Coastal Flood — Coastal Hancock, Maine

2024-01-10 · Coastal Hancock, Maine

Event narrative

Extensive damage was observed across Hancock County. Multiple structures were inundated in Winter Harbor and Castine. In Tremont and Swan Island, structures were destroyed, some of them historic. Numerous causeways and roads were overtopped, including Oceanville, Otter Cover, Deer Isle and Sunshine Causeway. Seawall Rd sustained significant damage. The USCG station in Southwest harbor was inundated with 6 to 12 feet of water. In Bar Harbor, the NOAA water level gauge observed 15.7 feet MLLW, briefly setting a record that was surpassed by the January 13th, 2024 event.

Wider weather episode

A strong area of low pressure tracked across Quebec province on Wednesday, January 10th. Strong southeasterly winds developed late on January 9th, before increasing in intensity during the early morning hours of January 10th. Warm air moved inland after midnight on January 9th, changing snow to rain along the immediate coast, followed by a more gradual change for interior areas throughout the day on January 10th. Strong to damaging winds crossed the entire state during the day on January 10th, with more widespread damage and higher wind gusts occurring along the coastline and I-95 corridor. Along the Maine coast, moderate to major coastal flooding occurred due to the alignment of a high astronomical high tide cycle, storm surge and large battering nearshore waves.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1160657. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.