Maine, 2023

Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Maine, December 4, 2023

December 4, 2023 · NWS CAR · 14 events in 13 counties and zones

with a trof extending between the two systems. The intensifying secondary low tracked across the Gulf of Maine to the Maritimes from late on the 3rd into the 4th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 14 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
14

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 CAR wrote it up.

Low pressure weakened across Quebec province during the 3rd while a secondary coastal low developed...with a trof extending between the two systems. The intensifying secondary low tracked across the Gulf of Maine to the Maritimes from late on the 3rd into the 4th. Snow developed during the early morning hours of the 4th...then persisted through the afternoon. Warning criteria snow accumulations occurred through the late morning and early afternoon of the 4th. The greatest snow accumulations occurred along the trof axis which extended from northern Somerset county...across Piscataquis county and central/southern portions of Penobscot county...to interior Hancock county. Accumulations in this band generally ranged from 6 to 8 inches. However...localized accumulations of up to around 10 inches occurred across the higher terrain of Piscataquis county. Snow totals diminished to the east of the heaviest band. Snow totals elsewhere across the region ranged from 4 to 7 inches across the southeast areas...to 1 to 3 inches across northeast areas.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 heavy snow, 5 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Northern Washington

When
December 4, 12:30 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Northern Washington forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.970, -67.609 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 4 to 6 inches.

Winter Weather, Coastal Hancock

When
December 4, 12:30 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Coastal Hancock forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.563, -68.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 4 to 6 inches.

Winter Weather, Central Washington

When
December 4, 12:30 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Central Washington forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.970, -67.609 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 4 to 6 inches.

Heavy Snow, Central Piscataquis

When
December 4, 12:30 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Central Piscataquis forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.837, -69.284 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 10 inches.

Heavy Snow, Southern Piscataquis

When
December 4, 12:30 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Southern Piscataquis forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.837, -69.284 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 10 inches.

Heavy Snow, Southern Penobscot

When
December 4, 12:30 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Southern Penobscot forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.401, -68.649 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 6 to 9 inches.

Heavy Snow, Interior Hancock

When
December 4, 12:30 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Interior Hancock forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.563, -68.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 6 to 8 inches.

Heavy Snow, Central Washington

When
December 4, 12:30 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Central Washington forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.970, -67.609 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 5 to 7 inches.

Heavy Snow, Central Penobscot

When
December 4, 12:30 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Central Penobscot forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.401, -68.649 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 6 to 8 inches.

Winter Weather, Southeast Aroostook

When
December 4, 2:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Southeast Aroostook forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.659, -68.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 3 to 5 inches.

Heavy Snow, Northern Somerset

When
December 4, 2:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Northern Somerset forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
45.514, -69.959 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 6 to 10 inches.

Heavy Snow, Northern Piscataquis

When
December 4, 2:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Northern Piscataquis forecast zone
Reported by
Park/Forest Service
Coordinates
45.837, -69.284 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 6 to 10 inches.

Heavy Snow, Northern Penobscot

When
December 4, 2:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Northern Penobscot forecast zone
Reported by
Park/Forest Service
Coordinates
45.401, -68.649 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 4 to 8 inches...with the greater totals across southern areas.

Winter Weather, Northwest Aroostook

When
December 4, 4:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Northwest Aroostook forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.659, -68.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Storm total snow accumulations ranged from 2 to 7 inches...with the greater totals across western areas.

What these are

Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
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 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Maine, December 2023

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1153112, 1153113, 1153114, 1153117, 1153118, 1153119, 1153120, 1153121, 1153122, 1153110, 1153124, 1153126, 1153127, 1153109.