An upper level low pressure system and it's associated cold air aloft moved over New England on the 23rd and resulted in sufficient instability and lift to produce a few severe thunderstorms. The storms were short lived and scattered with brief periods of severe hail and a few isolated damaging wind gusts.
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.
An upper level low pressure system and it's associated cold air aloft moved over New England on the 23rd and resulted in sufficient instability and lift to produce a few severe thunderstorms. The storms were short lived and scattered with brief periods of severe hail and a few isolated damaging wind gusts.
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 23, 9:09 AM EST, 2 hours 26 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Gray ME 1009 AM EDT Fri Jul 23 2021 .SYNOPSIS... Mostly sunny skies this morning will give way to afternoon clouds with scattered showers and a few thunderstorms. High pressure builds in tonight bringing fair weather Saturday before shifting offshore Saturday night. A frontal system will approach Sunday bringing more widespread showers followed by an uptick in temperatures Monday. Chances for showers continue through the middle of next week as a frontal boundary stalls near New England. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... 10am update... minor adjustments for current conditions. For this afternoon have focused PoP along the SW Maine coast where CAMs continue to indicate the highest chance for storms. 645 AM Update... Hi res guidance, particularly the HRRR, have been pointing towards SW Maine and SE New Hampshire as areas for best chances to see a gusty thunderstorm this afternoon and evening. Given the overall environment and expectations of hit or miss type coverage, confidence is not quite there to boost PoPs above the current 50 percent chance forecast, but worth mentioning here that for those with outdoors plans near the beaches to be weather aware for a Friday afternoon/evening gusty thunderstorm. For this update have have slightly increased PoPs over the waters where guidance suggests that showers and storms will be able to maintain themselves for some distance offshore as well us updated temperatures based on latest observations. ORIGINAL DISCUSSION... After a cool and mostly sunny start, daytime heating will lead to an increase in stratocu this afternoon with scattered showers and possibly some thunderstorms. Cold pool aloft associated with an upper low over the Canadian Maritimes is expected to shift more overhead today with H5 temperatures at -16C sampled by 23.00Z KGYX sounding expected to lower to -18C this afternoon. This will lead to better instability today than yesterday and with a more pronounced short wave rotating around the upper low, areal coverage of showers is expected to be greater. Winds will be relatively weak throughout the atmospheric column leading to little shear so expecting more pop- up/pulse convection as opposed to thunderstorms with organized updrafts. However... given steepening lapse rates and wet bulb zero heights around 8KFT, cannot rule out some pea sized hail with stronger cells and some gusty outflows with inverted-V low level thermodynamic profiles. Shower and thunderstorm activity will wane this evening with the loss of heating. All in all, after a cool start expecting pleasant weather for much of the day, especially for those that can dodge an afternoon shower or storm with highs in the 70s. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM SATURDAY/... Ridging aloft and high pressure at the surface will build in from the west tonight with high pressure cresting over the area tomorrow morning. This will allow for mostly clear skies and light winds tonight allowing for some radiational cooling leading to temperatures to drop lower than this past night while still generally in the 40s to 50s. Radiational cooling will also allow for some patchy fog to develop to night with potential for areas that receive appreciable rainfall to see areas of persistent fog. High pressure will be in control Saturday for fair weather and highs into the uppers 70s to near 80F. Conditions will be favorable for a sea breeze to develop tomorrow bringing cooler conditions to the coast with highs restricted to the lower 70s near the beaches. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... Overview: No major changes expected to the pattern thru the extended...with mean trofing over the region dominating. This will keep any big heat and humidity at bay...with temps near to below normal at times. Impacts: Focus is mainly on Sun...especially across Wrn zones. If we can get sufficient clearing behind the morning remnant precip/warm front there is a risk for some strong afternoon thunderstorms. Forecast Details: Decaying convection along and N of the warm front will spill into the forecast area Sun morning. The wild card will be how much clearing occurs behind this feature. Forecast shear profiles are just strong enough for some storm organization...so given sufficient heating a few stronger storms are possible. These would mostly be a threat across NH where there is a greater likelihood of faster/prolonged clearing. My preference is to take the under on warm front speed thru the area...and SREF conditional severe probabilities are only into the CT River Valley locally...so I will leave out any enhanced wording for now despite the SPC marginal risk. Beyond Sun we keep low heights aloft...and this continues into midweek. These low heights coupled with daytime heating should be enough to fire off some diurnal convection and the NBM PoP looks fine to cover that threat. && .AVIATION /14Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... Short Term...VFR expected through this morning. Afternoon clouds and SHRA/TSRA may bring MVFR and locally brief IFR conditions in heavier showers or storms. Areas of fog are expected late tonight bring periods of IFR/LIFR with greatest confidence for fog to impact KHIE and KLEB. Conditions improve to VFR Saturday under high pressure. Long Term...Likely SHRA and TSRA Sun will lead to areas of MVFR conditions...especially early in the passage of the warm front. Sun afternoon thru Tue precip will become more showery in nature and so VFR conditions are expected more often than not. Any convection will lead to local MVFR/IFR conditions. && .MARINE... Short Term...A few thunderstorms that form over land this afternoon may track over the waters with an environment supportive for gusty winds. Otherwise winds and seas will remain below SCA thresholds through Saturday. Long Term...Sly flow increases ahead of an approaching front Sun. Well outside the bays seas my briefly push 5 ft before diminishing behind the front. Otherwise winds and seas are expected to remain below SCA thresholds. