A strong shortwave and associated cold front was approaching the region from the northwest on the afternoon of July 18th. Strong shear combined with CAPE of 1500 to 2500 to produce numerous thunderstorms and some super cells.
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.
A strong shortwave and associated cold front was approaching the region from the northwest on the afternoon of July 18th. Strong shear combined with CAPE of 1500 to 2500 to produce numerous thunderstorms and some super cells. These storms produced damaging winds and large hail in Maine.
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 18, 10:35 AM EST, 1 hour 52 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Gray ME 1135 AM EDT MON JUL 18 2016 .SYNOPSIS... A cold front will gradually approach from the west today and will push offshore by late tonight. High pressure will slowly build in from the west Tuesday through Wednesday and will shift offshore south of New England Wednesday night and Thursday. High pressure will hold off the east coast on Friday. A cold front will approach from the west Friday night and will cross the region on Saturday. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... 1100 AM update... Quick update to issue severe thunderstorm watch for all of New Hampshire and western Maine from 1100 AM through 800 PM this evening. Strong convection currently firing over northern New York and Vermont into southern Quebec and is racing eastward at 30 to 40 kts. This activity will be moving into northern New Hampshire and northwest Maine between noon and 100 PM and will continue south and east into the remainder of the forecast area through the afternoon hours. Wind damage will be the main threat associated with these storms...however more intense cells will be capable of producing large hail. Have adjusted temp/td/sky/pop grids to reflect current trends. No other changes planned attm. Previous discussion... Have issued a dense fog advisory for southern Oxford, southern Franklin, and southern Somerset southward to include coastal Maine. Reports of visibilities from a quarter to a half mile in fog should continue this morning before low level moisture mixes out slightly. Increasing south winds later this morning will transport moisture- rich air into the region ahead of an approaching frontal system. Once the fog and stratus mix out this morning, we should get plenty of surface heating yielding impressive CAPE values by early afternoon. Southwest winds and warm air advection will help temperatures warm into the 80s and 90s. The warm front will lift through during this time allowing winds to veer ahead of upper level forcing. Storms should become organized along the pre-frontal trough into one of more QLCS segments with strong, near-unidirectional wind fields throughout the layer. The main hazards will include strong downburst winds as well as heavy rain as PW values climb to near 150% of normal by this afternoon. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... Showers and thunderstorms will shift offshore along the boundary tonight. Additional rainfall along the higher terrain will be possible through late tonight before tapering off. Readings will drop into the lower 50s north as cooler drier moves in behind the cold front. Farther south temperatures should bottom out in the 60s. Winds will be gusty on Tuesday in northwest flow. High pressure builds in from the west clearing out any remaining clouds. Highs will reach the mid 60s north to mid 70s/near 80 south. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... The models are in good agreement on the long wave pattern through next weekend. We begin the period with an upper trough axis across the Northeastern CONUS. The trough axis will shift offshore by Thursday with West-northwest flow across our area between this trough and an expansive upper ridge centered over the southern plains states. With time the upper ridge will flatten allowing for the flow to become more westerly across the region. The upshot of this pattern will be building heat and humidity as we head through the week. Weak and difficult to time impulses embedded within the westerlies vicinity of the U.S. Canadian border...along with a series of weak fronts/surface troughs will provide a few showers and thunderstorms from time-to-time. && .AVIATION /16Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... Short Term...Dense fog and stratus is affecting coastal terminals this morning as well as AUG. This is causing IFR/LIFR ceilings and visibilities which will begin to mix out around 7 am. Expect VFR conditions this morning with fog hanging on a little longer at RKD and AUG. MVFR conditions with periods of IFR will be possible today as TSRA with heavy rain develops. This activity will push into NH by early afternoon and Maine in the afternoon and evening hours. Moisture may pool offshore late tonight into Tuesday morning bringing LIFR conditions to RKD. Elsewhere fog will be patchy and not dense. Long Term... FRI...Areas of MVFR in shra and tsra. && .MARINE... Short Term...Winds/waves are quiet tonight with significant amounts of fog and stratus over the waters. Southwesterly winds strengthen ahead of a cold front on today with a marginal period of higher seas and winds. Small craft advisories possible this evening...before subsiding overnight tonight. Long Term... THU - FRI...Small craft winds and seas are possible. && .GYX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ME...None. NH...None. MARINE...None. