Flash Flooding and Debris Flow in Maine, December 18 to 22, 2023

Major flooding of the Dead River with an estimated rain and snowmelt between 6 and 7 inches of liquid runoff. The resultant flow was estimated around 20.6 kcfs, which is greater than the 0.2% annual exceedance level. A home's foundation was compromised off Dead River Road in West Forks Plantation and the property was a complete loss. Route 201 flooded in West Forks and just south of the confluence of the Kennebec River and Dead River.

Major to near record flooding occurred on the Kennebec River downstream of Bingham following heavy rain and snowmelt on December 18th. Heavy rain fell across the entire Kennebec Valley, however it was the combination of rain and snowmelt runoff in the mountains that caused catastrophic flooding across the region. Wyman Dam limited damage in Bingham apart from some of the local streams. Further downstream in Solon the flood waters inundated properties along Main Street. On the west side of the river flooding occurred across Embden near the Route 201 bridge. The USGS river gage at Madison surpassed the flood of 1987 cresting at 26.7 feet. The streamflows were 134 kcfs, surpassing the 0.2% annual chance flood level, otherwise referred to as the 500 year flood.

Major to near record flooding occurred on the Kennebec River following heavy rain and snowmelt on December 18th. Heavy rain fell across the entire Kennebec Valley, however it was the combination of rain and snowmelt runoff in the mountains that caused catastrophic flooding across the region. Route 201 flooded in West Forks and just south of the confluence of the Kennebec River and Dead River. Flooding continued down to Caratunk where campgrounds and cabins along the rivers sustained substantial damage.

Strong southeast wind gusts began the morning of the 18th. While wind gusts remained strong throughout the day, the damaging gusts occurred in several waves during the morning, again at midday, and once more in the evening. The peak gusts were fairly typical of a high wind event during the cool season, but the duration of the strong to damaging winds was much longer than usual. So while 50 to 60 mph wind gusts did some damage alone, the persistent gusts brought down limbs and trees and damaged powerlines. Around 30 percent of electrical customers were without power by the evening of the 18th.

Strong southeast wind gusts began the morning of the 18th. While wind gusts remained strong throughout the day, the damaging gusts occurred in several waves during the morning, again at midday, and once more in the evening. The peak gusts were fairly typical of a high wind event during the cool season, but the duration of the strong to damaging winds was much longer than usual. So while 50 to 60 mph wind gusts did some damage alone, the persistent gusts brought down limbs and trees and damaged powerlines. Around 30 percent of electrical customers were without power by the evening of the 18th.

Strong southeast wind gusts began the morning of the 18th. While wind gusts remained strong throughout the day, the damaging gusts occurred in several waves during the morning, again at midday, and once more in the evening. The Portland Jetport recorded three different gusts of at least 58 mph, at 8:48 am, again at noon and 1:25 pm. The peak gusts were fairly typical of a high wind event during the cool season, but the duration of the strong to damaging winds was much longer than usual. So while 50 to 60 mph wind gusts did some damage alone, the persistent gusts brought down limbs and trees and damaged powerlines. Around 40 percent of electrical customers were without power by the evening of the 18th.

Strong southeast wind gusts began the morning of the 18th. While wind gusts remained strong throughout the day, the damaging gusts occurred in several waves during the morning, again at midday, and once more in the evening. The NWS Gray office recorded a peak gust of 58 mph at 10:21 am. The peak gusts were fairly typical of a high wind event during the cool season, but the duration of the strong to damaging winds was much longer than usual. So while 50 to 60 mph wind gusts did some damage alone, the persistent gusts brought down limbs and trees and damaged powerlines. Around 40 percent of electrical customers were without power by the evening of the 18th.

Strong southeast wind gusts began the morning of the 18th. While wind gusts remained strong throughout the day, the damaging gusts occurred in several waves during the morning, again at midday, and once more in the evening. The peak gusts were fairly typical of a high wind event during the cool season, but the duration of the strong to damaging winds was much longer than usual. So while 50 to 60 mph wind gusts did some damage alone, the persistent gusts brought down limbs and trees and damaged powerlines. Around 40 percent of electrical customers were without power by the evening of the 18th. A man died when a tree fell on him when he was removing tree debris from his yard.

