Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Maine, March 29 to 30, 2024

Intensifying low pressure tracked across the eastern Gulf of Maine to Nova Scotia on the 29th...exiting across the Maritimes during the early morning hours of the 30th. Precipitation developed through the morning of the 29th...mostly in the form of rain...except across higher terrain areas. Colder air was then drawn across the region during the afternoon allowing precipitation to transition back to snow across northern areas. Snow then persisted into the morning of the 30th. Precipitation remained in the form of mostly rain...heavy at times...across Downeast areas. A persistent deformation band of heavy snow developed across portions of central Aroostook county from the evening of the 29th into the early morning hours of the 30th. The greatest snow totals occurred across portions of east-central and southeast Aroostook county with generally 7 to 10 inches...locally up to around 12 inches. Locally up to 10 inch accumulations also occurred across the higher terrain of Baxter State Park in northern Piscataquis county where precipitation remained in the form of snow for most of the event. Warning criteria snow accumulations occurred during the early morning hours of the 30th. The snow with this event was wet and heavy...clinging to branches and power lines. Strong gusty winds developed in the wake of the exiting low from the late evening of the 29th into the early morning hours of the 30th...persisting into the morning of the 30th. Wind gusts generally ranged from 35 to 45 mph...with local gusts of 50 to 60 mph across higher terrain areas. A 60 mph gust was reported at Greenville in Picataquis county...with a 55 mph gust at Frenchville in Aroostook county. The combination of strong gusty winds and wet heavy snow clinging to trees and power lines led to power outages with snapped branches and toppled trees bringing down power lines. Around 6600 customers lost power. Most of the power outages occurred across Aroostook county where around 5500 customers lost power.