Fourth March storm could add six inches of snow along coast

Bill Trotter, Special to The County
7 years ago
A U.S. Postal Service carrier walks through falling snow on March 13, 2018 as he crosses Main Street in downtown Ellsworth. Despite the official arrival of spring on Tuesday, coastal Maine could get up to 6 inches of more snow Wednesday night and Thursday as the fourth nor'easter this month hits the Northeast. (Bill Trotter | BDN)
Coastal Maine could get another few inches of snow in the next couple of days as another nor’easter passes out to sea from the mid-Atlantic region and then curves northward toward Nova Scotia.

Predictions vary about how much snow might fall, but generally more is expected along the coast, especially in eastern Maine, and less is expected further inland.

Meteorologists predict that coastal areas could get 1 to 6 inches of snow from late Wednesday through Thursday, with possibly more than 6 inches along the coast east of Mount Desert Island. Inland areas — including Lewiston, Augusta and Bangor — could get 1 to 3 inches. Further west and north, areas approaching the mountains and in Aroostook County are expected to get roughly an inch or less.

How much snow falls in Maine depends on the track of the storm. Less snow could result if it veers to the east, but inch counts could be a little higher if it tracks further west.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm advisory for coastal Maine, where gusty winds could complicate the Thursday morning commute. The weather service estimates that Hancock and Washington counties could get between 4 and 6 inches, while sections along the immediate coast in midcoast and southern Maine could get 2 to 4 inches.

Wind gusts as high as 45 mph along the eastern coast could cause power outages, the weather service wrote in the advisory.

“Plan on slippery road conditions, including during the morning commute on Thursday,” the weather service wrote. “Expect snow-covered roads and limited visibilities, and use caution while driving.”

The advisory for the midcoast and southern coast will be in effect from 7 p.m. Wednesday to 11 a.m. Thursday. Along the eastern coast, the advisory will be in effect from 2 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday.

The weather service also warned that two feet of storm surge is expected to cause minor coastal flooding along the southern Maine coast when high tide crests around 2:45 a.m. Thursday.

Caribou has seen 128 inches of snow so far this season, well about the average of 109 inches per year. The record snowfall for the area was 197.8 inches in 2007-2008.

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