Flash Flood and Flooding in Maine, December 18 to 20, 2023

Name: Flash Flood and Flooding in Maine, December 18 to 20, 2023
Start: 2023-12-18T11:00
End: 2023-12-20T19:00
Location: Maine

December 18 to 20, 2023 · NWS CAR · 17 events in 14 counties and zones

Low pressure rapidly intensified while lifting north along the coast from Florida to New England from the 17th into the 18th. during the 18th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 14 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: 17

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.

Low pressure rapidly intensified while lifting north along the coast from Florida to New England from the 17th into the 18th. The low then tracked across New England...to the west of the region...during the 18th. The low brought unseasonably warm air and abundant moisture across the region. Heavy rains and high winds accompanied the low. The pressure gradient between high pressure across the Atlantic and the rapidly intensifying low supported a very strong low level jet across the region. Conditions for this event were primed by another significant storm a week earlier which also had warm temperatures and heavy rain. Rain totals with the previous storm generally ranged from 3.00 to 4.00 inches...with local totals approaching 5.00 inches across the southeast corner of the region. Across the west-central highlands rain totals generally ranged from 2.00 to 3.00 inches. This storm left elevated river and stream levels in its wake which allowed flooding with this storm to develop more rapidly. The ground was also left nearly saturated. Nearly saturated soil and partially frozen ground allowed rapid and excessive run-off to develop with this storm. The already nearly saturated soil and additional heavy rainfall also allowed trees to be more easily toppled by the winds with this event. Record high temperatures were set during the 18th with 61 at Bangor...59 at Houlton...58 at Millinocket and 57 at Caribou.|Rain developed from the evening of the 17th into the early morning hours of the 18th. Heavy rain then occurred through the morning into the afternoon of the 18th...with lighter rains persisting into the early morning hours of the 19th. The heaviest rains fell in the favored upslope areas of the west-central highlands. Rainfall totals in this region generally ranged from 3.50 to 4.50 inches. Although much of the snow pack had been eroded during the previous storm...this storm melted the remaining snow pack even across the mountains. This snow melt contributed additional run-off. Rainfall across Downeast areas generally ranged from 1.50 to 3.00 inches...with 1.00 to 2.00 inch totals across northern areas. Flooding developed during the morning of the 18th...becoming more widespread though the afternoon and evening. The worst flooding occurred in the Piscataquis River basin where the heaviest rains occurred. The Piscataquis River at Dover-Foxcroft crested at its highest level in decades. Also on the Piscatquis River...a record level occurred at Blanchard. Significant flooding also occurred on the Sebec and Pleasant Rivers in Piscataquis county. Smaller rivers and streams also flooded along with low lying and poor drainage areas. In Piscataquis county flooding was particularly extensive in the towns of Dover-Foxcroft...Milo...Guilford...Brownville...Greenville...Blanchard and Abbott. Many roads were flooded to varying depths...up to 3 to 5 feet...leading to road closures. Roads...culverts and bridges were damaged or destroyed in some areas. The mainstem Penobscot River also flooded. Flooding was less extensive across Penobscot county with flooding reported around the towns of Bradford...Brewer...Burlington and Argyle. Flooding across the remainder of the region was generally more isolated and minor with localized road closures. Flooding along the larger mainstem rivers persisted through the 19th into the 20th at some locations while water from small rivers and streams drained through the larger rivers. Several ice jams did develop on the Saint John...Aroostook and Allagash rivers of northern Maine. However...these ice jams did not lead to any flooding. |The very strong low level jet produced high winds while crossing the region. The strongest winds occurred through the afternoon into the evening of the 18th. The strongest winds occurred along the Downeast coast where south to southeast winds were sustained at 30 to 40 mph with gusts generally 65 to 80 mph. However...a 93 mph wind gust was reported along the coast of Washington county near the town of Trescott. Winds across the remainder of the region were generally sustained at 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 50 to 60 mph...up to around 70 mph across interior Downeast areas. Numerous trees were toppled or snapped which brought down power lines and utility poles. This led to extensive power outages. Roads were also blocked and closed due to fallen trees...power lines and utility poles. Power outages peaked at between 100000 and 125000 customers during the morning and afternoon of the 18th. This corresponded to approximately 70% of the utility customers in Penobscot...Hancock and Washington counties and around 60% of the customers in Piscataquis county. Power restoration following the event extended into the 24th. Restoration was slowed due to the extent of damage and blocked roads which limited access.|Coastal flooding with this event occurred around the time of high tide during the afternoon of the 18th. Seawall Road...in Hancock county...was flooded with small rocks and debris left on the road. This led to a closure of the road until waters receded and debris was removed. A commercial pier in Eastport...Washington county...was also damaged due to coastal flooding...high winds and large crashing waves. Otherwise...minor splash over occurred along portions of the Downeast coast.

