Flood — Knox, Maine

2023-01-26 · near Melvin Hgts, Knox, Maine

Event narrative

Snow melt and rainfall amounts of 1.5-3 led to rapid run-off that swelled local streams and rivers to above bank full. Minor road flooding was reported in Knox County with up to 18 of water flowing of Barnestown Road near the intersections of Hosmer Pond Road in the hilly terrain of Hope.

Wider weather episode

On the 25th a winter storm lifted north through the Ohio River Valley and into the eastern Great Lakes while a weakening high pressure drifted southeast into the Canadian Maritimes. The warm front between the systems separated typical January cold over northern New England from mild air to the south. Cold air damming allowed much of the precipitation to start as snow late on the 25th. The winter storm occluded on the 26th, with secondary low pressure forming near New York City and moving towards Boston. This northerly track allowed both warm air aloft and warm marine air to move into much of western Maine. Mixed precipitation turned over to rain along the Mid-Coast which allowed a longer duration period of above freezing temperatures and rainfall. Snowmelt and rainfall allowed for some minor streams to overflow their banks that caused localized overland flooding.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (44.2200, -69.1300)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1077928. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.