Keith Carson is a former meteorologist for News Center Maine who now works on science and climate communications for Maine Conservation Voters.

Two years ago today, Jan. 13, 2024, while I was still in my role as a meteorologist at News Center Maine, the final in a series of three devastating storms hit Maine. That last storm resulted in the highest water level recorded in Portland since record keeping began in 1912.

But the story of this devastating stretch of extreme weather started in the mountains of Maine almost a month earlier, on Dec. 18. A slow-moving inside runner storm system coupled with unusually warm temperatures to create a disaster. Many spots received 4-8 inches of rain, which is catastrophic on its own, and the warm temperatures created snowmelt on the order of 2-3 inches of  liquid equivalent. That combination caused extreme river and stream flooding, in some cases exceeding previous records set by the historic flood of April 1987. 

Not all extreme weather is tied to climate change, that’s reality. But one of the areas the research is strongest is heavy precipitation events. Going into this storm the “precipitable water,” which is the total amount of water vapor in a vertical column of air, was at a record high level for the time of year. All else being equal, warmer air can hold more water vapor, so a warming planet increases the frequency of heavy precipitation events. 

The water from the mountains had to eventually head downhill. That caused river flooding along the Kennebec, Piscataquis, Androscoggin and Penobscot rivers with major flooding along the Saco River as well, particularly in New Hampshire.

Less than a month later, on Jan. 10, our next major storm hit. This time the focus of the destruction was the coastline. Rain, strong winds and an astronomical high tide brought flooding to low-lying areas and damaged waterfronts.

For many communities the knockout punch was Jan. 13, a mere three days from the previous storm, while cleanup was still underway. It was this storm that ultimately broke Portland’s all-time highest water level record, beating out the Blizzard of 1978, which was one of the most infamous storms in New England history. By the end of the month-long blitz, at least 60% of Maine’s working waterfront was either severely damaged or completely destroyed. 

When I talked to people around the state right after these storms hit, there was an acceptance that the extreme damage caused was, in fact, tied to climate change. 

The numbers bear that out. 

The record high water level in Portland set during that Jan. 13 storm was 14.57 feet, beating the old record of 14.17 feet from 1978. That means the 2024 water was 4.8 inches higher than 1978 (remember we have to convert the decimal to inches, it’s 0.4 feet higher, which is 4.8 inches). That number corresponds directly to the sea level rise observed since 1978. According to NASA, the global sea level rise from 1978 to 2020 was 4.9 inches. That means that the 2024 storm only broke the water record because of sea level rise tied to climate change. 

That tracks with what I saw on the ground that day, reporting live during the storm. This was a strong storm, yes, but not even in the top 10 I’ve covered during my time in Maine. The max wind gust in Portland that day was 53 mph, which is decidedly “meh.” That was the scariest part of this stretch of storms for me. They weren’t meteorologically super impressive and yet much of the state was left devastated due to the changes brought about by our warming planet.

The anniversary of these storms should be a reminder that saying “this is the new normal” doesn’t make that “normal” any less destructive. It is also a reminder that we must keep pushing for policy solutions to reduce carbon pollution and ensure we have the resources needed to make our communities more resilient and better able to withstand severe weather fueled by climate change. Together, we can take steps to make the Earth livable for our children and grandchildren.