAST AREAS. LOWS ACROSS CENTRAL AND DOWN EAST WILL
RANGE FROM THE LOW TO MID 40S. HIGHS ON FRIDAY WILL BELOW NORMAL
FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR AND MAINLY IN THE LOW TO MID 50S. THE HIGH
WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD TO OUR NORTH FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY
WITH CONTINUED DRY WEATHER. A NORTHEAST FLOW AROUND THE HIGH WILL
CONTINUE TO TRANSPORT UNSEASONABLY CHILLY AIR ACROSS THE REGION.
LOWS FRIDAY NIGHT WILL ONCE AGAIN BE IN THE LOW TO MID 30S NORTH
AND LOW TO MID 40S DOWN EAST. HIGHS ON SATURDAY WILL ONCE AGAIN BE
IN THE LOW TO MID 50S.
&&
.LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
STILL PLENTY OF UNCERTAINTY WITH REGARD TO THE LONGER TERM PORTION
OF THE FORECAST AS IT LARGELY HINGES ON THE ULTIMATE TRACK OF
HURRICANE JOAQUIN. OPERATIONAL RUNS OF THE GFS BRING THE SYSTEM
INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES OVER THE WEEKEND AND THEN ITS
REMNANTS ALONG THE EASTERN SEA BOARD THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK
WHICH WOULD KEEP UNSETTLED WEATHER ACROSS THE AREA. ON THE OTHER
HAND...ECMWF CONTINUES TO KEEPS THE SYSTEM WELL EAST OF THE
COAST. HAVE FOLLOWED ALONG WITH A BLENDED MODEL SOLUTION THIS FAR
OUT.
&&
.AVIATION /03Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
NEAR TERM: IFR CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE TO MVFR CONDITONS ACROSS
THE TAF SITES LATER THIS EVE AND OVRNGT...THEN TO VFR LATE TNGT
INTO THU MORN...THEN REMAINING VFR FOR THE REST OF THU.
SHORT TERM: VFR CONDITIONS AREA EXPECTED AT ALL THE TERMINALS
THROUGH THE PERIOD.
&&
.MARINE...
NEAR TERM: WILL CONT WITH GLW FOR OUTER MZS AND AN SCA FOR THE
INNER BAY/HARBOR MZ ZONE. WINDS WILL LET UP FOR A PD THIS EVE AS
THE CNTR OF THE SFC LOW TRACKS NEARLY OVRHD...THEN INCREASE FROM
THE NW LATE TNGT INTO ERLY THU MORN AS THE GRAD ON THE BACK SIDE
OF THE LOW MOVES EWRD OVR THE WATERS. THE GLW OVR THE OUTER MZS
WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED WITH AN SCA LATE THU MORN...FOR THE
REMAINDER OF THE DAY AS NW WINDS ONLY SLOWLY DIMINISH.
SHORT TERM: NORTHEAST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO KEEP WINDS/SEAS AT
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LEVELS THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...
WE UPDATED THE FLOOD WATCH WHICH CONTS TIL 12Z THU. HVY RN WILL
END W TO E ACROSS THE WATCH AREA THIS EVE...BUT IMPACTS WILL
LIKELY CONT INTO THE OVRNGT. FLOOD WRNGS ARE CURRENTLY IN EFFECT
FOR MUCH OF THE WATCH AREA. ONE LAST CONCERN IS RVR FCST POINTS
SPCLY ALG THE PISCATAQUIS WHERE LATEST GAGE READINGS ARE RISING
FASTER THEN THE LAST RFC FCST. CANNOT RULE OUT ACTION OR MINOR
FLOOD STAGE AT A COUPLE OF PISCATAQUIS GAGE SITES.
&&
.CAR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ME...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 8 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR MEZ004>006-010-011-
015>017-029>032.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR ANZ052.
GALE WARNING UNTIL 11 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR ANZ050-051.