Strong southeast wind gusts began the morning of the 18th. While wind gusts remained strong throughout the day, the damaging gusts occurred in several waves during the morning, again at midday, and once more in the evening. Auburn/Lewiston Municipal Airport recorded a peak gust of 49 mph at 9:12 am, though a trained spotter in Auburn recorded a 62 mph gust shortly after. The peak gusts were fairly typical of a high wind event during the cool season, but the duration of the strong to damaging winds was much longer than usual. So while 50 to 60 mph wind gusts did some damage alone, the persistent gusts brought down limbs and trees and damaged powerlines. Around 60 percent of electrical customers were without power by the evening of the 18th.

Strong southeast wind gusts began the morning of the 18th. While wind gusts remained strong throughout the day, the damaging gusts occurred in several waves during the morning, again at midday, and once more in the evening. Trained spotters in Topsham and Bath both had recorded gusts in excess of 50 mph. The peak gusts were fairly typical of a high wind event during the cool season, but the duration of the strong to damaging winds was much longer than usual. So while 50 to 60 mph wind gusts did some damage alone, the persistent gusts brought down limbs and trees and damaged powerlines. Around 60 percent of electrical customers were without power by the evening of the 18th.

Strong southeast wind gusts began the morning of the 18th. While wind gusts remained strong throughout the day, the damaging gusts occurred in several waves during the morning, again at midday, and once more in the evening. The Eastern Slopes Regional Airport recorded a peak gust to 54 mph at 9:38 am. The peak gusts were fairly typical of a high wind event during the cool season, but the duration of the strong to damaging winds was much longer than usual. So while 50 to 60 mph wind gusts did some damage alone, the persistent gusts brought down limbs and trees and damaged powerlines. Around 30 percent of electrical customers were without power by the evening of the 18th.

Strong southeast wind gusts began the morning of the 18th. While wind gusts remained strong throughout the day, the damaging gusts occurred in several waves during the morning, again at midday, and once more in the evening. The peak gusts were fairly typical of a high wind event during the cool season, but the duration of the strong to damaging winds was much longer than usual. So while 50 to 60 mph wind gusts did some damage alone, the persistent gusts brought down limbs and trees and damaged powerlines. Around 30 percent of electrical customers were without power by the evening of the 18th.

Strong southeast wind gusts began the morning of the 18th. While wind gusts remained strong throughout the day, the damaging gusts occurred in several waves in the morning, again at midday, and once more in the evening. The Wiscasset Airport recorded a peak gust of 62 mph at 9:10 am before the power was lost to the equipment. The peak gusts were fairly typical of a high wind event during the cool season, but the duration of the strong to damaging winds was much longer than usual. So while 55 to 65 mph wind gusts did some damage alone, the persistent gusts brought down limbs and trees and damaged powerlines. Around 50 percent of electrical customers were without power by the evening of the 18th.

Strong southeast wind gusts began the morning of the 18th. While wind gusts remained strong throughout the day, the damaging gusts occurred in several waves in the morning, again at midday, and once more in the evening. The Augusta State Airport recorded a peak gust of 68 mph at 11:11 am and the Waterville Robert Lafleur Airport recorded a peak gust of 56 mph at 11:22 am before the power was lost to both pieces of equipment. The peak gusts were fairly typical of a high wind event during the cool season, but the duration of the strong to damaging winds was much longer than usual. So while 55 to 65 mph wind gusts did some damage alone, the persistent gusts brought down limbs and trees and damaged powerlines. Over 80 percent of electrical customers were without power by the evening of the 18th.

Strong southeast wind gusts began the morning of the 18th. While wind gusts remained strong throughout the day, the damaging gusts occurred in several waves in the morning, again at midday, and once more in the evening. The peak gusts were fairly typical of a high wind event during the cool season, but the duration of the strong to damaging winds was much longer than usual. So while 55 to 65 mph wind gusts did some damage alone, the persistent gusts brought down limbs and trees and damaged powerlines. Around 50 percent of electrical customers were without power by the evening of the 18th.

Strong southeast wind gusts began the morning of the 18th. While wind gusts remained strong throughout the day, the damaging gusts occurred in several waves in the morning, again at midday, and once more in the evening. The peak gusts were fairly typical of a high wind event during the cool season, but the duration of the strong to damaging winds was much longer than usual. So while 55 to 65 mph wind gusts did some damage alone, the persistent gusts brought down limbs and trees and damaged powerlines. Over 50 percent of electrical customers were without power by the evening of the 18th.

