A persistent trof focused an extended interval of heavy snow across northern and portions of eastern Maine. Snow began during the afternoon of the 22nd and continued into the evening of the 23rd.
Every event with a place to put it; 8 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS CAR wrote it up.
A persistent trof focused an extended interval of heavy snow across northern and portions of eastern Maine. Snow began during the afternoon of the 22nd and continued into the evening of the 23rd. The heaviest snow fell across northern and northwestern portions of Aroostook county where storm total snow accumulations of 10 to 15 inches were common...with 16 to 20 inches across the Saint John Valley where isolated totals exceeded 20 inches. A sharp gradient of diminishing snow totals occurred south of the trof.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Caribou, ME wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 22, 11:03 AM EST, 1 hour 57 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME
1103 AM EST TUE DEC 22 2009
.SYNOPSIS...
A TROUGH OF SURFACE LOW PRESSURE EXTENDING NORTHWEST FROM LOW
PRESSURE WELL EAST OF NOVA SCOTIA WILL SLOWLY BACK WESTWARD INTO
THE REGION TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AS AN UPPER LEVEL LOW FROM
EASTERN ONTARIO SLIDES SOUTHEAST INTO THE GULF OF MAINE. THE
TROUGH WILL WEAKEN LATE WEDNESDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE SLOWLY BUILDS
OVER THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
DECISION WAS TO DROP OFF MEZ029 FROM THE WARNING AND ADJUST
SNOWFALL AMOUNTS A BIT FURTHER NORTH ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL MAINE.
UPDATED THE GRIDS AND ZFP TO GO W/OCNL SNOW THIS MORNING ACROSS
THE NORTHERN 1/2 OF THE CWA. SOME LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE HAS MIXED
IN AT TIMES ACROSS THE HOULTON AND MILLINOCKET AREAS AND INCLUDED
THIS WORDING AS WELL. TEMPERATURES WERE ADJUSTED TO FIT CURRENT
CONDITIONS.
A TROUGH EXTENDING BACK FROM THE STRONG STORM SYSTEM EAST OF THE
MARITIMES IN COMBINATION WITH A POTENT UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE
WILL BRING A MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOWFALL ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHERN
AND DOWNEAST MAINE. THE MAIN CHALLENGE WILL BE WITH REGARD TO
FORECASTING THE AXIS OF HEAVIEST SNOWFALL BANDING. APPEARS AS IF
THE HEAVIEST SNOW BAND WILL SET UP ON A NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST
AXIS LATE TONIGHT IN ASSOCIATION WITH STRONG FGEN FORCING AND
CONVERGENCE ALONG THE TROF EXTENDING BACK ACROSS THE AREA. EXPECT
THE STEADIEST SNOW TO OVERSPREAD THE FA IN EARNEST LATER THIS
AFTERNOON AND THEN CONTINUE INTO THIS EVENING HEAVY AT TIMES
OVERNIGHT...AS HEAVIEST AXIS OF SNOW SINKS SOUTH. OF COURSE THE
KEY TO THE UPCOMING FORECAST WILL BE WITH REGARD TO THE EXACT
ORIENTATION AND WIDTH OF THE HEAVIEST SNOW BANDING...SINCE ANY
DEVIATION CAN RESULT IN A SHARP GRADIENT IN THE FORECASTED
SNOWFALL AMOUNTS.
GFS AND NAM TM SECTIONS INDICATE DENDRITES AND SECTOR PLATES
DOMINATING SN CRYSTAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE VICINITY OF THE BEST LIFT
AND FRONTAL ZONE TNGT INTO WED MORN WITH WEAK NEGATIVE EQUIVALENT
POTENTIAL VORTICITY INDICATING SOME INSTABILITY ALG THE UPPER PTN
OF THE FRONTAL SFC ALF. LIQ EQUIV-SN RATIOS MAY REACH CLOSE TO 20:1
ATTMS JUST E OF THE CNTRL ME HIGHLANDS WHERE IN ADDITION TO THE
AFOREMENTIONED MICRO-CLD PHYSICS...TERRAIN SHADOWING MAY LOWER
WIND SPEEDS IN THIS AREA...RESULTING LESS FRACTURING OF SN CRYSTALS.
&&
.SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/...
CONSENSUS OF LATEST MODELS INDICATES MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW
BANDING CONTG OVR CNTRL PTNS OF THE THE FA INTO THE MORN HRS
WITH SNFL HVY ATTMS REFERENCED BEFORE THE BANDING STRUCTURE
BEGINS TO BREAK DOWN DURING THE AFTN HRS. HEAVIEST STORM TOTALS
WILL LIKELY REACH THE 12 TO 20 INCH RANGE IN A ZONE EXTENDING FROM
THE NW TO SE PTN OF THE FA...CENTERED OVR THE E CNTRL ME HIGHLANDS
AND ADJACENT AREAS JUST E OF THESE HIGHLANDS WHERE A COMBO OF
HIGHER TERRAIN ENHANCED QPF AND SN RATIOS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THESE
TOTALS. FURTHER N AND E...TOTALS BECOME MORE UNCERTAIN WITH
CONSTRAINTS OF BAND WIDTH AND PSN PLAYING CRITICAL ROLES IN THE
UPCOMING EVENT.
