Heavy Snow — Southern Penobscot, Maine

2024-11-28 to 2024-11-29 · Southern Penobscot, Maine

Event narrative

Storm total snow accumulations generally ranged from 3 to 6 inches...locally up to around 8 inches across northwest areas.

Wider weather episode

Intensifying low pressure tracked to the Gulf of Maine during Thanksgiving...the 28th. The low moved along the Downeast coast that evening...exiting across the Maritimes during the morning of the 29th. Precipitation expanded north across the region through the afternoon of the 28th. Precipitation was in the form of snow across northern portions of the region. Across interior Downeast areas...precipitation began as a snow/rain mix which eventually transitioned to snow during the evening with colder air wrapping around the low. Warning criteria snow accumulations...along with significant impacts in areas which fell slightly short of strict warning criteria...occurred through the evening of the 28th into the early morning hours of the 29th. Snow diminished...from west to east...through the early morning hours of the 29th.

The greatest storm total snow accumulations occurred in a corridor extending from southwest Piscataquis...across northern Penobscot...into southeast Aroostook counties where a persistent deformation band existed for several hours producing snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. Snow totals of 8 to 12 inches were common in this band...with local totals up to around 15 inches across extreme southwest Piscataquis county. Accumulations of 6 to 10 inches were common across the remainder of northeast Maine. Lesser accumulations of 3 to 6 inches occurred across extreme northwest Maine. Accumulations from southern/central portions of Penobscot county...across northern Hancock county...to northern/central Washington county generally ranged from 4 to 7 inches.

This was the first significant storm of the season...which also impacted holiday travel. The storm also contributed to significant power outages across portions of the region. The most significant power outages occurred across portions of Penobscot and Piscataquis counties in the corridor of heaviest deformation zone snow. The snow within the deformation zone was heavy and wet which allowed the snow to cling to trees and powerlines. Wind gusts in this area were up to around 30 mph. The combination of heavy wet snow clinging to trees and powerlines...along with the gusty winds...led to extensive power outages. Trees were toppled and snapped along with broken branches. The weight of snow brought down powerlines and snapped utility poles. Power outages began to develop during the evening of the 28th...peaking during the morning of the 29th. Power outages peaked at around 12000 customers in Penobscot county...with around 4500 in Piscataquis county. Portions of the electrical grid were significantly damaged. Fallen trees and downed powerlines also led to numerous road closures.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1222459. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.