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 Dec 18, 10:28 AM EST, 32 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 18, 10:28 AM EST, 32 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Caribou ME
1028 AM EST Mon Dec 18 2023

.SYNOPSIS...
Powerful storm system complex will track west of the area today
and continue north into Quebec tonight. An upper level
disturbance rotates overhead Tuesday. High pressure will slowly
build into the area from the northwest Wednesday into Saturday.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
935 am update...
Wmfnt has pushed thru most of the region this morning as
intensifying lopres system has lifted into the Hudson Valley
Region of NY. Area of rain has overspread the entire area and
will continue throughout the day. Beautiful deepening cyclone on
wv imagery as it lifts to the north with very strong LLJ seen on
the eastern side of the cyclone. The core of the LLJ will be
moving into the region between 18z-21z this afternoon and with
entire CWA being in the warm sector, potential to mix a good
bulk of these winds down is fairly high with the highest gusts
acrs Downeast.

As for flooding have seen between 1-1.5 inches over Piscataquis
county with around 1 inch from the Bangor Region over to
Downeast. Still looking at a stream of moisture heading in from
the Atlantic as fire hose of moisture moves into the area
through the day today. Have had reports of ice movement up on
the St. John River from Allagash back toward Dickey and awaiting
verification on any flooding associated with this ice jam. WPC
has upgraded central areas to a moderate risk of excessive
rainfall with continued heavy rain falling on saturated soils
and flooding will become more likely through the afternoon.
Given the widespread 4-6 inches from a week ago Monday and a
widespread 2-3 inches today, am becoming increasingly concerned
about road washouts and closures over Downeast twd the
Piscataquis Basin.

Prev discussion blo...
     Damaging Winds & Heavy Rain Impacts Maine Today...

6:31AM Update...No major changes. Forecast remains on track.
Winds continue to increase. Temperatures are warning well into
the 50s now in several locations. Powerful LLJ is strengthening
based on the 12z RAOB that is in progress. 51kt at only 1km off
the ground. Water vapor imagery shows the "kicker" rounding the
base of the shortwave and racing NE that will energize the LLJ.
Damaging Winds is a high concern today across Eastern & Northern
Maine along with Flooding Rainfall. Stay Alert and Have a Plan!

Previous Discussion...
Satellite imagery shows a well defined area of low pressure
tracking north along the Mid Atlantic coastline. A large
baroclinic leaf has developed to the north with strong warm air
advection pushing into Maine as a warm front is pushing NW
through the state off the Gulf of Maine. In response to the lift
and surge of moisture getting areas of light to moderate
rainfall moving south to north. upper level energy is diving up
the trof and will help "kick" this storm northward today. A
powerful jet stream with upper level divergence is allowing for
the storm system today to intensify with a secondary surface low
on its tail lifting north. PWATs will increase to 1.2-1.4 inches
which is 0.8-1.0 inch above normal for this time of year as a
strong tropical connection transport deep Atlantic moisture
northward today. A powerful 850mb jet will increase to 80-100kt
over Maine today which will aid in moisture transport. 925mb
winds will be increasing to 65-80kt with a well mixed low levels
up to 1-1.5kft. Models have shifted west with the overall storm
track which increases the confidence we will tap into the strong
LLJ in the warm sector today. The potential exists for
significant impacts from winds and flooding today across the
area. The strongest winds will be along the Downeast coast but
potentially significant wind impacts will extend well inland
compared to previous storms. The storm will track into Quebec
this evening and drag a cold front through the area later
tonight with warm air staying over the area into tomorrow
morning.

Rainfall...Strong upslope enhancement with the SE wind direction
will result in the heaviest totals along the SE slopes of the
Longfellow Mtns from Somerset County to Baxter peak. Rainfall
totals 2-3 inches with isolated higher amounts up to 5 inches
possible. Otherwise, widespread 2 to 3 inches from the Downeast
coast to Bangor to portions of Southern Aroostook County. North
and west of the Longfellows to Northern Aroostook County expect
widespread 1-1.5 inches of rain with isolated higher amounts.
Along and SE of the mountains expect the potential for flooding
from excessive runoff. The Aroostook and St. John Rivers may
experience localized ice jams with heavy rain and warm
temperatures. A Flood Watch remains in effect for Downeast and
Central Highlands including Southern Aroostook County, see the
hydro section below for more details.