ANY STEADY SNFL ERLY WED EVE WILL TAPER TO SCT SN SHWRS LATER WED
NGT AND SHOULD END BY THU AS BOTH THE SFC TROF AND UPPER LOW MOVE
SE FROM THE REGION. WHATS LEFT OF THE SFC HIGH FROM THE LARGE
UPPER LVL BLOCK THAT HAS RESIDED OVR NRN CAN WILL RIDGE INTO THE
FA ON THU...BRINGING AT LEAST PTL CLRG TO THE FA AND A REPLACEMENT
OF THE SEMI ATLC MARITIME AIR WITH SOMEWHAT COOLER DRIER AIR.
&&
.LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
THE ONLY CHGS MADE TO THE LONG TERM WAS TO RAISE LOW TEMPS FOR
SAT NGT AND POPS TO LIKELY CATEGORY AS WELL AS INTRODUCE MIXED
PRECIP FOR CNTRL AND RAIN FOR DOWNEAST AREAS THIS PD. DUE TO TIME
CONSTRAINTS IN PREPARING FCST GRIDS FOR UPCOMING SNOW EVENT FOR
LATER TDY INTO WED...THE REST OF THE LONG TERM WAS LEFT UNCHGD.
&&
.AVIATION /16Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
NEAR TERM: EXPECT WIDESPREAD IFR AND AT TIMES LIFR CONDITIONS TO
SPREAD ACROSS ALL THE TAF SITES LATE TODAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH
TONIGHT.
SHORT TO LONG TERM: IFR WILL CONT WED MORN IN SN WITH SLOW N TO S
IMPROVEMENT TO MVFR WED AFT/NGT. VFR SHOULD RETURN TO ALL SITES BY
THU AND CONT INTO SAT MORN...BEFORE LOWERING TO MVFR IN MIXED
PRECIP LATE SAT.
&&
.MARINE...
NEAR TERM: EXPECT SCA CONDITIONS TO CONTINUE INTO THIS
AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL DIMINISH LATER THIS AFTERNOON AS TROF
CROSSES THE WATERS AND GRADIENT RELAXES.
SHORT TERM TO LONG TERM: MSLY SCA OR NO HDLNS DURG THIS PD...WITH
THE NEXT CHC OF GALES SAT NGT AHEAD OF SECONDARY LOW PRES XPCTD TO
TRACK E OFF THE CNTRL ME COAST.
&&
.CAR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ME...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 3 PM EST WEDNESDAY FOR MEZ001-002.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 PM EST WEDNESDAY FOR MEZ003>006-
010-011-031-032.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 1 AM EST
THURSDAY FOR MEZ015>017-030.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR
ANZ050>052.
&&
NEAR TERM...HEWITT/MWALKER
SHORT TERM...VJN
LONG TERM...VJN
AVIATION...HEWITT/MWALKER
MARINE...HEWITT/MWALKER/VJNHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME 1105 AM EST TUE DEC 22 2009 MEZ001-002-231615- NORTHWEST AROOSTOOK-NORTHEAST AROOSTOOK- 1105 AM EST TUE DEC 22 2009 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM EST WEDNESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN MAINE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS ENCOURAGED FOR THIS EVENT. MEZ003>006-010-011-031-032-231615- NORTHERN SOMERSET-NORTHERN PISCATAQUIS-NORTHERN PENOBSCOT- SOUTHEAST AROOSTOOK-CENTRAL PISCATAQUIS-CENTRAL PENOBSCOT- SOUTHERN PISCATAQUIS-NORTHERN WASHINGTON- 1105 AM EST TUE DEC 22 2009 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST WEDNESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL MAINE...NORTH CENTRAL MAINE...NORTHERN MAINE...SOUTHEAST MAINE AND WEST CENTRAL MAINE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS ENCOURAGED FOR THIS EVENT. MEZ015>017-030-231615- SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT-INTERIOR HANCOCK-CENTRAL WASHINGTON- COASTAL WASHINGTON- 1105 AM EST TUE DEC 22 2009 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 1 AM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL MAINE AND SOUTHEAST MAINE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS ENCOURAGED FOR THIS EVENT. MEZ029-231615- COASTAL HANCOCK- 1105 AM EST TUE DEC 22 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST MAINE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ANZ050>052-231615- COASTAL WATERS FROM EASTPORT ME TO SCHOODIC POINT ME OUT 25 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM SCHOODIC POINT ME TO STONINGTON ME OUT 25 NM- INTRACOASTAL WATERS FROM SCHOODIC POINT ME TO STONINGTON ME- 1105 AM EST TUE DEC 22 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. HEWITT
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Storm total snow accumulations generally ranged from 14 to 20 inches...with locally up to 22 inches reported in the vicinity of Fort Kent.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 10 to 15 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 9 to 13 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 10 to 15 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 10 to 15 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations generally ranged from 9 to 13 inches...with localized totals of up to 17 inches reported at Mount Chase.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 12 inches.
Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 6 to 10 inches.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Maine in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Maine, December 2009
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 203808, 203810, 203811, 203813, 203814, 203824, 203822, 206328.