Maine, 2018

Heavy Snow in Maine, November 20, 2018

November 20, 2018 · NWS GYX · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

Low pressure tracked along a stalled frontal boundary draped across southern New England and brought widespread snowfall to the area. Late on the 19th and early on the 20th very light rain and snow persisted along the stalled front.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS GYX wrote it up.

Low pressure tracked along a stalled frontal boundary draped across southern New England and brought widespread snowfall to the area. Late on the 19th and early on the 20th very light rain and snow persisted along the stalled front. As low pressure approached on the morning of the 20th precipitation gradually changed to all snow and became steadier. Snow continued through the day on the 20th as temperatures hovered near freezing. Low pressure continued to strengthen in the Gulf of Maine and helped to prolong the snow into the evening.

What forecasters said that day

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 Gray, ME wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 20, 3:45 AM EST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 20, 3:45 AM EST, 1 hour 15 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 20, 3:02 AM EST, 1 hour 58 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Interior York

When
November 20, 5:00 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Interior York forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
43.429, -70.670 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Early on the morning of the 20th a parallel mesoscale band of snow developed over coastal western Maine, just to the north of the mid level warm front. Snow persisted under this feature into the late afternoon, where a narrow swath received 6 to 8 inches of snow. As temperatures aloft cooled in the mid-afternoon, the snow to liquid ratios became very high for the last 1 to 2 inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Coastal York

When
November 20, 5:00 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Coastal York forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
43.429, -70.670 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Early on the morning of the 20th a parallel mesoscale band of snow developed over coastal western Maine, just to the north of the mid level warm front. Snow persisted under this feature into the late afternoon, where a narrow swath received 6 to 8 inches of snow. As temperatures aloft cooled in the mid-afternoon, the snow to liquid ratios became very high for the last 1 to 2 inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Interior Cumberland

When
November 20, 5:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Interior Cumberland forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
43.806, -70.330 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Early on the morning of the 20th a parallel mesoscale band of snow developed over coastal western Maine, just to the north of the mid level warm front. Snow persisted under this feature into the late afternoon, where a narrow swath received 6 to 8 inches of snow. As temperatures aloft cooled in the mid-afternoon, the snow to liquid ratios became very high for the last 1 to 2 inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Coastal Cumberland

When
November 20, 5:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Coastal Cumberland forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
43.806, -70.330 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Early on the morning of the 20th a parallel mesoscale band of snow developed over coastal western Maine, just to the north of the mid level warm front. Snow persisted under this feature into the late afternoon, where a narrow swath received 6 to 8 inches of snow. As temperatures aloft cooled in the mid-afternoon, the snow to liquid ratios became very high for the last 1 to 2 inches of snow.

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Maine in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Maine, November 2018

Sources

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 786164, 786165, 786166, 786167.