10 of The Most Memorable Storms in Maine History

Blizzards in Maine are a semi-rare event in Maine and hurricanes as very rare. However, when they do occur, they leave their marks in a big way, and everyone remembers them.

Here's a list of some of the most memorable storms that have ever occurred in Maine. They are not ranked in any particular order, but they are listed with blizzards first and hurricanes second.

The Great Snow of 1717

According to Wikipedia, The Great Snow of 1717 consisted of several snowstorms between February 27 and March 7, 1717. This is pre-United States, when the colony of Virginia and the New England colonies got slammed with over five feet of snow with drifts up to 25 feet.

The Great Blizzard of 1888

According to Your AAA Today, the Great Blizzard of 1888 dumped 55 inches of snow from Washington, D.C., to Maine with massive snowdrifts that did catastrophic damage. The blizzard lasted for three days, and over 400 people were killed.

The Great Blizzard of 1952

In February 1952, a nor'easter that hit New England was estimated to have caused 42 fatalities. In Maine, it left over 1,000 travelers stranded on roadways. The heavy snowfall occurred over two days, leaving anywhere from 12 to 30 inches on the ground.  In Belfast, Maine, there were 6 to 8-foot drifts in the downtown shopping district.

The Ice Storm of 1998

What's worse than a blizzard? An ice storm. In January of 1998, in Maine, freezing rain was relentless and coated trees and power lines. The weight brought those trees and power lines to the ground, blocking roads and creating long power outages. I couldn't get out of my driveway for days due to a large, downed tree.

The February 2013 Blizzard

Also known as Winter Storm Nemo, this 2013 blizzard in early February set a record in Portland of 31.9 inches of snow, the most snow Portland has ever had from one storm. Gorham's snowfall was even higher at 38.5 inches, the most in the state from Nemo.

Hurricane Carol and Hurricane Edna 1954

Two hurricanes arrived in Maine within 10 days of each other in 1954. Hurricane Carol arrived first on August 31, 1954, causing an estimated $462 million in damage. That would be $5 billion if adjusted for inflation. Just as Maine was picking up the pieces, Hurricane Edna was the costliest storm in Maine's history, primarily due to flooding. 7.5 inches of rain fell in Portland, Augusta had 5.78 inches, and Bangor got 5.98 inches.

Hurricane Donna 1960

According to Wikipedia, when Hurricane Donna made it up the coast to Maine, 15 to 20 boats in Falmouth harbor were damaged, people living on the coast in Cumberland and York counties were evacuated many lost power. Winds in Auburn and Lewiston caused telephone and power lines to fall after being hit by trees.

Hurricane Gloria 1985

Hurricane Gloria was no longer a hurricane when it made it to Maine, but it still did a lot of damage. 86 mph winds caused trees to fall and take down electrical poles, leaving 600,000 people without power. I remember walking onto the football field at Oxford Hills High School, seeing that the scoreboard had been ripped off its poles and was now sitting on the 50-yard line. 

Hurricane Bob 1991

The name Bob doesn't sound like a threatening storm, but it did make a name for itself. When it arrived in Maine, it was a tropical storm, but still packed winds of up to 92 mph and 8 inches of rain. Over 160,000 customers lost power in Maine. Bob caused over $40 million in damage, most of it in the Portland area.