Maine, 2023

Winter Storm in Maine, January 19 to 20, 2023

January 19 to 20, 2023 · NWS GYX · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

A cold front crossed the region early on the 19th, providing some fresh cold air despite a relatively mild pattern. High pressure building out of Ontario helped to dam the cold air in place as a warm front approached from the southwest in the evening.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 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
10

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.

A cold front crossed the region early on the 19th, providing some fresh cold air despite a relatively mild pattern. High pressure building out of Ontario helped to dam the cold air in place as a warm front approached from the southwest in the evening. Light precipitation moved into the area as a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain initially before transitioning to all snow. Primary low pressure near Lake Erie occluded and a secondary low center developed near Nantucket early on the 20th. It was during this time that snowfall was the heaviest. Snow slowly tapered off through the afternoon and evening on the 20th, as an inverted trough remained draped across southwestern Maine during the day.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Interior York

When
January 19, 8:00 PM EST to January 20, 7:00 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)

Snow overspread southwest Maine during the evening on the 19th. After midnight snow became moderate to heavy at times. While snowfall rates tapered off by sunrise on the 20th, snow lingered for much of the day as an inverted trough remained draped across southern New Hampshire. Once the upper low moved east of the area snow came to an end during the evening hours on the 20th. Snowfall totals ranged from 6 to 9 inches.

Winter Storm, Coastal York

When
January 19, 8:00 PM EST to January 20, 6:00 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)

Snow overspread southwest Maine during the evening on the 19th. After midnight snow became moderate to heavy at times. While snowfall rates tapered off by sunrise on the 20th, snow lingered for much of the day as an inverted trough remained draped across southern New Hampshire. Once the upper low moved east of the area snow came to an end during the evening hours on the 20th. Snowfall totals ranged from 4 inches along the beaches to 8 inches west of I-95.

Winter Storm, Central Interior Cumberland

When
January 19, 9:00 PM EST to January 20, 6:00 PM EST
Where
Central Interior Cumberland forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
43.806, -70.330 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow overspread the Maine Lakes Region during the evening on the 19th. After midnight snow became moderate to heavy at times. While snowfall rates tapered off by sunrise on the 20th, snow lingered for much of the day as an inverted trough remained draped across southern New Hampshire. Once the upper low moved east of the area snow came to an end during the evening hours on the 20th. Snowfall totals ranged from 5 to 8 inches.

Winter Storm, Coastal Cumberland

When
January 19, 9:00 PM EST to January 20, 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)

Snow overspread the Casco Bay area during the evening on the 19th. After midnight snow became moderate to heavy at times. While snowfall rates tapered off by sunrise on the 20th, snow lingered for much of the day as an inverted trough remained draped across southern New Hampshire. Once the upper low moved east of the area snow came to an end during the evening hours on the 20th. Snowfall totals ranged from 6 to 9 inches.

Winter Storm, Androscoggin

When
January 19, 10:00 PM EST to January 20, 6:00 PM EST
Where
Androscoggin forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.166, -70.206 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow overspread the Maine Lakes Region during the evening on the 19th. After midnight snow became moderate to heavy at times. While snowfall rates tapered off by sunrise on the 20th, snow lingered for much of the day as an inverted trough remained draped across southern New Hampshire. Once the upper low moved east of the area snow came to an end during the evening hours on the 20th. Snowfall totals ranged from 6 to 8 inches.

Winter Storm, Sagadahoc

When
January 19, 10:00 PM EST to January 20, 6:00 PM EST
Where
Sagadahoc forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
43.912, -69.839 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow overspread Midcoast Maine during the evening on the 19th. After midnight snow became moderate to heavy at times. While snowfall rates tapered off by sunrise on the 20th, snow lingered for much of the day as an inverted trough remained draped across southern New Hampshire. Once the upper low moved east of the area snow came to an end during the evening hours on the 20th. Snowfall totals ranged from 5 to 7 inches.

Winter Storm, Kennebec

When
January 19, 11:00 PM EST to January 20, 4:00 PM EST
Where
Kennebec forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.409, -69.767 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow overspread the southern Kennebec Valley late in the evening on the 19th. After midnight snow became moderate at times. Snowfall rates tapered off gradually through the as lift became tied more closely with an inverted trough draped over southern New Hampshire. Snow ended during the afternoon on the 20th from north to south. Snowfall totals ranged from 5 to 7 inches.

Winter Storm, Lincoln

When
January 19, 11:00 PM EST to January 20, 4:00 PM EST
Where
Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
43.998, -69.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow overspread Midcoast Maine late in the evening on the 19th. After midnight snow became moderate at times. Snowfall rates tapered off gradually through the as lift became tied more closely with an inverted trough draped over southern New Hampshire. Snow ended during the afternoon on the 20th from north to south. Snowfall totals ranged from 5 to 7 inches.

Winter Storm, Knox

When
January 20, 12:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where
Knox forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.076, -69.126 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow overspread Midcoast Maine late in the evening on the 19th. After midnight snow became moderate at times. Snowfall rates tapered off gradually through the as lift became tied more closely with an inverted trough draped over southern New Hampshire. Snow ended during the afternoon on the 20th from north to south. Snowfall totals ranged from 5 to 7 inches.

Winter Storm, Coastal Waldo

When
January 20, 12:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where
Coastal Waldo forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.485, -69.122 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow overspread Midcoast Maine late in the evening on the 19th. After midnight snow became moderate at times. Snowfall rates tapered off gradually through the as lift became tied more closely with an inverted trough draped over southern New Hampshire. Snow ended during the afternoon on the 20th from north to south. Snowfall totals ranged from 5 to 7 inches.

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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, January 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1068883, 1068895, 1068892, 1068894, 1068897, 1068899, 1068903, 1068906, 1068907, 1068908.