Winter Storm — Southeast Aroostook, Maine

2002-01-13 to 2002-01-14 · Southeast Aroostook, Maine

Wider weather episode

Low pressure organizing along the Mid-Atlantic coast during Saturday the 12th rapidly intensified while lifting through the Gulf of Maine to Nova Scotia from the 13th into the early morning hours of the 14th.Precipitation overspread the region early on the 13th. Across northern areas...precipitation remained snow through the entire event. Across Downeast areas...precipitation started as rain or mixed precipitation then changed to snow during the afternoon. Snowfall rates of up to 2 to 4 inches per hour and thunder snow were reported across portions of the region during the afternoon and evening of the 13th. The heaviest snow totals occurred across east-central portions of the region where 12 to 20 inches of snow...with locally higher accumulations...occurred. Elsewhere across the region...snow totals generally ranged from 6 to 12 inches...with the lesser accumulations across the extreme north and along the immediate coast. Strong winds in the wake of the storm produced widespread blowing and drifting snow regionwide.The combination of strong winds and heavy wet snow brought down many trees...branches and power lines across central and Downeast areas which contributed to widespread power outages there. At times...tens of thousands of people were without power during the storm. Some areas did not have power fully restored until the following Thursday.In southeast Aroostook county...a disabled individual fell in his driveway during the storm and died of hypothermia after not being able to regain his feet.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5278146. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.