Winter is serious business in New England, especially when you consider the worst winter storms in Maine history. But that’s part of why we love it. Cold weather means cozying up with a book and enjoying a hot beverage, which are two of our favorite things. On the flip side, it also means shoveling out our cars, slipping and sliding down the roads, and entertaining the kids when school gets canceled. While we never forget a winter, here are a few winter storms that have remained a part of state lore. Winter in Maine can be fun, or it can be cruel… or it can be both, really.
- The Great Snow of 1717
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center / Flickr There’s a good chance nobody around has any recollection of this storm but it’s still considered a doozy around these parts. The storm was actually a series of individual blizzards that took place between February 27th and March 7th, 1717. During this time the colonies in New England saw more than five feet of snow with drifts that were even higher. This incredible snowstorm in Maine affected most of the eastern US.
- The Great Blizzard of 1888
NOAA library / Wikimedia This storm wreaked havoc on much of the eastern seaboard between March 11th and 14th, 1888. Considered one of the worst blizzards in American history, it dropped between 10 and 58 inches of snow across the region with 20 inches in Maine.
- The Nor’easter of 1952
Corey Templeton / Flickr Many people recall this February storm in 1952 because it caused the wreck of the SS Pendleton off the coast of Cape Cod. But Mainers recall that it resulted in more than 25 inches of snow in Portland and 36 in the mountains. In true blizzard fashion, winds gusted up to 65 m.p.h! This incredible historic winter storm was unlike anything we’d seen before, or have seen since (and let’s hope it stays that way).
- The Snowstorm of Dec. 30, 1962
Corey Templeton / Flickr This record-breaking snowstorm in Maine brought a 24-hour snowfall record of 40 inches in Orono. From the day of the storm through the following 10 days, the weather station at Ripogenus Dam near Mount Katahdin saw a whopping six feet of snow!
- The snowstorm of February 2013
Paul VanDerWerf / Flickr This more recent storm hit Portland harder than others with an impressive 31.9 inches of snow falling at Portland Jetport. This storm was so damaging that four different counties in Maine, Androscoggin, Cumberland, Knox, and York, received more than $3 million in federal funding for repairs. This incredible historic winter storm affected Maine, Connecticut, and numerous other states. Portland, ME, USA
- Snow between Jan. 24 and Feb. 2, 2015
Denise / Flickr Not every snowy memory includes just one storm. In 2015, over the course of 10 days, Eastport saw 76 inches of snow! In fact, that entire year was a snowy one with 200 inches falling in the 2014-2015 season! Sometimes these incredible snowstorms in Maine at least teach us a lesson or two. Eastport, ME, USA
How many of these incredible blizzards in Maine do you remember (other than the one in the 1700s… maybe)? What are some recent storms you’ll never forget? Were you stuck somewhere inconvenient? Or did you relish in the time forced to stay at home? Let us know in the comments!
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center / Flickr
There’s a good chance nobody around has any recollection of this storm but it’s still considered a doozy around these parts. The storm was actually a series of individual blizzards that took place between February 27th and March 7th, 1717. During this time the colonies in New England saw more than five feet of snow with drifts that were even higher. This incredible snowstorm in Maine affected most of the eastern US.
NOAA library / Wikimedia
This storm wreaked havoc on much of the eastern seaboard between March 11th and 14th, 1888. Considered one of the worst blizzards in American history, it dropped between 10 and 58 inches of snow across the region with 20 inches in Maine.
Corey Templeton / Flickr
Many people recall this February storm in 1952 because it caused the wreck of the SS Pendleton off the coast of Cape Cod. But Mainers recall that it resulted in more than 25 inches of snow in Portland and 36 in the mountains. In true blizzard fashion, winds gusted up to 65 m.p.h! This incredible historic winter storm was unlike anything we’d seen before, or have seen since (and let’s hope it stays that way).
This record-breaking snowstorm in Maine brought a 24-hour snowfall record of 40 inches in Orono. From the day of the storm through the following 10 days, the weather station at Ripogenus Dam near Mount Katahdin saw a whopping six feet of snow!