Strong southeast wind gusts began the morning of the 18th. While wind gusts remained strong throughout the day, the damaging gusts occurred in several waves in the morning, again at midday, and once more in the evening. The peak gusts were fairly typical of a high wind event during the cool season, but the duration of the strong to damaging winds was much longer than usual. So while 50 to 60 mph wind gusts did some damage alone, the persistent gusts brought down limbs and trees and damaged powerlines. Over 70 percent of electrical customers were without power by the evening of the 18th.

Strong southeast wind gusts began the morning of the 18th. While wind gusts remained strong throughout the day, the damaging gusts occurred in several waves in the morning, again at midday, and once more in the evening. The peak gusts were fairly typical of a high wind event during the cool season, but the duration of the strong to damaging winds was much longer than usual. So while 50 to 60 mph wind gusts did some damage alone, the persistent gusts brought down limbs and trees and damaged powerlines. Over 70 percent of electrical customers were without power by the evening of the 18th.

Strong southeast wind gusts began the morning of the 18th. While wind gusts remained strong throughout the day, the damaging gusts occurred in several waves during the morning, again at midday, and once more in the evening. The peak gusts were fairly typical of a high wind event during the cool season, but the duration of the strong to damaging winds was much longer than usual. So while 50 to 60 mph wind gusts did some damage alone, the persistent gusts brought down limbs and trees and damaged powerlines. Around 50 percent of electrical customers were without power by the evening of the 18th.

Strong southeast wind gusts began the morning of the 18th. While wind gusts remained strong throughout the day, the damaging gusts occurred in several waves in the morning, again at midday, and once more in the evening. The peak gusts were fairly typical of a high wind event during the cool season, but the duration of the strong to damaging winds was much longer than usual. So while 50 to 60 mph wind gusts did some damage alone, the persistent gusts brought down limbs and trees and damaged powerlines. Around 50 percent of electrical customers were without power by the evening of the 18th.

Major flooding occurred on the Wild River in Gilead with the USGS river gage marked the 2nd highest crest on record of 16.4 feet. The gage was established in 1960 and the only flood of higher flows was that following Irene in 2011. The streamflow was near 34 kcfs, which falls between a 0.5 and 0.2% annual chance exceedance level, otherwise referred to as a 200 to 500 year flood. The flooding was the result of 5 to 6 inches of rainfall and 3 to 4 inches of snowmelt running off within an 18-hour timeframe. The steep slopes of the Wild River combined with frozen ground resulted in a fast rise of 13 feet in 12 hours. The fast-moving water overtook Route 113 and washed out a 80-foot section. The flows from the Wild River contributed to the Androscoggin River major flooding in downstream Bethel.

Flooding on Route 232 near Gore Road from the Bakers Brook in Milton.

Record flooding occurred along the Swift River in Roxbury with a river crest at 14.2 feet, breaking the record of 12.87 feet set in October of 1959. The flooding was caused after 6 inches of rain and an estimated 2 inches of snowmelt caused the river to rise 12 feet in 16 hours. The streamflows measured over 21 kcfs had a 0.5 to 0.2% annual chance exceedance, otherwise referred to as a 200 or 500 year flood recurrence interval. The most significant damage occurred near the confluence of the Swift River and the Androscoggin River in Mexico and Rumford. Major flooding on the Androscoggin coincided with the timing of the peak flood wave on the Swift River. This resulted is destructive flooding between Carlton Avenue to Riverside Avenue including Route 2 in Mexico, and Rumford Avenue up to the Hosmer Field complex. A few dozen homes and businesses observed floodwaters several feet deep, with some properties condemned. Additional significant damage occurred in downtown Roxbury where the river came out of banks over Frye Crossover Road bridge, flooding all the way to Route 17 and up to the base of the Post Office and at flooding at least 4 separate residences. Route 17, a main thruway in the region was severely damaged in dozens of locations in the Byron and Roxbury area. The bridge over Coos Canyon was compromised on both the east and west sides. A home was flooded on Weld Road in Byron. A well-constructed snowmobile bridge was washed out in Byron.

Strong southeast wind gusts began the morning of the 18th. While wind gusts remained strong throughout the day, the damaging gusts occurred in several waves in the morning, again at midday, and once more in the evening. The Knox County Regional Airport recorded a peak gust of 52 mph at 4:20 pm. The peak gusts were fairly typical of a high wind event during the cool season, but the duration of the strong to damaging winds was much longer than usual. So while 50 to 60 mph wind gusts did some damage alone, the persistent gusts brought down limbs and trees and damaged powerlines. Around 25 percent of electrical customers were without power by the evening of the 18th.