Winds...Strongest winds with a mixing level to 1.5kft across the
Downeast into Central Highlands is expected. This will result in
wind gusts 60-70mph with the highest along the Downeast coast.
High confidence in significant to widespread power outages as a
result of widespread strong winds unlike the previous storm.
Have higher confidence in strong mixing to 1-1.5kft across
Central Penobscot and Northern Washington county and opted to
upgrade the Wind Advisory to High Wind Warning. Across the
Moosehead Region into Northern Aroostook County strong winds
with mixing up to 1kft is very likely. Winds will gust up to
55mph with a few isolated gusts up to 60mph in Eastern Aroostook
county. This storm has some very similar characteristics to the
October 2017 windstorm with widespread winds likely across the
area. Expecting scattered to numerous power outages in the Wind
Advisory area and numerous to widespread power outages in the
High Wind Warning.

Additionally, coastal flooding is a concern and is discussed
below in the coastal flood section. Temperatures today will
shoot up into the mid 50s across the entire area.

&&

.SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/...
A deep upper level trough will remain over the area through the
day on Tuesday, pinching off in to a closed-off upper level low
off the Mid-Atlantic coast Tuesday night. This persistent upper
level instability will lead to lingering rain showers over the
area through the day on Tuesday, tapering off into Tuesday
evening. Cold air advection behind the storm will drop
temperatures below freezing Tuesday night, so there may be a
brief period where precip turns to snow before showers dissipate
completely. That said, any lingering showers will yield little
to no additional accumulation Tuesday night.

A strong high pressure will build into the area on Wednesday,
leading to clearing skies and drier weather. With a warmer air
mass in place from the last system, temperatures will be
slightly above normal through the day. Through the middle of the
week, a secondary low will form under the closed-off upper level
low off the Mid-Atlantic coast. The tightening pressure gradient
between this low and the high pressure over our forecast area
will lead to gusty north winds across the area Wednesday night
into Thursday. It is also possible (15% chance) for the
precipitation field from this low to enlarge such that rain and
snow showers may reach into the Downeast region.

&&

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
Gusty winds will persist through the day on Thursday with a
strong pressure gradient aloft between the strengthening high
pressure overhead and a deepening low pressure system south of
the Gulf of Maine. Winds will then relax through the end of the
week as the low pressure system exits into the North Atlantic,
allowing for high pressure to dominate the forecast for northern
and eastern Maine. Temperatures will approach a more seasonable
range with the stagnant high pressure, as partly to mostly clear
skies allow for a more typical diurnal swing and lack of warm
air advection will allow for the air mass to settle towards
seasonal.

For the weekend, guidance diverges in solutions. Most keep the
area fairly dry under some form of high pressure. However, there
are hints of a deeper upper level shortwave trough on the GFS vs
the ECMWF, which could bring a few snow showers across the
northern half of the area Saturday night. The CMC also seems to
hint at the possibility of some light snow showers Saturday
night. As for ensemble plots, there are a handful of member s on
the CMC and the GEFS which bring snow showers across the CWA.
The EPS, mostly due to the weaker shortwave to the north, has
the fewest members showing any sort of precipitation crossing
the area this weekend. Stuck with the NBM for now, though
increased North Woods PoPs to slight chance to account for
uncertainty in shortwave position. The NBM solution also
persists NW winds through the weekend, which could lead to the
mesoscale development of isolated showers due to moisture and
instability provided by the St. Lawrence river and orographic
lift over the Central Highlands.

&&

.AVIATION /16Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
NEAR TERM: IFR/LIFR today with very rough conditions for
aviation. +RA and low cigs/vsby. LLWS 50-70KT today at all
sites. Sfc winds today, North terms SE 20-30kt with gusts up to
50kt. South terms SE 25-35kt with gusts 55-60kt. Tonight, winds
shift S-SSW 15-25kt with gusts up to 35kt. LLWS likely through
06-09z. -RA becoming -SHRA this evening.

