Maine, 2020

Drought in Maine, October 1 to 31, 2020

October 1 to 31, 2020 · NWS CAR · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

The weather pattern changed during October allowing more frequent rain events across much of northern and eastern Maine. The most notable impacts of this change occurred across northern and central portions of the region.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS CAR wrote it up.

The weather pattern changed during October allowing more frequent rain events across much of northern and eastern Maine. The most notable impacts of this change occurred across northern and central portions of the region. However...monthly rain totals across Downeast areas were much more variable with some locations only receiving 50 - 90% of normal rainfall for the month. The greater departures below normal generally occurred along the Downeast coast into Hancock county. Severe drought ( D2 ) persisted along the Downeast coast into Hancock county through October. With the growing season ending and most harvesting finished by months end...agricultural impacts were lessened. Rivers and streams in these areas generally remained at below normal levels through the month.

What forecasters said that day

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, 6:04 PM EST, 5 hours 56 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 30, 6:04 PM EST, 5 hours 56 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 30, 1:48 PM EST, 10 hours 12 minutes before
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In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 30, 6:10 PM EST, 5 hours 50 minutes before
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Local storm report, Sep 30, 6:27 PM EST, 5 hours 33 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Interior Hancock

When
October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Interior Hancock forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
44.563, -68.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe drought ( D2 ) persisted through October.

Drought, Coastal Hancock

When
October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Coastal Hancock forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
44.563, -68.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe drought ( D2 ) persisted through October.

Drought, Coastal Washington

When
October 1, 12:00 AM EST to October 31, 11:59 PM EST
Where
Coastal Washington forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
44.970, -67.609 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe drought ( D2 ) persisted through October.

What these are

Drought
A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Maine in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Maine, October 2020

Sources

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 921400, 921402, 921404.