Maine is a state located in the northeastern United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast.
It’s the 12th smallest state in the U.S., but It’s almost as big as the rest of the New England states combined! With just over a million people, Maine is the 9th least populous state.
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So, Does It Snow In Maine?
Maine is home to numerous mountains and ski resorts, both downhill and cross-country. so YES, it definitely snows here! We have four distinct seasons, almost equally divided into three months each.
The Maine winter months, and therefore the snow season, are during December, January, and February, but we still find plenty of fun things to do (like go to some of these amazing Maine winter festivals).
However, it definitely can snow before and after those months. Read on to learn just how much it snows and how Mainers deal with all that snow.
How Much Does It Snow In Maine?
The amount of snowfall Maine receives each year varies, and different parts of Maine definitely have different winter experiences. Northern Maine (Aroostook County) generally sees the most snow, while southern Maine and the coastal areas get less.
Answering the question, “how much snow does Maine get a year” is not really possible. It depends so, so much on what part of the state you are talking about.
The average annual snowfall for the state is around 96 inches.
However, some years there is very little snow (by Maine standards), while other years Maine can get over 200 inches of snowfall.
When Will It Start Snowing In Maine?
The first snowfall of the season usually falls in October in northern Maine, while southern Maine generally sees its first flakes in November. However, it’s not unusual for there to be a few inches of snow on the ground by late September up north in some years.
In Bangor (central Maine), there have been several times that it snowed in late October. On the other end of the winter season, I’ve been in Rangeley in late April when there was an icy mix of snow falling.
The Maine weather can be pretty unpredictable, but basically, the entire state gets snow. In this post, we break down the seasons in Maine a little more if you want to know more about the other seasons, including the weird ones like mud and black fly!
What’s The Record Amount Of Snowfall In Maine?
The highest recorded amount of snowfall in a single day was on October 29, 2006, when a heavy snowfall of ~37 inches occurred in Portland, Maine. The record snowfall in one season was during the winter of 2007-2008, when ~202 inches (or about 16 feet of snow!) fell.
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A typical snowfall is more like 4-6 inches. Anything less than that and we don’t even consider it snowing!
What’s The Average Amount Of Snowfall In Maine?
According to the National Weather Service, the average snowfall in Maine each year is right around 100 inches. However, snowfall can vary greatly from year to year and from place to place.
For example, the snowiest city in Maine is Caribou, which averages over 120 inches of snow per year. By contrast, Portland, Maine’s largest city, receives around 60 inches of snow on average each year.
Keep in mind that the average snowfall in the U.S. is 28 inches.
Snow accumulation varies widely within the state. While southern Maine generally receives less snow than northern Maine, there are exceptions to this rule.
For example, in the winter of 2014-2015, southern Maine was hit with a record-breaking snowstorm that brought more than 30 inches of snow to the region. I worked just north of Portland, and we had three snow days off for that storm!
Does It Ever Get Too Cold To Snow?
Yes, it is possible for it to get too cold to snow. Once it gets to about -10*F it is not likely to snow. I lived and taught above the Arctic Circle for a while, and there were days that it got too cold to snow and we would get what is called ice fog.
Here is a picture of what ice fog does and what it looks like. Although, the picture doesn’t really do it justice. It is quite amazing to see in person.
That picture was taken in Selawik, Alaska, a remote Alaskan village (where I taught) above the Arctic Circle. Ice fog grounded many bush planes on days that looked like beautiful, clear days. Here’s a scientific explanation of how ice fog happens.
Does Everyone In Maine Love Snow?
No, not everyone in Maine loves the winter weather, but we all learn to make the best of it. Some people find it to be a hassle and prefer to stay indoors when it’s snowy outside.
People in Maine are used to the snow, though, and aren’t put off by a little bit of cold weather. We generally just go about our business as usual even when there’s a lot of snow on the ground or the weather conditions aren’t fantastic.
Others love being outdoors in the snow and enjoy all the winter outdoor activities that come with it, including a significant number of winter festivals.
Maine is definitely a four-season state. We take advantage of our short summers, and really make the most of winter with its colder temperatures and snow. For a lot of people, winter is the best time of year!
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Snowmobiling and ice fishing are *huge* in Maine. Every pond and lake gets covered with ice fishing shacks as soon as the ice will hold them. Schools send kids out on field trips with rangers to learn how to be safe ice fishing. It’s serious business in Maine.
Some places, like Rangeley in western Maine, and Lincoln and Island Falls in northern Maine, might have more snowmobiles than cars at local restaurants and bars. There are thousands of miles of connected snowmobile trails in the state.
Let’s not forget about skiing. We have several fantastic ski resorts (Sugarloaf, Sunday River, Saddleback, and more), and cross-country skiing takes place at the ski resorts as well as all around the state.
Then, of course, there are really hardcore winter activities like winter camping and ice climbing, both of which can take place around the state, but are particularly popular in Acadia National Park. For the most part, Mainers love their snow.
What’s the best way to deal with all the snow in Maine?
There are a few different ways to deal with all the snow in Maine. One way is to hire someone to plow your driveway and sidewalks. (Well, outside of a few bigger towns and cities, we don’t really worry about sidewalks because we don’t have them.)
Practically every other person has a truck with a plow, so you won’t have any trouble finding someone to do it at an affordable price.
There were a couple of times that I was shoveling my driveway after a big storm and a random plow truck driver came by and plowed it for me just to be nice. Mainers are pretty friendly people! That’s one of the things that makes living in Maine awesome.
Another good way to deal with the snow is to get a good snow blower as soon as possible! You can always just shovel it yourself and save the money, but that gets really old really fast.
Overall though, Mainers are used to dealing with a large amount of snow. We have a lot of experience shoveling driveways, clearing off cars, and walking on snowy sidewalks. We also have a lot of experience driving in snow and ice.
My best tip for driving in the snow, get yourself a Subaru! Here’s a cute story about Subarus in Maine. I can say, the very first time I drove my very first Subaru in a snowstorm, I was sold and in love!
Conclusion: How Much Does It Snow In Maine? Good Question!
Overall, does it snow in Maine? Yes, it snows quite a bit. The amount of snowfall each year varies, but the average is around 96-100 inches. It usually starts snowing in October in northern Maine and in November in southern Maine.
As Mainers, we are used to dealing with all the snow – from shoveling driveways to clearing off cars to driving in it. We also do tons of amazing winter activities to make the best of it. We even take romantic winter getaways!
So, if you don’t like snow, Maine might not be the place for you. But if you don’t mind a little (or a lot) of snow, with some good snow boots and outerwear, Maine is a great place to live or visit.
Source: https://t-tees.com
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