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NOUS41 KCAR 051759
PNSCAR
MEZ001>006-010-011-015>017-029>032-121800-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME
159 PM EDT MON OCT 5 2026
TO: SUBSCRIBERS:
-FAMILY OF SERVICES
-NOAA WEATHER WIRE SERVICE
-EMERGENCY MANAGERS WEATHER INFORMATION NETWORK
-OTHER NWS PARTNERS, USERS, AND NWS EMPLOYEES
FROM: JAMES SINKO
LEAD METEOROLOGIST / HYDROLOGY PROGRAM MANAGER
WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE CARIBOU, ME
PATRICK MALOIT
METEOROLOGIST-IN-CHARGE
WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE CARIBOU, ME
SUBJECT: NARRAGUAGUS RIVER ABOVE CHERRYFIELD FLOOD STAGE CHANGES
EFFECTIVE AT 1200 COORDINATED UNIVERSAL TIME ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER
3, 2026, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (NWS) WILL IMPLEMENT FLOOD
STAGES TO THE OFFICIAL RIVER FORECAST POINT ALONG THE NARRAGUAGUS
RIVER ABOVE CHERRYFIELD. IT IS NECESSARY FOR THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE TO PERIODICALLY UPDATE FLOOD STAGES AT RIVER FORECAST
POINTS AS CHANGES, BOTH NATURAL AND MANMADE, OCCUR OVER A
WATERSHED. THESE UPDATES ARE NEEDED TO ENSURE THE BEST QUALITY
RIVER FORECASTS AND ADD WARNING SERVICES TO THE TOWN OF
CHERRYFIELD. FOLLOWING FIELD EVALUATIONS, THE NWS HAS DETERMINED
THAT THESE THRESHOLDS WERE ESTABLISHED TO ACCURATELY REFLECT
ACTUAL RISKS TO LIFE AND PROPERTY. THE SUMMARY OF THE NEW FLOOD
STAGES AND SPECIFIC DETAILS FOR EACH FORECAST POINT ARE LISTED
BELOW:
CHERRYFIELD (CFDM1)
* MINOR FLOOD STAGE: 17.0 FT
* ACTION STAGE: 15.5 FT
* DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT SLOPE OF THE RIVER IN CHERRYFIELD IT WAS
DETERMINED THAT NO HISTORICAL CONTEXT EXISTS TO JUSTIFY A
MODERATE OR MAJOR FLOOD STAGE.
IMPACT STATEMENTS
AT 15.5 FEET: DANGEROUS FLOWS ALONG THE NARRAGUAGUS RIVER REACH
NEAR-BANKFULL LEVELS IN MOSTLY RURAL AREAS UPSTREAM OF THE GAGE.
FLOODWATERS THREATEN LOW-LYING PROPERTIES ALONG THESE UPSTREAM
BRANCHES.
AT 17.0 FEET: VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK BEGINS TO FLOOD ALONG RIVER
ROAD IN CHERRYFIELD. DANGEROUS FLOWS APPROACH THE ROAD NEAR THE
PADDY LANE INTERSECTION.
AT 17.5 FEET: THE RIVER REACHES ITS HIGHEST HISTORICAL FLOOD FLOW
SIMILAR TO MAY 28, 1961. RIVER ROAD BEGINS TO FLOOD NEAR THE
PADDY LANE INTERSECTION IN CHERRYFIELD.
THE DATA AND FORECASTS FOR EACH OF THESE SITES CAN BE FOUND AT
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NATIONAL WATER PREDICTION SERVICE
WEBSITE AT: HTTPS://WATER.NOAA.GOV/WFO/CAR THE OPERATIONAL DATA
FOR THESE SITES ARE PROVIDED BY OUR PARTNER, THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL
SURVEY (USGS). WITHOUT THIS CRITICAL DATA, ACCURATE FORECASTS AND
WARNINGS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE.
A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE CHERRYFIELD NARRAGUAGUS HISTORICAL
SOCIETY, TOWN OF CHERRYFIELD AND WASHINGTON COUNTY EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT FOR ASSISTANCE IN THIS PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING FLOOD
STAGES.
IF YOU REQUIRE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THESE CHANGES,
PLEASE CONTACT:
JAMES SINKO LEAD METEOROLOGIST / HYDROLOGY PROGRAM MANAGER
NWS WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE CARIBOU, ME
JAMES.SINKO@NOAA.GOV
PATRICK MALOIT METEOROLOGIST-IN-CHARGE
NWS WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE CARIBOU, ME
PATRICK.MALOIT@NOAA.GOV
JS
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