Blizzard hits The County
By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
WINTERY MIX — It’s true what they say about Maine weather; if you don’t like it, just wait a minute and it will change. That’s what happened over the past week, with record rainfall reported statewide mid-month, then a foot or more of snow reported in Aroostook County by Monday, Dec. 27. Crews, like this Highway Department truck plowing a section of the State Road in Castle Hill before Christmas, put in some serious overtime clearing area roads of the biggest snowfall to hit so far this season. While Monday’s storm kept many workers home as businesses opted to be safe rather than sorry, shutting down for the day and keeping employees off the roads, plow drivers were among the few required to work. Schools were also closed for the holiday break, thus preventing the need for a snow day.
“Monday’s storm was considered a blizzard,” stated Matt Doody, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Caribou. “Criteria for a blizzard includes winds gusts of 30 mph or higher, visibility at one-quarter of a mile or less for at least three hours accompanied by snowfall — and we did see all of this in Aroostook County.”
Houlton and south saw the greatest snowfall totals with 11 inches being recorded in Houlton. In Caribou 6.2 inches of snow were recorded with the same in surrounding areas. Stockholm was said to have received one of the highest snowfalls at 12 inches; Van Buren recorded 6 inches while Fort Kent received only 4 inches during the harshest storm of the season thus far.
The snowfall totals might have been light but gusting winds causing blowing and drifting snow created hazardous travel conditions. Luckily, with school out and many state and federal offices closed, traffic was light and snow-plowing crews were able to do their work without interference.
Doody stated that the highest wind gust recorded was 60 mph which occurred at 2 p.m. on the Higgins Road in Presque Isle. Van Buren was reported to see the wind gust at 56 mph at 3 p.m. while Caribou and Frenchville recorded the highest gust of 51mph at 3 and 4:30 p.m. respectively.
Doody said that there is a high pressure system making its way to the area later on Wednesday but temperatures will remain chilly being in the high teens or lower 20s with lows in the single digits but with a wind chill of minus 10 degrees.
A majority of area business stayed closed or shut-down early on Monday due to the weather conditions and according to Caribou Chief of Police Michael Gahagan, “Fortunately everybody heeded the weather warnings and stayed off the roads on Monday and there were no traffic accidents. However we’ve had three already this morning (Tuesday),” added Gahagan, “just because the storm is over drivers still need to be cautious.”
