HOULTON, Maine — John McIntosh of Houlton said Wednesday that after more than three years of having a recreational vehicle he never imagined it would be damaged while he was not even using it.
But that is what happened in early August, when severe thunderstorm warnings from the National Weather Service in Caribou came out, and the hail that accompanied one of those storms damaged the sides of the RV.
It is a story both meteorologists at the National Weather Service in Caribou and local insurance agents have heard before.
Corey Bogel, meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said Tuesday weather in Aroostook County this summer was “pretty quiet” from late June almost through July, going approximately one month without a thunderstorm.
Late July and August, however, is when meteorologists saw more thunderstorms appear, as well as damaging hail in The County and other parts of the state.
Bogel said hail the size of ping pong balls was reported July 28, 2015 in Penobscot County. On Aug. 1, 2015, wind and hail one inch to 1 ¾ inch in diameter was reported in the same area.
In Aroostook County Aug. 3, 2015, there was wind damage in some parts of The County, and a wind gust of 63 miles per hour was recorded at the weather service office in Caribou, according to Bogel.
Golf ball size hail was reported the next day southwest of Smyrna. A spotter in Dyer Brook reported hail 1 ¼ inch in diameter that same day, and hail 1 ¾ inch in diameter was reported northwest of Littleton.
As far as thunderstorm warnings, Bogel said the weather service has issued slightly more than the 66 average this year. So far, they have put out 71.
Chris Anderson, president and chief executive officer of F.A. Peabody Co. in Houlton, said Tuesday in past years, insurance claims from their clients due to damage to home and property from hail and wind had been sporadic.
So far this year, however, there have been 46 claims.
“That is high for us,” he said. “It has mostly been exterior damage to home siding from hail and damage to roofs from the wind.”
Karen Mitchell of Caribou said Tuesday she lost several shingles off her roof to wind damage in August.
“Thankfully, it was not enough that we could not fix it ourselves,” she said.