Near record flooding occurred on the Sandy River following a heavy rain and snowmelt event on the 18th. The rainfall across the headwaters of the Sandy was estimated between 5 and 6 inches, but it was the combination of this and an additional 3 inches of snowmelt runoff that caused the catastrophic flooding. The USGS river gage reached a stage of 12.79 feet on the late afternoon of the 18th, with a measured streamflow over 10 kcfs. The streamflows measured surpassed a 0.2% annual chance exceedance flood, otherwise referred to as a 500-year flood. The river rise went from 5 feet at midnight to over 12 feet by the early afternoon, breaking the previous record set after the remnants of Irene in 2011. The most significant impacts occurred in Farmington where several homes and businesses were flooded. Of particular severity were businesses along Front Street and Main Street where the water depth was chest deep. The confluence of the Temple Stream and Sandy River resulted in additional business and residential flooding necessitating evacuations and some destruction of property with flood waters up to 4 feet deep. Further downriver, into Farmington Falls, several homes were damaged and a new bridge construction was overtopped and damaged. Routes 2 and 41 were flooded and closed. The river washed out the Route 145 bridge in Strong. Route 4 was flooded in several locations between Sandy River Plantation and Farmington, cutting off the major thruway in the region. Numerous roads in Phillips were flooded or blocked off to include Ross Ave, Smiths East Madrid Road and the Number Six Road. Emergency officials declared Farmington 'essentially completely flooded' with all roads closed and issued a do not travel advisory for the region.

Chushman Road flooded with water running off the hillsides, road closed.

Major flooding of the Bear River between Grafton Notch and Newry with an estimated rain and snowmelt combination of 8 and 9 inches. The resultant flow is estimated over a 0.2% recurrence interval with flows between 8 and 10 kcfs. Washouts occurred on Route 26 near Horseshoe Falls in the Grafton Notch Campground area and near Poplar Road, in Newry. Wheeler Road and Branch Roads in North Newry were hard hit with severe washouts running for 2 miles. A swift water rescue was needed at the intersection of Route 2 and Route 26 caused by flooding from the Androscoggin River and the Bear River.

Major flooding of the Sunday River occurred on the 18th after an estimated 7 to 9 inches of rain and snowmelt ran off into the river. The resultant flow was estimated to be over a 0.2% recurrence interval with flows between 10 and 12 kcfs. The most severe damages were in the Sunday River resort region where a landslide caused damage to a recreational building and several roads were washout out. The flooding continued downstream to Bethel where a Route 2 bridge was flooded and access in and out of the region was cut off for days. Homes were flooded on Sunday River Road including several townhomes off Cherry Lane. Sunday River flooded a bridge and numerous other spots on Vista Road, Roderick Road, Bear River Road, and Sunday River Road, in Newry. Several roads were deemed inaccessible including Summit Road which was completely washout out with the loss of a large metal culvert. Bear River, a tributary to Sunday River also came out of its banks, washing away multiple parked vehicles, in Newry. Multiple water rescue was conducted for occupants of vehicles in flood waters on Vista Road.

Heavy rain over frozen ground caused widespread flooding and road closures in Paris including Brown Way, Christian Ridge Road, Old Route 26, and Stock Farm Road.

Catastrophic flooding occurred in and around Bethel after a storm brought 7 to 10 inches of combined rain and snowmelt to the region. The Androscoggin River only reached minor flood stage at the upstream river gage in Gorham, yet the contribution of flows from the mountains in between the two towns were sufficient to cause the river to reach major flood levels. Estimates put the Androscoggin River flows somewhere between the 0.5 to 0.2% annual chance exceedance levels, otherwise referred to as the 200 to 500 year floods. The tributaries out of the mountains are estimated to have exceeded 500 year flood levels including the Moose Brook, Moose River, Peabody River, Wild River, and Sunday Rivers. The Mill Brook ran high and contributed to the flooding in Bethel, but was not the significant contributor when compared to the other sources. The combined flows caused severe damage to properties and roads in the community, isolating the area for days. The flooding was recorded as the 3rd highest in downstream Rumford, and estimated to be the 4th highest in Bethel since 1860. The floodwaters reached levels near, above, and just below high-water marks from the flood of 1987, though that flood had un-natural responses due to complications from river ice. Though streamflows were likely less than that of 1987, the reported damage was worse. The hardest hit part of the community was in town near the Kowloon Village and Bethel Wastewater Treatment facility, and north of the river along Interval Road and Route 2 & 5. Further downstream in Hanover, flooding was extensive including inundation at the town office off Route 2. About 7 businesses in Bethel sustained major flood damage. The cost of the damage to roads and infrastructure was estimated at $1 million. There were over a dozen homes damaged by flood water with a total cost estimated around $750,000.