SHORT TERM:
Tues: Beginning IFR/LIFR at most terminals, with quick
improvement towards MVFR then VFR through the day as showers
become fewer in number and cigs lift into the afternoon. S winds
5 to 10 kts with gusts to 20 kts early.

Tues night: VFR likely across all terminals, with a chance (50%)
for cigs to fall to MVFR from PQI north as winds shift W. W
winds 5 to 10 kts.

Wed: VFR across all terminals. Winds W to NW at 5 to 10 kts.

Wed night - Thurs: VFR across all terminals. Winds shifting N
increasing to 10 to 20 kts with gusts 25 to 30 kts.

Fri: VFR across all terminals. N winds 5 to 10 kts.

&&

.MARINE...
NEAR TERM: Have upgraded outer waters to Hurricane Force Wind
Warnings for gusts to 65kts this afternoon. Strongest core of
low-level jet will be passing over the waters between 18z-21
this afternoon. Storm Warning in effect for the coastal waters
out to 25nm from 7am Today to 1am Tuesday. SE winds today
rapidly increasing to 35-45kt with gusts up to 60kt. Seas
rapidly build to 27-32ft across coastal waters by this evening
and 14-20ft on the intracoastal waters. Wave periods of 7-8sec
today increase to 14-15sec periods this evening. Winds shift
S-SW late tonight and rapidly fall to Small Craft Advisory
conditions by daybreak. Winds expected to fall below 25kt by
midday Tuesday. Long period swells will be subsiding tomorrow to
9-14ft by evening.

SHORT TERM: Though wind gusts will briefly diminish below 25 kts
Tuesday into Tuesday night, seas will remain quite elevated,
sitting at 10 to 13 ft over the coastal waters through this
time, and up to 9 ft on the intra-coastal waters. Northerly winds
will begin to increase once more late Wednesday into early
Thursday morning, with gusts surpassing gales. Seas will remain
around 6 to 9 ft over the coastal waters through this time, with
SE swell. Winds will begin to diminish once more into the day
on Friday.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...
Significantly warmer temperatures and heavy rainfall today poses
another threat for small river, stream, creek and urban
flooding in Eastern and Central Highlands. Groundwater levels
across Downeast and the Central Highlands are in excess of the
95th percentile for this time of year. Much of the partial frost
that existed Downeast has thawed along with the Central
Highlands resulting in the grounds being prone to additional
water releases and very little absorption. Much of the rivers
across the Central Highlands and Downeast are open and free of
ice but some isolated areas of ice do exist but expected to play
a minimal role in this event. Across the Central Highlands and
Downeast with excessive rainfall of 2-3 inches with isolated
higher amounts and very soaked thawed grounds poses the
greatest risk of flooding. A flood watch continues for the
Moosehead to Baxter & S. Aroostook regions southward to the
Downeast coast.

Larger rivers across portions of Central and Downeast Maine will
respond to the excessive runoff. Much of the rivers across
Central and Downeast Maine are running in the 76th-95th
percentile for daily flows while northern rivers are near
normal. Latest river ensembles (GEFS, HEFS & NAEFS) have a
45-65% chance the Piscataquis River at Dover-Foxcroft reaches
minor flood stage. The Northeast River Forecast Center has the
river cresting at 12.5ft tonight which will be 1.5ft above
minor flood level. This will likely impact Back Road in Abbot
and additionally basement flooding in Dover-Foxcroft and
Guilford near the river. Residents along and travel near the
entire stretch of the Piscataquis River should monitor latest
trends and prepare for at least minor flooding. Lastly, the
Penobscot at Bangor will need to be monitored today at the time
of high tide for potential flooding as noted below in the tides
and coastal flooding section.

Ice jams...Ice is present on portions of the northern river
basins, however the only significant thick ice is on the St.
John River. River ice is expected to break up and move in spots
on the Aroostook & St. John Rivers due to rainfall, snow melt
and very warm temperatures. Very jumbled ice that is a Ice Jam
exists upstream from Tinker Dam on the Aroostook and extends 5-6
river miles upstream into Fort Fairfield. Another small jam
exists in Oxbow downstream from the Oxbow Road boat launch. A
significant area of jumbled ice is present on the St. John
downstream from Allagash to St. Francis. Given the movement of
ice and increase water discharge expect localized ice jams on
the St. John River but expected to cause minimal impacts.