Paul VanDerWerf / Flickr
This more recent storm hit Portland harder than others with an impressive 31.9 inches of snow falling at Portland Jetport. This storm was so damaging that four different counties in Maine, Androscoggin, Cumberland, Knox, and York, received more than $3 million in federal funding for repairs. This incredible historic winter storm affected Maine, Connecticut, and numerous other states.
Portland, ME, USA
Denise / Flickr
Not every snowy memory includes just one storm. In 2015, over the course of 10 days, Eastport saw 76 inches of snow! In fact, that entire year was a snowy one with 200 inches falling in the 2014-2015 season! Sometimes these incredible snowstorms in Maine at least teach us a lesson or two.
Eastport, ME, USA
When cold weather arrives, but you can still enjoy fun activities consider heading to the western mountain region. This one-of-a-kind Maine dog-sledding experience is a fun way to enjoy winter!
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The OIYS Visitor Center
Maine Blizzard November 21, 2022 Tori Jane
Which blizzards in Maine have made history?
There have been numerous blizzards in Maine that have made history for some reason or another, from particularly heavy snowfall to unfortunately high casualty counts. Some of these infamous blizzards in ME history include:
The epic Blizzard of 2015 The Nor’easter of 1969 Winter Storm Nemo of 2013 The arctic freeze of 1998
2. How much snow does Maine get? Maine is not a state unfamiliar with snowfall. Its location in the northeasternmost corner of the United States ensures its cold and snowy winters. On average, Maine sees up to 70 inches of snow in the coastal regions and up to 110 inches of snow further inland. Compare this to the national average of 28 inches of snow per year and Maine comes out among the top states for snowfall! 3. What is winter in Maine like? Winter in Maine might be cold and snowy, but that doesn’t mean it’s all that bad. There are plenty of fun things to do during the winter in Maine, such as:
Embark upon an amazing winter oceanside stroll Visiting Caribou, the snowiest town in Maine Enjoy some of the best snow tubing in Maine Spend your day ice skating in ME
The OIYS Visitor Center
Maine Blizzard
November 21, 2022
Tori Jane
Which blizzards in Maine have made history?
There have been numerous blizzards in Maine that have made history for some reason or another, from particularly heavy snowfall to unfortunately high casualty counts. Some of these infamous blizzards in ME history include:
The epic Blizzard of 2015 The Nor’easter of 1969 Winter Storm Nemo of 2013 The arctic freeze of 1998
2. How much snow does Maine get? Maine is not a state unfamiliar with snowfall. Its location in the northeasternmost corner of the United States ensures its cold and snowy winters. On average, Maine sees up to 70 inches of snow in the coastal regions and up to 110 inches of snow further inland. Compare this to the national average of 28 inches of snow per year and Maine comes out among the top states for snowfall! 3. What is winter in Maine like? Winter in Maine might be cold and snowy, but that doesn’t mean it’s all that bad. There are plenty of fun things to do during the winter in Maine, such as:
Embark upon an amazing winter oceanside stroll Visiting Caribou, the snowiest town in Maine Enjoy some of the best snow tubing in Maine Spend your day ice skating in ME
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
There have been numerous blizzards in Maine that have made history for some reason or another, from particularly heavy snowfall to unfortunately high casualty counts. Some of these infamous blizzards in ME history include:
- The epic Blizzard of 2015
- The Nor’easter of 1969
- Winter Storm Nemo of 2013
- The arctic freeze of 1998
- How much snow does Maine get?
Maine is not a state unfamiliar with snowfall. Its location in the northeasternmost corner of the United States ensures its cold and snowy winters. On average, Maine sees up to 70 inches of snow in the coastal regions and up to 110 inches of snow further inland. Compare this to the national average of 28 inches of snow per year and Maine comes out among the top states for snowfall!
- What is winter in Maine like?
Winter in Maine might be cold and snowy, but that doesn’t mean it’s all that bad. There are plenty of fun things to do during the winter in Maine, such as:
- Embark upon an amazing winter oceanside stroll
- Visiting Caribou, the snowiest town in Maine
- Enjoy some of the best snow tubing in Maine
- Spend your day ice skating in ME