The Austin Stream set a record stage of 13.2 feet on December 18th based on records from the USGS river gage established from 1932-1969 and 2009-today. The streamflows reached 14,000 cfs which is greater than a 0.2% annual chance exceedance event, otherwise referred to as a 500-year storm. The stream washed out a 134 foot bridge on Dead Water Road in Moscow and overtook Stream Road washing out a mile long section. The flooding was the result of heavy rainfall falling over frozen ground and melting snow. The rainfall estimates were around 5 inches and the snow melt contributed around an inch or less of additional runoff.

Heavy rain over frozen ground caused widespread flooding and road closures in Buckfield. The following roads were listed as needing repairs. Turner Street, Faunce Road, Paris Hill Road, E. Buckfield Road, Darnit Road, and N. Hill Road, cumulatively needing 20 loads of gravel to repair.

Heavy rain and snowmelt caused flooding and partial wash-outs of numerous roads in the Blue Mountain region, particularly in Weld. The roads include Edes Brook Road, Intervale Road, and Day Mountain Road.

Heavy rain and snowmelt caused flooding of numerous roads in Carthage along the Webb River including Grover Bridge Road, Storer Hill Road, and River Road. With additional flooding being reported on Goodwin Road.

Heavy rain and snowmelt caused Maine DOT closed ME 145 and Foster Hill Road due to flooding.

An unnamed tributary to the Alder Stream washed out the entire length of Tufts Pond Road to the sub-base. The flooding was the result of 5 inches of rain and another 2 to 3 inches of snowmelt running off frozen terrain.

Record flooding occurred on December 18th after a storm brought heavy rain and rapid snowmelt to the Ellis River. The river reached major flood stage cresting at 21.5 feet with a flow of 15,800 cfs, surpassing the previous flood of record of 19.26 feet set in December of 2003. The storm was estimated as a 0.2% annual chance exceedance flood, otherwise referred to as a 500-year event. Flooding cut off the town of Andover with closures of Maine Route 120, Roxbury Pond Road, Route 5, and Upton Road. Water cut-off a historic covered bridge, compromising the structure. Route 5 was closed for several weeks due to severe damage to the road. Meadow Brook, a tributary to the Ellis, caused a washout on Roxbury Notch Road. Infrastructure loss from roads and bridges across the area is about $100,000.

Heavy rain and snowmelt caused the East Branch of the Swift River in Byron to flood and washed out 2 culverts on Weld Road.

Heavy rain and snowmelt caused overland flooding that caused severe damage on Lohnes Farm Road including damage to a bridge and a washed out culvert.

Extreme flooding across the Bethel area resulted in swift water rescues of several motorists and residents. The Bethel Fire Department performed numerous rescues starting around 11:30 am and continued through the afternoon as flood waters cut the community off. Officials estimate at least a dozen water rescues were conducted with a few dozen people being rescued. One area were numerous rescues were occurring was Mill Brook along Lovers Lane.

After heavy rain and snowmelt, several roads around Rangeley flooded including Bald Mountain Road and South Shore Road which were impassable due to flooding.

Valley Brook, a tributary to the Sandy River washed out the abutment on the Route 149 Bridge in Strong. The flooding was the result of 5 inches of rain and another 2 to 3 inches of snowmelt running off frozen terrain.

Heavy rain and snowmelt caused Willow Brook to leave its banks near and wash out portions of East Oxford Road near Cross Road, with a vehicle in the flood waters.

