Cold in Maine, October 7 to 8, 2020

Name: Cold in Maine, October 7 to 8, 2020
Start: 2020-10-07T10:30
End: 2020-10-08T10:30
Location: Maine

October 7 to 8, 2020 · NWS CAR · 2 events in 1 county or zone

A low pressure system approaching from Eastern Ontario brought cool, wet conditions to the region. Upper air observations in the region indicated that temperatures at the top of Mt.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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: 2
Injuries: 2
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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.

A low pressure system approaching from Eastern Ontario brought cool, wet conditions to the region. Upper air observations in the region indicated that temperatures at the top of Mt. Katahdin started just above freezing, then dropped just below freezing after the front passed. Winds during this time increased significantly as well, reaching close to 50 knots at mountain top by the morning of October 8th. These conditions, although not unseasonable, would have been dangerously cold for unprepared hikers, and resulted in the deaths of 2 individuals.

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 Oct 7, 8:33 AM EST, 1 hour 57 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 7, 8:33 AM EST, 1 hour 57 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 7, 1:38 AM EST, 8 hours 52 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

2 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Cold/Wind Chill, Northern Piscataquis

When: October 7, 10:30 AM EST
Where: Northern Piscataquis forecast zone
Deaths: 0 direct, 1 indirect
Injuries: 0 direct, 1 indirect
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 45.837, -69.284 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A 75 year old hiker and his nephew lost their way on Mt Katahdin. While they were waiting for rescuers, the older man fell 50 feet and became injured. During the night he became hypothermic due to the cold, wet conditions. He passed away the next day from his injuries.

Cold/Wind Chill, Northern Piscataquis

When: October 8, 10:30 AM EST
Where: Northern Piscataquis forecast zone
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 45.837, -69.284 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A 27 year old man was found deceased at the summit of Mt Katahdin in Baxter State Park.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
Cold/Wind Chill, Northern Piscataquis	2020-10-07	75	Male	Outside/Open Areas	Indirect
Cold/Wind Chill, Northern Piscataquis	2020-10-08	27	Male	Outside/Open Areas	Direct

What these are

Cold/Wind Chill: Cold or wind chill below warning criteria that caused deaths, injuries or damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Maine in 2020 Every state in 2020 This day in weather history Warnings 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: 917686, 917688.