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... High astronomical tides will peak with tonight's high tide and although winds will be light, the high astronomical tide may potentially reach minor flood stage, particularly at Hampton. && .GYX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ME...None. NH...None. MARINE...None. && SYNOPSIS... NEAR TERM...Curtis SHORT TERM...Schroeter LONG TERM...Legro AVIATION...Legro/Schroeter MARINE...Legro/Schroeter TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Gray ME 306 AM EDT Fri Jul 23 2021 MEZ023-024-NHZ014-240715- Coastal York-Coastal Cumberland-Coastal Rockingham- 306 AM EDT Fri Jul 23 2021 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southwest Maine and southern New Hampshire. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Astronomical tides peak tonight and given that recent tides have managed to rise a little higher than predicted some minor flooding is possible in the low lying areas from Portland south to the Seacoast. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. MEZ007>009-012>014-018>022-025>028-033-NHZ001>013-015-240715- Northern Oxford-Northern Franklin-Central Somerset-Southern Oxford- Southern Franklin-Southern Somerset-Interior York- Central Interior Cumberland-Androscoggin-Kennebec-Interior Waldo- Sagadahoc-Lincoln-Knox-Coastal Waldo-Interior Cumberland Highlands- Northern Coos-Southern Coos-Northern Grafton-Northern Carroll- Southern Grafton-Southern Carroll-Sullivan-Merrimack-Belknap- Strafford-Cheshire-Eastern Hillsborough-Interior Rockingham- Western And Central Hillsborough- 306 AM EDT Fri Jul 23 2021 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. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. ANZ150>154-240715- 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- 306 AM EDT Fri Jul 23 2021 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...Saturday through Thursday. 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 1220 PM EDT Fri Jul 23 2021 MEZ018-019-023-024-231645- Interior York-Coastal York-Central Interior Cumberland-Coastal Cumberland- 1220 PM EDT Fri Jul 23 2021 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN YORK AND SOUTHWESTERN CUMBERLAND COUNTIES... At 1219 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located near Hollis, or 12 miles west of Westbrook, moving southeast at 20 mph. Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail are possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... South Portland, Biddeford, Westbrook, Saco, Gorham, Buxton, Hollis, Standish, Waterboro, Scarborough, Lyman, Arundel, Limington, Limerick and Dayton. If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. LAT...LON 4366 7077 4375 7057 4364 7034 4347 7059 TIME...MOT...LOC 1619Z 312DEG 18KT 4366 7063 MSC
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Gray ME 1229 PM EDT Fri Jul 23 2021 MEZ008-012-013-020-021-231700- Southern Oxford-Androscoggin-Southern Franklin-Kennebec-Northern Franklin- 1229 PM EDT Fri Jul 23 2021 ...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT WEST CENTRAL KENNEBEC...EAST CENTRAL OXFORD...NORTH CENTRAL ANDROSCOGGIN AND SOUTHEASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTIES... At 1228 PM EDT, strong thunderstorms were clustered over Wilton, or near Farmington, moving southeast at 20 mph. Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail are possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Farmington, Turner, Jay, Belgrade, Livermore Falls, Dixfield, Canton, Wilton, Weld, Leeds, Livermore, Buckfield, Chesterville, Hartford, Fayette, Carthage, Avon, Town Of Washington, Mount Vernon and Vienna. If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. LAT...LON 4471 7048 4477 7013 4447 6986 4431 7029 TIME...MOT...LOC 1628Z 329DEG 17KT 4461 7025 MSC
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Gray ME
1231 PM EDT Fri Jul 23 2021
NHZ002-003-231700-
Northern Grafton-Southern Coos-
1231 PM EDT Fri Jul 23 2021
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHWESTERN COOS COUNTY...
At 1231 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located over Lancaster,
moving southeast at 15 mph.
Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail are possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Berlin, Lancaster, Bethlehem, Carroll, Jefferson, Dalton, Whitefield,
Randolph, Northumberland and Stark.
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
LAT...LON 4444 7166 4446 7165 4446 7164 4447 7165
4449 7163 4448 7163 4450 7158 4452 7159
4454 7158 4456 7160 4456 7156 4458 7155
4460 7150 4437 7127 4425 7160 4443 7168
TIME...MOT...LOC 1631Z 332DEG 13KT 4449 7157
MSCThe Portland,ME radar (KGYX), 63 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:34 UTC.
11 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail up to the size of half dollars fell in Effingham near the intersection of highway 153 and old Pound Road.
Quarter size hail at the Pine River State Forest.
Gold ball size hail cracked a windshield near Madison.
Quarter size hail fell on Bennett Road.
Quarter size hail reported north of Meredith.
Trees down along Bennett Road.
Quarter size hail just south of Greenland near I-95.
Quarter size hail fell in Hill.
Half dollar size hail was reported in Kingston.
Quarter size hail fell for about 5 minutes just west of Kensington.
Severe thunderstorm wind gusts downed trees on Burrage and Penacook Road.
Ping pong size hail fell in Hopkinton.
Half dollar size hail fell near Hopkinton Reservoir.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Hampshire in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in New Hampshire, July 2021
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: 976557, 976559, 976560, 976563, 976562, 976577, 976586, 976585, 976564, 976587, 976584, 976565, 976568.