&&
NEAR TERM...HEWITTHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME 657 PM EDT WED SEP 30 2015 MEZ001>003-012300- NORTHWEST AROOSTOOK-NORTHEAST AROOSTOOK-NORTHERN SOMERSET- 657 PM EDT WED SEP 30 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR FAR NORTHERN MAINE AND WEST CENTRAL MAINE. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. ...PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS EXPECTED THIS EVENING... RAIN WILL BE PULLING OUT LATER THIS EVENING WITH PERIODS OF HEAVY RAINFALL EXPECTED. PONDING OF WATER ON AREA ROADS CAN BE EXPECTED. IN ADDITION TO THE RAINFALL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN THIS EVENING. .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. MEZ004>006-010-011-015>017-029>032-012300- NORTHERN PISCATAQUIS-NORTHERN PENOBSCOT-SOUTHEAST AROOSTOOK- CENTRAL PISCATAQUIS-CENTRAL PENOBSCOT-SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT- INTERIOR HANCOCK-CENTRAL WASHINGTON-COASTAL HANCOCK- COASTAL WASHINGTON-SOUTHERN PISCATAQUIS-NORTHERN WASHINGTON- 657 PM EDT WED SEP 30 2015 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR COASTAL DOWNEAST MAINE...EAST CENTRAL MAINE...EASTERN MAINE...INTERIOR DOWNEAST MAINE...NORTH CENTRAL MAINE AND NORTHERN MAINE. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH THIS EVENING. THE COMBINATION OF THE SATURATED GROUND FROM THE HEAVY RAINFALL EARLIER TODAY AND THE STRONG WIND GUSTS COULD LEAD TO SOME DOWNED TREES WITH SPORADIC POWER OUTAGES POSSIBLE. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. ANZ052-012300- INTRA COASTAL WATERS FROM SCHOODIC POINT, ME TO STONINGTON, ME- 657 PM EDT WED SEP 30 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...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. ANZ050-051-012300- COASTAL WATERS FROM EASTPORT, ME TO SCHOODIC POINT, ME OUT 25 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM SCHOODIC POINT, ME TO STONINGTON, ME OUT 25 NM- 657 PM EDT WED SEP 30 2015 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM EDT THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. GALE WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. GALE WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. HEWITT
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME
858 PM EDT WED SEP 30 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0330 PM FLOOD CALAIS 45.19N 67.28W
09/30/2015 WASHINGTON ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
MANY ROADS FLOODED IN TOWN WITH UP TO A FOOT OF WATER ON
SOME OF THE ROADS.
0330 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG SULLIVAN 44.52N 68.20W
09/30/2015 HANCOCK ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN ON ROUTE 1.
0330 PM FLOOD ALEXANDER 45.09N 67.47W
09/30/2015 WASHINGTON ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
PORTION OF ROUTE 9 WASHED OUT IN TOWN.
0335 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG TRENTON 44.44N 68.37W
09/30/2015 HANCOCK ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES UPROOTED WITH POWER LINES DOWN.
0335 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG CHERRYFIELD 44.61N 67.93W
09/30/2015 WASHINGTON ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN IN TOWN WITH SOME UPROOTED.
&&
JAHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME
1046 PM EDT WED SEP 30 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0100 PM FLOOD BROWNVILLE 45.31N 69.03W
09/30/2015 PISCATAQUIS ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
SCHOODIC LAKE ROAD UNDER WATER.
0145 PM FLOOD ABBOT 45.19N 69.45W
09/30/2015 PISCATAQUIS ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
LANDER ROAD FLOODED AND CLOSED TO TRAFFIC.
0215 PM FLOOD MILO 45.25N 68.99W
09/30/2015 PISCATAQUIS ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
PLEASANT RIVER ROAD BETWEEN MILO AND BROWNVILLE FLOODED.
0215 PM FLOOD MONSON 45.29N 69.50W
09/30/2015 PISCATAQUIS ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
STEWARD ROAD FLOODED AND CLOSED TO TRAFFIC.
0220 PM FLOOD BUCKSPORT 44.57N 68.80W
09/30/2015 HANCOCK ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
BUCKSPORT POLICE REPORTS ROUTE 1 NEARLY IMPASSABLE.