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME 744 AM EDT MON JUL 18 2016 MEZ007>009-012>014-018>028-NHZ001>015-191145- 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-CHESHIRE-EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH-INTERIOR ROCKINGHAM- COASTAL ROCKINGHAM-WESTERN AND CENTRAL HILLSBOROUGH- 744 AM EDT MON JUL 18 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MAINE...SOUTH CENTRAL MAINE...SOUTHWEST MAINE...WEST CENTRAL MAINE...WESTERN MAINE...NEW HAMPSHIRE...CENTRAL NEW HAMPSHIRE...NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING. A FEW STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS...HEAVY RAIN...AND POSSIBLY HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. HEAT INDICES WILL REACH THE LOWER AND MID 90S FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL OR RADIO IN SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. ANZ150>154-191145- COASTAL WATERS FROM STONINGTON, ME TO PORT CLYDE, ME OUT 25 NM- PENOBSCOT BAY- COASTAL WATERS FROM PORT CLYDE, ME TO CAPE ELIZABETH, ME OUT 25 NM- CASCO BAY- COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE ELIZABETH, ME TO MERRIMACK RIVER, MA OUT 25 NM- 744 AM EDT MON JUL 18 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME 1037 AM EDT MON JUL 18 2016 MEZ007>009-012>014-018>028-NHZ001>015-182000- 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-CHESHIRE-EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH- INTERIOR ROCKINGHAM-COASTAL ROCKINGHAM- WESTERN AND CENTRAL HILLSBOROUGH- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...UPTON...WILSONS MILLS...ANDOVER... BYRON...MIDDLE DAM...ROXBURY...SOUTH ARM...COBURN GORE...DAVIS... OQUOSSOC...RANGELEY...AVON...KINGFIELD...PHILLIPS... NEW PORTLAND...BRASSUA...LONG POND...MOOSEHEAD...PITTSTON FARM... SEBOOMOOK...BINGHAM...JACKMAN...BETHEL...BRYANT POND...HANOVER... LOCKE MILLS...MILTON...NEWRY...RUMFORD...NORWAY...FRYEBURG... OXFORD...FARMINGTON...NEW SHARON...NEW VINEYARD...TEMPLE... WILTON...CHESTERVILLE...JAY...ATHENS...CORNVILLE...SKOWHEGAN... PALMYRA...PITTSFIELD...EMBDEN...MADISON...HOLLIS...ALFRED... LEBANON...SANFORD...GOODWINS MILLS...BUXTON...LIMINGTON... BERWICK...NEW GLOUCESTER...GRAY...NORTH WINDHAM...GORHAM... BRIDGTON...GREENE...LEWISTON...SABATTUS...WALES...MINOT... TURNER...AUBURN...LIVERMORE FALLS...AUGUSTA...SIDNEY...WINDSOR... VASSALBORO...WATERVILLE...CHINA...PALERMO...BROOKS...JACKSON... KNOX...LIBERTY...MONTVILLE...MORRILL...WALDO...WINTERPORT... UNITY...BIDDEFORD...SACO...OLD ORCHARD BEACH...KITTERY... PORTLAND...CAPE ELIZABETH...SOUTH PORTLAND...WESTBROOK... YARMOUTH...BRUNSWICK...ARROWSIC...BATH...PHIPPSBURG... BOWDOINHAM...TOPSHAM...BOWDOIN...WHITEFIELD...DRESDEN...ALNA... BREMEN...BRISTOL...DAMARISCOTTA...NEWCASTLE...BOOTHBAY HARBOR... WISCASSET...WALDOBORO...MATINICUS...OWLS HEAD...ROCKLAND... APPLETON...CAMDEN...HOPE...ROCKPORT...THOMASTON...BELFAST... NORTHPORT...SEARSMONT...LINCOLNVILLE...ERROL...MILLSFIELD... WENTWORTHS LOCATION...COLEBROOK...BERLIN...DUMMER...MILAN... YORK POND...LANCASTER...BETHLEHEM...LINCOLN...LITTLETON... SUGAR HILL...THORNTON...WATERVILLE VALLEY...WOODSTOCK... NORTH CONWAY...ALBANY...CONWAY...CHATHAM...CRAWFORD NOTCH... LYME...ASHLAND...ELLSWORTH...HOLDERNESS...PLYMOUTH...RUMNEY... WAKEFIELD...BRIDGEWATER...BROOKFIELD...OSSIPEE...TUFTONBORO... WOLFEBORO...MOULTONBOROUGH...CLAREMONT...CORNISH...CROYDON... GOSHEN...GRANTHAM...LEMPSTER...NEWPORT...CHARLESTOWN...BOSCAWEN... CANTERBURY...CONCORD...DUNBARTON...LOUDON...HOOKSETT...LACONIA... GILFORD...MEREDITH...BARRINGTON...ROCHESTER...DOVER... ROLLINSFORD...SOMERSWORTH...DURHAM...MADBURY...GILSUM...KEENE... MARLOW...SULLIVAN...SURRY...JAFFREY...MANCHESTER...PELHAM... NASHUA...SALEM...ATKINSON...NEWTON...PLAISTOW...CHESTER...DERRY... HAMPSTEAD...EXETER...GREENLAND...PORTSMOUTH...RYE...HAMPTON... HAMPTON FALLS...NORTH HAMPTON...SEABROOK...AMHERST...MILFORD... MONT VERNON...GOFFSTOWN...PETERBOROUGH...SHARON...WEARE 1037 AM EDT MON JUL 18 2016 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT. SOME STORMS MAY BE SEVERE DURING THE 1PM TO 8PM TIMEFRAME. THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS...WITH HAIL AND HEAVY RAINFALL ALSO POSSIBLE. WHILE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IS POSSIBLE ANYWHERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND WESTERN MAINE...THE GREATEST THREAT FOR SEVERE STORMS WILL BE OVER SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND SOUTHWESTERN MAINE. PLEASE PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE LATEST WEATHER FORECAST TODAY THROUGH OUR WEBSITE, YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS AND NOAA WEATHER RADIO. BE PREPARED TO TAKE THE NECESSARY ACTION IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. THOSE WITH OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES INCLUDING BOATERS, CAMPERS AND HIKERS SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY AWARE AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER OR SAFE HARBOR. ARNOTT
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
1136 AM EDT MON JUL 18 2016
MEZ007-NHZ001-181630-
NORTHERN OXFORD ME-NORTHERN COOS NH-
1136 AM EDT MON JUL 18 2016
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAY MAINE HAS ISSUED A
* SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR...
