Flood — Washington, Maine

2018-01-13 · near Ayers, Washington, Maine

Event narrative

Flooding was reported along portions of Routes 191 and 192. Portions of Routes 191 and 192 were closed to traffic for a time. Route 191 also received flood damage in the vicinity of East Machias.

Wider weather episode

A warm front lifted across the region through the overnight hours of the 11th into the 12th bringing unusually warm air. A slow moving Arctic cold front then settled across the region through the night of the 12th into the 13th while low pressure tracked along the front. Precipitation began in the form of rain in advance of the Arctic front. The rain transitioned to snow...sleet and freezing rain across northern areas through the evening of the 12th into the early morning hours of the 13th. Storm total sleet accumulations across northern Aroostook county ranged from 1 to 2 inches along with between a tenth and two tenths of an inch of freezing rain. Snow accumulations of 4 to 6 inches occurred across northwest Aroostook county...with 1 to 3 inches across northeast areas. Warning criteria sleet accumulations occurred during the morning of the 13th.

Record high temperatures and record daily rainfall occurred across portions of Downeast Maine in the warm sector of the storm. Storm total rainfall across Downeast Maine ranged from 2.00 to 3.00 inches...with local totals up to around 4.00 inches...from the 12th into the 13th. The warm temperatures and rain also contributed to rapidly melting snow. Several roads were flooded and damaged. In Washington county...Route 191 in East Machias was damaged. In Hancock county flooding and road damage was reported on Norway Drive in Bar Harbor...Molasses Pond Road in Eastbrook and Torrey Brook Road on Deer Isle.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (44.9424, -67.3093)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 735331. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.