Winter Storm — Central Washington, Maine

2024-04-03 to 2024-04-05 · Central Washington, Maine

Event narrative

Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 7 to 10 inches.

Wider weather episode

Low pressure rapidly intensified across the Gulf of Maine from the 3rd into the 4th before occluding. The occluded system then drifted across the Gulf of Maine from late on the 4th into the 5th while weakening. Snow expanded north across the region from the late evening of the 3rd through the early morning hours of the 4th. Snow then persisted through the 4th into the early morning hours of the 5th. The heaviest snow occurred across west-central and southwest portions of the region where accumulations generally ranged from 10 to 16 inches. Snow totals across southeast and east-central areas generally ranged from 5 to 10 inches. Warning criteria snow accumulations occurred through the morning into the afternoon of the 4th. High pressure located northeast of Maine helped limit snow accumulations across northern Aroostook county. The pressure gradient between the rapidly intensifying low and the high to the northeast supported strong winds across Downeast areas during the 4th. Wind gusts of 40 to around 50 mph occurred along the Downeast coast...with 30 to 40 mph gusts across interior Downeast areas. Wind gusts across the remainder of the region generally ranged from 25 to 35 mph. The snow across Downeast areas was heavy and wet...clinging to trees and power lines. The combination of heavy wet snow and strong winds led to significant power outages. Power outages peaked at around 14000 customers late on the 4th. Around 8000 of these outages were across Hancock county...with around 6000 across Washington county. The strong winds also produced blowing and drifting snow which significantly reduced visibility at times.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1166440. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.