&&

.TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
Confidence has increased in coastal flooding and wave runup
issues today at the high tide near 2:45PM. While not a
particularly high astronomical tide, maximum storm surge and
large waves corresponds with the high tide. Surge is now
expected to be over 2 feet with potential to be close to 2.5
feet. Combined with seas 10 to 15 ft, minor to moderate coastal
flooding is likely...with wave runup being more of a concern
than raw water levels. At this time, the combined tide and surge
looks sufficient to cause minor issues on the Deer Isle
Causeway and in Machias along with other vulnerable locations.
With the strong southerly push, will also see 2 to 3 foot surge up
the Penobscot River to Bangor at high tide around 2:57PM.
Combination of high tide, storm surge and elevated freshwater
discharge from the Penobscot & Kenduskeag will pose a threat of
flooding at the waterfront & Kenduskeag Plaza. The magnitude of
the waves and the total water level at high tide brings strong
potential for significant splashover on coastal roads such as
Seawall Road and along the Schoodic Peninsula. A Coastal Flood
Warning continues for the Downeast Coast from 1PM-5PM today.

&&

.CLIMATE...
Record high temperatures are possible today.

The current forecast high at Caribou is 56F. The record high is
54F in 2000.

The current forecast high at Bangor is 57F. The record high is
53F in 2000.

&&

.CAR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ME...Wind Advisory until 1 AM EST Tuesday for MEZ001>006-010-031.
     Flood Watch through late tonight for MEZ005-006-010-011-
     015>017-029>032.
     High Wind Warning until 1 AM EST Tuesday for MEZ011-015>017-
     029-030-032.
     Coastal Flood Warning until 5 PM EST this afternoon for MEZ029-
     030.
MARINE...Hurricane Force Wind Warning until 8 PM EST this evening for
     ANZ050-051.
     Storm Warning until 1 AM EST Tuesday for ANZ052.

&&

Near Term...Buster/Sinko
Short Term...AStrauser
Long Term...AStrauser
Aviation...Buster/Sinko/AStrauser
Marine...Buster/Sinko/AStrauser
Hydrology...
Tides/Coastal Flooding...
Climate...

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 18, 10:26 AM EST, 34 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Caribou ME
1026 AM EST Mon Dec 18 2023

MEZ005-006-010-031-191530-
Northern Penobscot-Southeast Aroostook-Central Piscataquis-
Southern Piscataquis-
1026 AM EST Mon Dec 18 2023

...FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM EST THIS MORNING THROUGH LATE
TONIGHT...
...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST TUESDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Central Highlands Maine and
Far Eastern Maine.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Flood Watch.
   Wind Advisory.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather
conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.

MEZ011-015>017-032-191530-
Central Penobscot-Southern Penobscot-Interior Hancock-
Central Washington-Northern Washington-
1026 AM EST Mon Dec 18 2023

...FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM EST THIS MORNING THROUGH LATE
TONIGHT...
...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST TUESDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Far Eastern Maine, Interior
DownEast Maine and Penobscot Valley Maine.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Flood Watch.
   High Wind Warning.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather
conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.

MEZ001>004-191530-
Northwest Aroostook-Northeast Aroostook-Northern Somerset-
Northern Piscataquis-
1026 AM EST Mon Dec 18 2023

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST TUESDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Far Northern Maine and North
Woods Maine.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Wind Advisory.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather
conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.

MEZ029-030-191530-
Coastal Hancock-Coastal Washington-
1026 AM EST Mon Dec 18 2023

...FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM EST THIS MORNING THROUGH LATE
TONIGHT...
...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST TUESDAY...
...COASTAL FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Coastal DownEast Maine.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Flood Watch.
   High Wind Warning.
   Coastal Flood Warning.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather
conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.

ANZ050-051-191530-
Coastal Waters from Eastport, ME to Schoodic Point, ME out 25 NM-
Coastal Waters from Schoodic Point, ME to Stonington, ME out 25 NM-
1026 AM EST Mon Dec 18 2023

...HURRICANE FORCE WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EST THIS
EVENING...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Atlantic Coastal Waters.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Hurricane Force Wind Warning.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather
conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.

ANZ052-191530-
Intra Coastal Waters from Schoodic Point, ME to Stonington, ME-
1026 AM EST Mon Dec 18 2023

...STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST TUESDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Atlantic Coastal Waters.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Storm Warning.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather
conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Dec 18, 8:04 AM EST, 2 hours 56 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Caribou ME
804 AM EST Mon Dec 18 2023

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0803 AM     Non-Tstm Wnd Dmg 2 SE Deblois            44.72N 67.98W
12/18/2023                   Washington         ME   Public

            193 northbound by the Wymans camps. Wire
            across road.

