Winter Weather — Northeast Aroostook, Maine

2019-04-04 · Northeast Aroostook, Maine

Event narrative

Sustained west to northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph...with gusts up to around 50 mph...created extensive blowing and drifting snow along with slippery road conditions. The hazardous travel conditions led to accidents and road closures.

Wider weather episode

The low which brought snow to eastern Maine during the 3rd continued to intensify while tracking across the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to Labrador during the 4th. The tight pressure gradient between the low and high pressure to the southwest supported sustained west to northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph...with gusts up to around 50 mph. The winds combined with recent snow to produce extensive blowing and drifting snow across portions of Aroostook county. The greatest impacts occurred on roads bordered by open fields and exposed to the winds. The blowing snow drifted across roads and reduced visibility creating very hazardous driving conditions. The drifting snow also partially melted and re-froze leaving a thin glaze of ice on roads leading to slippery roads. Several accidents were attributed to the hazardous conditions. A jail transport van and another van were involved in a head-on collision on Route 1 in Bridgewater resulting in several injuries. An ambulance responding to the initial incident was then also involved in an accident with another vehicle. The accidents led to the closure of Route 1 for several hours during the morning. Several other rural roads were closed at various times through the day. Later that evening...strong cross winds near Monticello toppled an empty tractor-trailer on Route 1.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 812889. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.