A thunderstorm that rolled through northern Maine Thursday knocked down trees and dropped hail in some places.
Thursday afternoon’s thunderstorms dropped between half an inch and three-quarters of an inch of rain in central Aroostook County, according to the National Weather Service’s Caribou office.
Wind damage knocked down three trees in Presque Isle, including a large maple tree at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, while Easton received the largest hail, with ping-pong-ball-sized hail stones, said Donald Dumont, warning coordination meteorologist with the NWS Caribou office.
While much of southern New England and the Northeast have been experiencing abnormally dry conditions or drought this year, northern Maine’s precipitation is within its average range and so far has not been a major problem for most farmers.
Since June 1, the NWS’ Caribou station has received 9.29 inches of rain as of July 28, 2016 said Dumont. The site has received 25.22 inches of precipitation for the year, more than the 20-inch average through this time, Dumond said. It’s a “big contrast” with other parts of New England, he said.
In Boston, only 2.68 inches of rain fell between June 1 and July 26, the Boston Globe reported, and the city’s region is more than 6 inches under normal for the region.