0225 PM FLOOD PARKMAN 45.13N 69.43W
09/30/2015 PISCATAQUIS ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
WELLINGTON ROAD FLOODED WITH A FOOT OF WATER ACROSS
PORTIONS OF THE ROAD.
0245 PM FLOOD BANGOR 44.80N 68.78W
09/30/2015 PENOBSCOT ME BROADCAST MEDIA
CASCADE STREET AND STILLWATER AVE UNDER WATER.
0245 PM FLOOD BANGOR 44.80N 68.78W
09/30/2015 PENOBSCOT ME PUBLIC
SEVERAL ROADS AFFECTED BY MINOR FLOODING.
0250 PM FLOOD DEDHAM 44.69N 68.66W
09/30/2015 HANCOCK ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
ROUTE 1A FLOODED
0315 PM FLOOD ELLSWORTH 44.54N 68.42W
09/30/2015 HANCOCK ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
STATE STREET FLOODED WITH ABOUT 4 FEET OF WATER ACROSS
PORTIONS OF THE ROAD.
0330 PM FLOOD ALEXANDER 45.09N 67.47W
09/30/2015 WASHINGTON ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
PORTION OF ROUTE 9 WASHED OUT IN TOWN.
0330 PM FLOOD PENOBSCOT 44.46N 68.71W
09/30/2015 HANCOCK ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
MANY ROADS FLOOED WITH SOME ROADS WASHED OUT.
0330 PM FLOOD ORLAND 44.57N 68.74W
09/30/2015 HANCOCK ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
NUMEROUS ROADS CLOSED IN TOWN WITH CASTINE ROAD WASHED
OUT.
0330 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG SULLIVAN 44.52N 68.20W
09/30/2015 HANCOCK ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN ON ROUTE 1.
0330 PM FLOOD CALAIS 45.19N 67.28W
09/30/2015 WASHINGTON ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
MANY ROADS FLOODED IN TOWN WITH UP TO A FOOT OF WATER ON
SOME OF THE ROADS.
0335 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG CHERRYFIELD 44.61N 67.93W
09/30/2015 WASHINGTON ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN IN TOWN WITH SOME UPROOTED.
0335 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG TRENTON 44.44N 68.37W
09/30/2015 HANCOCK ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES UPROOTED WITH POWER LINES DOWN.
0335 PM FLOOD LINCOLN 45.36N 68.51W
09/30/2015 PENOBSCOT ME BROADCAST MEDIA
NUMEROUS STREETS IN TOWN FLOODED.
0340 PM FLOOD DEDHAM 44.69N 68.66W
09/30/2015 HANCOCK ME BROADCAST MEDIA
MUDSLIDE ALONG ROUTE 1A NEAR THE DEDHAM-ELLSWORTH LINE.
0400 PM FLOOD BANGOR 44.80N 68.78W
09/30/2015 PENOBSCOT ME BROADCAST MEDIA
BROADWAY FLOODED.
0400 PM FLOOD 2 N VERONA 44.59N 68.79W
09/30/2015 HANCOCK ME BROADCAST MEDIA
ROUTE 1 FLOODED IN THE TOWN OF BUCKSPORT.
0420 PM FLOOD DEXTER 45.02N 69.29W
09/30/2015 PENOBSCOT ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
WING ROAD...GOLF ROAD AND LIBERTY STREET FLOODED AND
CLOSED.
0430 PM FLOOD DEDHAM 44.69N 68.66W
09/30/2015 HANCOCK ME BROADCAST MEDIA
ROCKSLIDE ALONG ROUTE 46 BETWEEN DEDHAM AND BUCKSPORT.
0535 PM FLOOD MOLUNKUS 45.62N 68.30W
09/30/2015 AROOSTOOK ME LAW ENFORCEMENT
WATER RUNNING ACROSS ROUTE 2. DOT HAD BEEN NOTIFIED.
&&
JAHThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The mainstem of the Piscataquis River at Dover-Foxcroft briefly crested slightly above flood stage during the early morning hours of the 1st. No significant impacts were reported.
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, October 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: 604575.