&&

Local storm report, Dec 18, 10:19 AM EST, 41 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Caribou ME
1019 AM EST Mon Dec 18 2023

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1018 AM     Non-Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 NW Ellsworth          44.55N 68.43W
12/18/2023                   Hancock            ME   Public

            Tree down across Pond Ave.

&&

Local storm report, Dec 18, 10:42 AM EST, 18 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Caribou ME
1042 AM EST Mon Dec 18 2023

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1041 AM     Non-Tstm Wnd Dmg Newport                 44.84N 69.27W
12/18/2023                   Penobscot          ME   911 Call Center

            tree down across road; road unknown.

&&

Local storm report, Dec 18, 10:55 AM EST, 5 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Caribou ME
1055 AM EST Mon Dec 18 2023

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1000 AM     Non-Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 NW Ellsworth          44.55N 68.43W
12/18/2023                   Hancock            ME   Public

            tree fallen across street.

&&

The radar

The Caribou radar (KCBW), 97 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:00 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 high wind, 2 flood, 2 coastal flood, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Southern Penobscot

When: December 18, 11:00 AM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Penobscot forecast zone
Measured: 62 kt (71 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 45.401, -68.649 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

South to southeast winds were sustained at speeds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to around 70 mph. A gust of 71 mph was reported at Bangor. These winds toppled and snapped numerous trees. The falling trees brought down power lines and utility poles which led to extensive power outages.

High Wind, Interior Hancock

When: December 18, 11:00 AM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Interior Hancock forecast zone
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 44.563, -68.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Central Washington

When: December 18, 11:00 AM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Central Washington forecast zone
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 44.970, -67.609 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

South to southeast winds were sustained at speeds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to around 70 mph. These winds toppled and snapped numerous trees. The falling trees brought down power lines and utility poles which led to extensive power outages. A power transmission line from New Brunswick was snapped which cut off power for a large portion of the county.

High Wind, Coastal Hancock

When: December 18, 11:00 AM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Coastal Hancock forecast zone
Measured: 62 kt (71 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 44.563, -68.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

South to southeast winds were sustained at speeds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to around 70 mph. A 71 mph wind gust was reported at Ellsworth. These winds toppled and snapped numerous trees. The falling trees brought down power lines and utility poles which led to extensive power outages.

High Wind, Coastal Washington

When: December 18, 11:00 AM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Coastal Washington forecast zone
Measured: 81 kt (93 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.970, -67.609 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

South to southeast winds were sustained at speeds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts generally up to around 80 mph. However...a 93 mph gust was reported near the town of Trescott. An 81 mph gust was reported at Eastport. These winds toppled and snapped numerous trees. The falling trees brought down power lines and utility poles which led to extensive power outages. The strongest winds with this event occurred along coastal Washington county.

Flood, Piscataquis

When: December 18, 12:00 PM EST to December 20, 7:00 PM EST
Where: Piscataquis County, Wellington to 0.61 mi E of Derby
Cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 45.030, -69.600

Rain developed from the evening of the 17th into the early morning hours of the 18th. Heavy rains then occurred through the remainder of the morning into the afternoon...with lighter rains then persisting into the early morning hours of the 19th. Rainfall totals generally ranged from 3.00 to 4.50 inches...with additional run-off from melting of the snow pack. Significant flooding developed during the afternoon of the 18th with smaller rivers and streams overflowing their banks...along with low lying and poor drainage areas. Roads were flooded to varying depths...up to 3 to 5 feet... resulting in numerous road closures. Some roads were damaged or washed out...along with damage to bridges...culverts and other infrastructure. Evacuations took place in the town of Brownville Junction due to flooding of the Pleasant River. The Sebec River also flooded. A mud slide near Greenville brought down 40 to 50 trees. Numerous road closures occurred countywide. Extensive flooding occurred along the mainstem Piscataquis River. Flooding developed through the afternoon and evening of the 18th. Locations along the river generally crested through the morning and afternoon of the 19th...falling back below flood stage that evening. At Dover-Foxcroft the river crested at 16.77 feet, around 6 feet above flood stage...the highest level in decades. The crest at Medford was 13.55 feet, around a half foot above flood stage. An all time record flood stage was set at Blanchard at 13.4 feet, around 3 feet above flood stage. The previous record was 11.4 feet. Flooding along the Piscataquis river impacted roads...bridges...some buildings including residences and other infrastructure.

