Coastal Flood — Coastal York, Maine

2024-01-13 · Coastal York, Maine

Event narrative

The astronomical tide in Portland was 11.2 feet (MLLW) at 1205 pm. Flood stage is 12 feet (MLLW). The gale to storm force onshore winds produced a storm surge of 3.37 feet in Portland Harbor. The resulting storm tide topped out at 14.57 feet (MLLW) in the Forest City with the tide remaining above flood stage for two hours and 38 minutes, however, similar to the storm earlier in the week, localized flooding occurred throughout the day in low lying communities such as Ocean Park in Old Orchard Beach. The temporary new tide gauge at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) in Portland reached 14.6 feet (MLLW). Across the southern tip of Maine at the Seavey Island gauge, the tide reached 13.17 feet at (MLLW) 1212 pm.

Waves damaged numerous homes in Wells, Saco and Old Orchard Beach. Severe damage occurred to homes in the Camp Ellis area of Saco where Jersey barriers were significantly moved by the powerful waves and damaged. Also in Saco, a home was destroyed by waves on Eastern Avenue along with damage to Surf Street and the corner of Main Avenue and North Avenue will need to be rebuilt. The end of Beach and Pearl Avenues will also need to be rebuilt in Camp Ellis along with damaged docks in the Harbor. At Popham Beach, severe erosion occurred. Multiple homes had heavy damage on Webhannet Drive in Wells due to coastal erosion. Dune erosion was severe in Oqunquit. Whole dune systems completely stripped away in Old Orchard Beach by the storm. In York, rocks and trees from ocean flooding blocked many roadways and Sohier Park was washed out. Debris had to be cleaned up on Bridge and Beach Streets as well as Perkins and on Israel Head Roads in Ogunquit. In Wells, many seawalls were reported damaged. Severe erosion occurred along Beach Avenue in Kennebunk and Kennebunkport where sea walls were completed destroyed. Rocks including boulders were moved on to Bayberry, Orcutt, Yates and Mile Stretch Roads in Biddeford. A boat house and ramp were damaged near the Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse near the entrance to Biddeford Pool.

In terms of coastal inundation, flooding was two and a half feet deep on Povia Street on Drake Island and Post Road in Wells. Inundation occurred along Ocean Avenue in Kennebunkport. Significant flooding occurred at Mothers Beach in Kennebunk. Water and foam poured into the streets of Old Orchard Beach Square and on Grand Avenue and Orchard Street. On Walnut Street, waves ran up the road all the way to East Grand. Along Sand dollar Avenue, water flooded the region and aggravated the flooding on Grand Avenue. Damage occurred to the sides of beach front homes. The water caused electrical fires in the town as well. The Ocean Park community in Old Orchard Beach flooded rapidly with up to 18 inches of water while evacuations were taken. Several roads were flooded out in Wells with Ocean Avenue inundation in York at least three feet deep. In Biddeford, three homes were compromised and needed to be demolished, one of which was on Mile Stretch Road along with flooding on Hills Beach Road, along with North, Main, Eastern, Pearl and Beach Avenues.

Wider weather episode

The second severe storm in a week's time struck the northern New England coastline during the middle of January. An intense and rapidly deepening area of low pressure over the Great Lakes region (979 mb) combined the highest astronomical tides of the month to produce extreme flooding along the coast. Portland had its all-time storm tide, posting a record flood water level (records 1912-present). Storm force southeasterly winds occurred along the coast with nearshore waves of 15 to 20 feet leading to wave run-up impacts along exposed areas, especially areas vulnerable to southeast swells. A flash flood warning was issued for Coastal Cumberland and York Counties prior to high tide due to rapidly rising ocean water and fresh waters as heavy rain accompanied a coastal front just prior to high tide.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1157948. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.