Winter Storm — Northern Piscataquis, Maine

2024-03-20 to 2024-03-21 · Northern Piscataquis, Maine

Event narrative

Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 12 inches. The winter storm transitioned to a blizzard during the morning into the early afternoon of the 21st with a meso-scale snow band which produced local wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph along with heavy snow. Lighter snow and winds then occurred from mid to late afternoon in the wake of the blizzard conditions.

Wider weather episode

Favorable upper level conditions allowed surface low pressure to rapidly intensify across the western Gulf of Maine during the evening of the 20th. The rapidly intensifying low then tracked across Downeast and east-central areas through the morning of the 21st...before exiting across the Maritimes late on the 21st. Snow developed during the evening of the 20th...becoming heavy during the early morning hours of the 21st. Meso-scale snow bands developed to the northwest of the low track...producing snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. Occasional thunder was also reported with the heavier snow bands. The heavier snow bands persisted through the morning...then diminished during the afternoon in the wake of the exiting low. The tightening pressure gradient with the rapidly intensifying low produced strong gusty winds. Wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph were common. A particularly intense and persistent snow band across northern portions of Penobscot and Piscataquis counties produced 40 to 50 mph gusts with localized blizzard conditions through the morning into the early afternoon. Significant blowing snow occurred with this event...which persisted into the early morning of the 22nd across northern areas. The greatest snow totals occurred with meso-scale snow bands along with the favored orographic upslope areas extending from the west-central highlands of Piscataquis county to northwest Aroostook county. Snow accumulations there generally ranged from 8 to 12 inches...locally to around 14 inches. Snow totals across northeast and east-central areas generally ranged from 4 to 8 inches...with 3 to 6 inches interior Downeast areas. Warning criteria snow accumulations occurred through the morning hours. The strong wind gusts...along with heavy wet snow clinging to trees and power lines...contributed to power outages. Around 5000 customers lost power...mostly in Penobscot and Piscataquis counties.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1166200. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.