Flood — Hancock, Maine

2015-09-30 · near Dedham, Hancock, Maine

Event narrative

Rainfall totals of 3.00 to 6.00...locally up to around 8.00...inches occurred during the 30th. This led to extensive urban and small stream flooding. Numerous road closures occurred due to flooding...with 4 to 5 feet of water covering some roads. Extensive damage to bridges and culverts also occurred. Flooding and damage was particularly extensive in the areas around Ellsworth and Bucksport. Additional flooding and flood related damage was reported in the towns of Dedham...Surry...Sullivan...Penobscot and Trenton. A small mudslide occurred along Route 1A near the Ellsworth and Dedham town line. Gusty winds and saturated soil also combined to topple trees on to power lines and some homes in the towns of Trenton and Sullivan. The monetary damage was based on towns which submitted reports. However...significant damage also occurred in other towns which did not report monetary damage.

Wider weather episode

Deep tropical moisture was drawn north across the region in advance of a slow moving cold front while low pressure lifted north along the front. In addition to the tropical moisture...a strong low level jet provided additional Atlantic moisture. The moisture was focused along the front and low with additional strong upper level support. The result was very heavy rain. Heavy rain developed during the morning of the 30th then persisted through the afternoon. Rainfall totals of 3.00 to 6.00 inches were common across much of the region...with localized totals of 7.00 to 8.00 inches. Lesser rainfall totals of 1.00 to 3.00 inches occurred across northern Aroostook county.

Significant urban and small steam flooding occurred across much of Downeast Maine...with lesser flooding extending north into southern Aroostook county. Numerous roads were flooded and closed across Downeast Maine...with several feet of water covering some roads. Many roads received significant flood damage along with bridges and culverts. Flooding subsided during the evening of the 30th...though many roads remained closed due to damage even after the flood waters receded. The mainstem of the Piscataquis River also briefly crested slightly above flood stage at Dover-Foxcroft. Gusty winds and saturated soil combined to allow trees to be toppled along portions of the Downeast coast which brought down power lines and contributed to power outages.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (44.6800, -68.6500)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 602213. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.