NORTHERN OXFORD COUNTY IN MAINE
NORTHERN COOS COUNTY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
* UNTIL 1230 PM EDT
* AT 1134 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS
TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 11 MILES NORTH OF NORTON...MOVING
TO THE EAST AT 55 MPH. THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO STRENGTHEN
AS IT MOVES INTO EXTREME NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND NORTHWESTERN
MAINE AFTER 12 PM.
* DIME SIZE HAIL AND STRONG WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH ARE EXPECTED
WITH THIS STORM.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
CANAAN...
PITTSBURG...
AND CLARKSVILLE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THIS STORM WILL LIKELY INTENSIFY...SO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TELEVISION FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS...FROM
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
&&
LAT...LON 4531 7092 4524 7089 4524 7084 4528 7083
4527 7083 4503 7078 4501 7082 4494 7081
4495 7152 4500 7154 4501 7147 4502 7150
4520 7140 4524 7144 4523 7138 4530 7130
4525 7123 4524 7113 4532 7100 4535 7101
TIME...MOT...LOC 1532Z 264DEG 47KT 4516 7182
ARNOTTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
123 PM EDT MON JUL 18 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0115 PM HAIL 3 SW COLEBROOK 44.86N 71.54W
07/18/2016 M1.75 INCH COOS NH COOP
&&
EVENT NUMBER GYX1602114
BROWNThe Portland,ME radar (KGYX), 124 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:25 UTC.
15 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A severe thunderstorm downed a tree in Rangeley.
A severe thunderstorm downed numerous trees and power lines on Route 16 blocking the road for two hours. Large hail also damaged a vehicle.
A severe thunderstorm produced 1.75 in hail in Kingfield.
A severe thunderstorm downed trees in Embden.
A severe thunderstorm produced 1.50 inch hail in Harmony.
A severe thunderstorm downed trees in New Vineyard.
A severe thunderstorm snapped and up-rooted numerous trees in Harmony.
A severe thunderstorm downed numerous trees along Route 150 near Corson Corner.
A severe thunderstorm produced 1 inch hail in Anson.
After surveying damage from a severe thunderstorm, the National Weather Service confirmed that a thunderstorm macroburst caused most of the damage in the Town of|St. Albans.
Winds estimated at 80 to 90 mph snapped or uprooted hundreds of trees across sections of St. Albans near the north end of Indian Pond. The strong winds were accompanied by heavy rain and hail. The hail and wind also damaged crops in the area. Dozens of utility poles were brought down by the falling trees. Some of|the hardest hit roads included Ballard Road, Papoose Lane, Dinsmore Drive, Ripley Road, Luckman Road, and a small area to the east of Todds Corner Road.
A severe thunderstorm downed a tree near West Front Market in Larone.
A severe thunderstorm downed 2 trees near Fosters Corner.
A severe thunderstorm produced 1 inch hail in Temple.
A severe thunderstorm downed a tree at 35 Pennell Street in Skowhegan.
A severe thunderstorm downed an Oak tree and several large limbs in Casco.
A severe thunderstorm downed trees in Unity.
A severe thunderstorm downed trees in Thorndike.
A severe thunderstorm downed trees in Jackson.
A severe thunderstorm downed trees in Monroe Center.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Maine in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Maine, July 2016
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: 651423, 651424, 651419, 651425, 651420, 651426, 651427, 651431, 651421, 653510, 651432, 651434, 651422, 651436, 651437, 651438, 651439, 651440, 651442.