Flash Flood — Piscataquis, Maine

2024-07-11 · near Katahdin Iron Works, Piscataquis, Maine

Event narrative

Rainfall totals of around 3.00 to 5.00 inches produced flash flooding during the morning of the 11th. The Katahdin Ironworks Road was washed out in 21 locations leaving the road impassable. On the Old Brownville Road the bridge over the Salmon Stream was washed out leaving the road impassable. Numerous other roads were also closed due to flooding for various amounts of time and in some cases damaged to varying degrees due to washouts...with some roads left impassable. Damage to other infrastructure...including culverts and bridges...also occurred.

Wider weather episode

The extra-tropical remnants of Hurricane Beryl brought abundant moisture to the region while crossing northern Maine during the 11th. Tropical moisture expanded across the region through the night of the 10th into the morning of the 11th with a warm front lifting across the region. Precipitable water values reached near record daily levels. Heavy rain developed during the evening of the 10th and persisted into the morning of the 11th. Flash flooding developed during the early morning hours of the 11th...persisting into the morning. The greatest rain totals with this event occurred in a corridor extending from Piscataquis county...across central and northern Penobscot county...to southeast Aroostook county. Rainfall totals of 3.00 to 5.00 inches were common in this corridor...with local totals in excess of 5.00 inches. Highest totals included 5.2 inches in Abbot ( southern Piscataquis county )...5.72 inches around Lincoln ( central Penobscot county ) and 4.19 inches near Macwahoc ( southeast Aroostook county ). Orographic enhancement and embedded thunderstorms helped contribute to the higher rain totals. Numerous roads were flooded and damaged to varying extents...in some cases leaving them impassable. Damage to infrastructure including bridges...culverts and rail lines also occurred. Saturated soil contributed to fallen trees which in some cases brought down power lines. Satuated soil also led to a small debris flow in Lincoln which led to a temporary closure of Route 2.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (45.4930, -69.2688)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1203582. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.