Winter Weather in Northwest Aroostook, Maine

Winds gusting to 40 to 50 mph combined with recently fallen snow to produce significant blowing and drifting snow. The blowing and drifting snow produced reduced visibiilties and drifting across roads which led to hazardous driving conditions.

A tight pressure gradient between a strong low pressure system across the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, and a high pressure system across the Great Lakes supported gusty west to northwest winds during the 14th. Wind gusts generally ranged from 40 to 50 mph...with locally stronger gusts. These winds combined with recently fallen snow to produce significant blowing and drifting snow across portions of mostly Aroostook and northern Penobscot counties. The greatest impacts occurred on roads with high snow berms, along with those along open agricultural areas exposed to the west/northwest winds. Reduced visibilities and snow drifted across roads led to traffic accidents and hazardous driving conditions. Gusty winds also occurred across the remainder of northern and eastern Maine where wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph were common...with local gusts approaching 60 mph.