Flood, Penobscot

When: December 18, 12:00 PM EST to December 20, 7:00 PM EST
Where: Penobscot County, 2.33 mi W of Hows Corners to 2.41 mi SSE of Clifton Corners
Cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 44.724, -69.227

Rain developed from the evening of the 17th into the early morning hours of the 18th. Heavy rains then occurred through the remainder of the morning into the afternoon...with lighter rains then persisting into the early morning hours of the 19th. Rainfall totals generally ranged from 1.50 to 3.00 inches...with additional run-off from melting of the snow pack. Significant flooding developed during the afternoon of the 18th with smaller rivers and streams overflowing their banks...along with low lying and poor drainage areas. Roads were flooded to varying depths resulting in numerous road closures. Some roads were damaged or washed out...along with damage to bridges...culverts and other infrastructure. Road closures occurred countywide. Extensive flooding occurred along the mainstem Penobscot River. Flooding developed through the afternoon and evening of the 18th. Locations along the river generally crested through the afternoon and evening of the 19th into the morning of the 20th. The river fell back below flood stage through the afternoon into the evening of the 20th. At West Enfield the river crested at 18.6 feet, around a half foot above flood stage. The crest at Eddington was around flood stage. At Grindstone...on the East Branch of the Penobscot River...the river crested at 14.7 feet, nearly 2 feet above flood stage. Flooding along the Penobscot River impacted roads...bridges...some buildings and other infrastructure.

Coastal Flood, Coastal Hancock

When: December 18, 1:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Coastal Hancock forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.563, -68.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Onshore winds sustained at 30 to 40 mph and gusting 60 to 70 mph piled water along the coast while also generating large crashing waves. Coastal flooding occurred around the time of the afternoon high tide. Seawall Road was closed due to water...debris and rocks covering the road. The road was re-opened once water subsided and debris was cleared. Splash over and beach erosion occurred at other locations along the coast.

Coastal Flood, Coastal Washington

When: December 18, 1:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Coastal Washington forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.970, -67.609 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Onshore winds sustained at 30 to 40 mph and gusting 80 to 90 mph piled water along the coast while also generating large crashing waves. Coastal flooding occurred around the time of the afternoon high tide. A commercial pier in Eastport was damaged due to a combination of coastal flooding...winds and large crashing waves. Splash over and beach erosion occurred at other locations along the coast.

Flash Flood, Piscataquis

When: December 18, 2:30 PM EST to December 19, 2:30 AM EST
Where: Piscataquis County, 1.82 mi SW of Wellington to 5.67 mi WSW of Medford Center
Cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 45.015, -69.630

Rainfall totals of 2.00 to 3.00 inches...along with run-off from melting snow...led to flash flooding. Several towns reported road closures due to water of varying depth covering roads along with washouts and other road damage. Some structures were also impacted by the flash flooding. Water rescues were conducted in Brownville and Guilford. The flash flooding eventually transitioned to longer term flooding.

High Wind, Northeast Aroostook

When: December 18, 3:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Northeast Aroostook forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 46.659, -68.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

South to southeast winds were sustained at speeds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts of 50 to 60 mph. These winds toppled and snapped numerous trees. The falling trees brought down power lines and utility poles which led to power outages.

High Wind, Southeast Aroostook

When: December 18, 3:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Southeast Aroostook forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 46.659, -68.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Northern Penobscot

When: December 18, 3:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Northern Penobscot forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 45.401, -68.649 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Central Piscataquis

When: December 18, 3:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Central Piscataquis forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 45.837, -69.284 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Central Penobscot

When: December 18, 3:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Central Penobscot forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 45.401, -68.649 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Southern Piscataquis

When: December 18, 3:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Piscataquis forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 45.837, -69.284 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Northern Washington

When: December 18, 3:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Northern Washington forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 44.970, -67.609 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
Coastal Flood: Flooding of coastal land by the sea, from storm surge, onshore wind or high tides.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Maine in 2023 Every state in 2023 This day in weather history Warnings in Maine, December 2023

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1153539, 1153540, 1153541, 1153542, 1153543, 1153556, 1153557, 1153551, 1153552, 1153555, 1153544, 1153545, 1153546, 1153547, 1153548, 1153549, 1153550.