It's Impossible To Forget These 6 Horrific Winter Storms That Have Gone Down In Maine History

Winter is serious business in New England, especially when you consider the worst winter storms in Maine history. But that’s part of why we love it. Cold weather means cozying up with a book and enjoying a hot beverage, which are two of our favorite things. On the flip side, it also means shoveling out our cars, slipping and sliding down the roads, and entertaining the kids when school gets canceled. While we never forget a winter, here are a few winter storms that have remained a part of state lore. Winter in Maine can be fun, or it can be cruel… or it can be both, really.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center / Flickr

There's a good chance nobody around has any recollection of this storm but it's still considered a doozy around these parts. The storm was actually a series of individual blizzards that took place between February 27th and March 7th, 1717. During this time the colonies in New England saw more than five feet of snow with drifts that were even higher. This incredible snowstorm in Maine affected most of the eastern US.

NOAA library / Wikimedia

This storm wreaked havoc on much of the eastern seaboard between March 11th and 14th, 1888. Considered one of the worst blizzards in American history, it dropped between 10 and 58 inches of snow across the region with 20 inches in Maine.

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Corey Templeton / Flickr

Many people recall this February storm in 1952 because it caused the wreck of the SS Pendleton off the coast of Cape Cod. But Mainers recall that it resulted in more than 25 inches of snow in Portland and 36 in the mountains. In true blizzard fashion, winds gusted up to 65 m.p.h! This incredible historic winter storm was unlike anything we'd seen before, or have seen since (and let's hope it stays that way).

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Corey Templeton / Flickr

This record-breaking snowstorm in Maine brought a 24-hour snowfall record of 40 inches in Orono. From the day of the storm through the following 10 days, the weather station at Ripogenus Dam near Mount Katahdin saw a whopping six feet of snow!

Portland, ME, USA

Paul VanDerWerf / Flickr

This more recent storm hit Portland harder than others with an impressive 31.9 inches of snow falling at Portland Jetport. This storm was so damaging that four different counties in Maine, Androscoggin, Cumberland, Knox, and York, received more than $3 million in federal funding for repairs. This incredible historic winter storm affected Maine, Connecticut, and numerous other states.

Eastport, ME, USA

Denise / Flickr

Not every snowy memory includes just one storm. In 2015, over the course of 10 days, Eastport saw 76 inches of snow! In fact, that entire year was a snowy one with 200 inches falling in the 2014-2015 season! Sometimes these incredible snowstorms in Maine at least teach us a lesson or two.

How many of these incredible blizzards in Maine do you remember (other than the one in the 1700s… maybe)? What are some recent storms you’ll never forget? Were you stuck somewhere inconvenient? Or did you relish in the time forced to stay at home? Let us know in the comments!

When cold weather arrives, but you can still enjoy fun activities consider heading to the western mountain region. This one-of-a-kind Maine dog-sledding experience is a fun way to enjoy winter!