Catastrophic flooding occurred along the Kennebec River at Skowhegan following heavy rain and snowmelt event on the 18th. Heavy rain averaging 5 inches fell across the entire Kennebec Valley, and in the mountains an additional 3 inches of snowmelt runoff resulted in major flooding for the Kennebec River and its headwater tributaries. In Madison, the flood exceeded the record event in 1987, however in Skowhegan the flood levels were a few feet lower. The streamflows were estimated around 178 kcfs which falls between a 100 and 500 year flood, otherwise referred to as a 1% and 0.2% annual chance exceedance event. The majority of the property flooding occurred on the east side of the river along Route 201, however homes along Winding Hill Road in Norridgewock also sustained significant flood damage. In Skowhegan, Island Avenue was inundated up to 8 inches deep on the entrance to the southern bridge from route 201. Water depths were up to 5 feet on Route 2 just south of the island. Over a dozen properties, both residential and business were damaged in Skowhegan alone. The estimates in losses are over $10 million for public and private.

Record flooding was reached on Spencer Stream near Grand Falls, Maine. The river crested at 11.4 feet during the early morning of December 19th. The information is based on the USGS river gage that was installed in 2000. The streamflows were measured over 12,000 cfs comparable to a 0.2% annual chance exceedance event, otherwise referred to as a 500 year flood. The flooding was the result of approximately 5 inches of rainfall and another 1 to 2 inches of snowmelt runoff, all of which occurred within 18 hours.

Heavy rain and snowmelt caused the Pleasant Pond Stream to flood 2 bridges, one near Main Street and the other upstream. Main Street was closed cutting off most homes in the community. Some buildings were also inundated.

Heavy rain and snowmelt caused significant damage to dirt roads around Indian Pond with severe washouts.

After heavy rain and snowmelt, the main thruway to Rangeley, ME Route 17 north of Height of Land was flooded in numerous locations.

Heavy rain and snowmelt caused the Sabattus River to flood Route 126 up to 4 feet deep. One water rescue was conducted due to people trapped in a vehicle.

Bridge washed away on Milton Road after the Concord River overflowed its banks following heavy rain and snowmelt.

Heavy rain and snowmelt caused extreme flooding in the Sugarloaf Mountain region. Numerous small streams became raging rivers with washouts on most local and state roads, cutting off access to the region.

Heavy rain and snowmelt caused Jock Stream to come out of its banks and flood Ridge Road, causing it to close.

Catastrophic flooding on the Androscoggin River resulting from 5 to 6 inches of rainfall and 2 to 3 inches of snowmelt. The river rose 17 in roughly 12 hours, cresting at 22.1 feet. The record is 24 set in 1936. Access in and out of the region was cut off for days, including both Route 2 and 108 running on either side of the river. The Flooding started upstream in Gorham, reaching major severity in Bethel and continuing through Rumford and downstream through Mexico, Canton, Peru, Dixfield, Jay, and Livermore Falls. The flood severity was impacted by record flooding from the Ellis and Swift River tributaries from the north. Numerous swift water rescues were needed to move trapped residents and motorists to safety. On the evening of the 18th a vehicle was swept up by the Swift River off of Main Street and deposited into the Androscoggin River. Water rescues saved two of the passengers, but the driver and another passenger perished and were recovered a few days later. Floodwaters moved a house off its foundation on Prospect Avenue in Rumford. Water was up to street signs along Route 140 from Dixfield, Canton, to Jay. In Mexico numerous buildings flooded along Main Street, and properties off Canton Point Road in Peru. In Canton the flood waters entered buildings along Pleasant Street. The cost of the damage to roads and infrastructure was estimated at $2 million. There was at least home was destroyed and another 20-30 damaged by flood water with a total cost estimated around $2 million. About 2 dozen businesses between Rumford and Livermore sustained major flood damage.

Heavy rain and snowmelt runoff caused already swollen lakes to overflow their banks. In New Sharon, Crowell Pond flooded Route 41with water up to 2 feet for numerous days.

Heavy rain and snowmelt runoff caused flooding of Otter Brook onto Interval Road near the confluence with the Androscoggin River in Hanover. Vehicles were trapped in the flood waters with occupants needing to be rescued.

