2024 Portland flood

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2024 Portland flood
Portland Pier 2023.jpg
Portland Pier, pictured four months before the flood, was submerged for the first time
Date13 January 2024(2 months ago) (2024-01-13)
Location Portland, Maine, U.S.

The 2024 Portland flood was caused by heavy rainfall, an astronomical high tide, and high winds in Portland, Maine. It occurred, across coastal central Maine, on January 13, 2024, [1] causing severe flooding, especially in Portland's Old Port district and around Back Cove. [2] The storm followed another one, three days earlier, [3] which also occurred during high tide. [1] [4]

Contents

Flood measurements

During the storm, 2.9 inches (74 mm) of rain fell during the morning, and 60-mile-per-hour (97 km/h) winds, combined with a record-breaking high tide, resulted in waves of 15 feet (4.6 m) to 20 feet (6.1 m). At mean lower low water (MLLW), [5] a record-high tide level of 14.57 feet (4.44 m) was measured, surpassing the previous high of 14.17 feet (4.32 m) from 1978. [1]

Properties impacted

Portland Pier was submerged, by water from the Fore River, which is a regular occurrence for that pier. [1] The pier floods with any tide 12 feet (3.7 m) or higher. [6]

Water also breached Commercial Street at Chandler's Wharf, [7] and Maine State Pier, which was completely submerged. [1]

DiMillo's Floating Restaurant suffered damage to its pilings, hinges broke off a platform, and the buildings on its pier flooded. [8]

The deck of Becky's Diner was flooded, and flood waters surrounded the restaurant's building on two sides. [8]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Another potent storm brings historic coastal flooding, high winds to an already-drenched Maine". Press Herald. January 13, 2024. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  2. Trotter, Michael Shepherd, Bill (January 13, 2024). "Flooding smashes Maine's coast, destroying historic buildings and forcing rescues". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved February 23, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. "Battered by Storms, Maine Picks Up the Pieces and Braces for More" The New York Times , January 12, 2024
  4. Cullinane, Susannah (January 13, 2024). "Vicious storm triggers historic coastal flooding as Arctic chill tees up the South's first snow". CNN. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  5. "Iconic fishing shacks in Portland, Maine, destroyed as coast sees historic water levels". ABC News. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  6. Hirschkorn, Phil (June 17, 2022), Maine climate scientists warn of more frequent king tide flooding without storms , retrieved March 5, 2024
  7. Livingston, Ian; Brasch, Ben (January 10, 2024). "Massive storm leaves widespread damage and outages from flooding, tornadoes". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  8. 1 2 WGME, Mal Meyer (January 15, 2024). "Portland businesses rebound after historic high tide causes extensive damage". WPFO. Retrieved March 5, 2024.