The Carrabassett River Valley experienced catastrophic flooding following a heavy rain and snowmelt event on December 18th. The rain fell over an 18 hour period and averaged 5 inches across the basin, with an additional 2 to 3.5 inches of snowmelt. The steep terrain and frozen ground supported rapid runoff with all streams becoming raging torrents. The USGS river gage on the Carrabassett River in North Anson climbed from 5 feet to 26.64 feet in 24 hours, narrowly missing the all time record stage of 26.66 feet set in 1987. This was the second highest crest ever recorded since the gage was established in 1929. The streamflows were measured over 50 kcfs, which exceeds the 0.2% annual chance flood, otherwise referred to as a 500 year flood. It is estimated that the runoff caused flows of at least 500 year levels within the tributaries to the Carrabassett River including Stoddard Brook, Poplar Stream, Huston Brook, Alder Stream, Nash Brook, Stratton Brook, Redington Pond Outlet, and several others. Several dozen properties including homes and businesses were flooded and damaged during the event, with millions of dollars in damages. All major thruways were flooded and washed out, notably Routes 27 and 16, with citizens cut off for days. Several bridges were overtopped including Claybrook Road Bridge, Stratton Brook Bridge, and Redington Stream Bridge in Carrabassett Valley. Smaller local bridges were damaged or washed-out, including Poplar Mountain Road, Long Falls Dam Road, Gauge Road, Huston Road, and Alder Stream in Carrabassett Valley. Numerous swift water rescues were necessary to remove residents and motorists from flood waters. Water rescues occurred in New Vineyard to remove people from flooded buildings. Though official damages were not available at the time of this report, it is estimated that they exceeded $5 million.

Further downstream in Kingfield, several portions of Route 27 were flooded including the Route 16 bridge. Homes on Island Road were flooded after floodwaters cut off access to the community. Properties on the east bank of the Carrabassett River along Riverside Street near Indian Stream Road were flooded, along with others off Katie Crotch Road in East New Portland. In North Anson, there were 14 homes flooded on River Road and an additional 6 on Madison Street. Rapid Stream, a tributary to the South Branch of the Carrabassett River, overtook Rapid Stream Road causing 2 miles of washouts and the loss of 2 bridges. The West Branch Carrabassett River flooded Route 142 near McClures Tree Farm with flood waters knee to chest deep.

Heavy rain and rapid snowmelt falling on frozen ground caused a landslide at the Sunday River Ski Resort in Newry. NWS estimated over 5 inches of rainfall with snowmelt runoff of an additional 3.5 inches ran off the steep terrain within a 12 hour window. The subsequent landslide caused considerable damage to Sunday River Resort including severe damage to a recreational building.

The Sandy River reached major flood level on the afternoon of December 18th. The river crested at a stage of 17.35 feet which was the 3rd highest crest ever recorded. The flooding was most severe in the headwaters between Sandy River Plantation and Farmington where bridges were washed out and homes were inundated. Between Farmington Falls and Madison the flooding was widespread. Several homes in New Sharon were flooded along Route 134. Main thruways in the area were cut off including Route 2 which flooded in multiple locations including the New Sharon bridge. Route 134 north of the river flooded into Beans Corner Road and Glenn Harris Roads. On the south side of the river, several local roads flooded including Flagg Road, Starks Road, and West Dandy River Road. Multiple homes were surrounded with basement and minor first floor flooding, particularly in Farmington Falls. Further downstream in Norridgewock, the Sandy River Road flooded.

Record flooding occurred on the Kennebec River at Madison following heavy rain and snowmelt on December 18th. Heavy rain fell across the entire Kennebec Valley, however the combination of snowmelt in the mountains caused catastrophic flooding which flowed into Madison. The USGS river gage at Madison surpassed the flood of 1987 cresting at 26.7 feet. The streamflows were 134 kcfs, surpassing the 0.2% annual chance flood level, otherwise referred to as the 500 year flood. The Route 201 bridge in Madison was closed as a result of the flooding, cutting off a major thruway to the region. The high water resulted in the shut down and damage of the Madison Dam which had no controls on the river. Across the river in Anson there were several riverside homes flooded with several feet of water on the first floors.

On December 19th the Kennebec River at Augusta reached the 3rd highest level on record, cresting at 26.92 feet. The other floods of record were 30.70 feet in 1936 and 34.1 feet in 1987. The river stage in Augusta has significant tidal influence so the discharge varies based on the time of day, however using estimates from upstream gages it is likely the flows fell between a 50 to 100 year event, or 1-2% annual chance exceedance level. The flooding was the result of heavy rain combined with snowmelt from the headwaters. The most significant impacts were east of Water Street south of Bond Brook and along Front Street in downtown Augusta, just south of the Calumet Bridge. Businesses along Front Street observed flood waters chest high in first floor buildings, including a U.S. Post Office. Multiple homes flooded from the Kennebec River and backwater on Bond Brook along Water Street and Bond Street on the west side of the river. Flooding was less severe on the east bank where most of the inundation was in recreational areas and portions of Howard Street.

On December 19th, the Kennebec River at Hallowell reached major flood stage, cresting at 22.5 feet at the USGS river gage. There was significant damage to riverside businesses with floodwaters reaching all the way up to Route 201 on Water Street. Flood waters filled basements and were up to 18 in over 2 dozen businesses in downtown Hallowell. Further downstream in Gardiner there was severe flooding near the confluence with the Cobbosseecontee Stream and the Kennebec River between Route 201, Bridge Street, and Water Street. Dozens of businesses and apartments were inundated with water up to 5 feet deep.

Near record flooding along the Kennebec River occurred on December 19th following heavy rainfall and snowmelt on the 18th. The rain and snowmelt in the mountains sent a flood wave to Kennebec County causing major flooding from the mountains to the coast. The USGS river gage in North Sidney crested at 32.32 feet. This is the second highest flood since the gage was established in 1979, surpassed only by the flood of 1987 which crested at 39.31 feet. There is no stage from the flood of 1936, but it is estimated that it had a stage less than 1987 but higher than 2023. The streamflows on December 19th peaked around 167 kcfs, and have an annual recurrence probability between 1% and 0.5%, otherwise referred to as a 100 or 200 year flood. The most severely impacted portion of Waterville was along Upper Main Street to Route 201 north of Willow Street, and across the southern part of town along Water Street, near the confluence of the Sebasticook River. There was severe flooding along both Libbey and Mill Island. Dozens of homes and businesses sustained significant flood damage with water inundation several feet deep. Bridge Street(Route 100) bridge was closed due to flooding, cutting off a main thruway in the region. The Route 201 bridge across the Sebasticook was closed and several businesses north and south of the bridge were flooded with water up to 3 feet deep. Homes and businesses on Lithgow Street were also flooded.

The combined runoff from rain and snowmelt averaged 7 to 10 inches in the higher terrain, and 4 to 6 inches in the Saco River Valley Basin. The steep terrain and frozen ground supported rapid runoff which caused flash flooding along all streams and brooks in the region. The Swift River, a western tributary to the Saco River in Conway, was estimated to have had flows around 12-16 kcfs. The flows in the Saco River in Bartlett reached 24 kcfs. The annual chance occurrence of these flows are estimated around 1% to 0.2%, otherwise referred to as a 100 or 500 year flood. The combined flows in Conway resulted in flows over 60 kcfs as measured by the USGS gage. The stream height reached 17.72 on the evening of the 18th, exceeding the record held by Irene in 2011 which crested at 17.23 feet with a flow of 58.2 kcfs. The river climbed from 4 feet on the 17th to 17 feet in under 24 hours due to the rapid nature of the runoff. The flood wave moved down the Saco River into the Fryeburg area, flooding along Route 113 River Street from Conway to Fryeburg. River street was flooded and closed for a period of time. The flood wave reached the marshy areas with limited impacts further downriver from Fryeburg.

The Androscoggin River reached moderate flood stage on December 18th and remained in flood stage through the 20th. The flooding was the result of heavy rain and snowmelt, driven mostly by routed water from the western Maine Mountains where runoff was 8 to 10 inches between rainfall and snowmelt. Major flooding unfolded upstream in Rumford, with a dampening of the floodwave as it moved into Auburn. The flooding reached Center Street in Auburn, cutting off a main thruway. There were businesses impacted along North River Road near Center Street and along Riverside Drive. Flooding also occurred in Lewiston, where people were evacuated along Tall Pines Drive, Avon Street, Winter Street, Lincoln Street, North River Road between Stetson Road and Center Street, and Switzerland Road. Another primary thruway, Route 136 from Auburn to Durham flooded. Ferry Road in Durham was also closed due to flooding. In Lisbon, the flooding was isolated to Cedar Pond Road. Further upstream in Livermore, Goding Road near the Route 4 bridge was flooded, including Spruce Mountain Road.

The Nezinscot River in Turner reached moderate flood stage on December 19th, cresting at 8.7 feet at the USGS river gage. The flooding was the result of heavy rain falling over frozen soils with some addition from snowmelt, with estimated runoff around 4 to 5 inches. The impacts from flooding were along Schoolhouse Road in Turner, where a half dozen homes were cut off and surrounded by floodwaters. Some outbuildings were inundated.