Maine

Maine peaks see first snowfall of the season

Published

3 months ago

October 14, 2024

Maine peaks see first snowfall of the season

Sugarloaf Mountain got about 2 inches at the summit from the first snowfall of the season on Monday, according to snow reporter Erica Jenson. Maine’s northwestern edge is expected to see more snowfall between Monday and Wednesday, the weather service forecasts. Erica Jenson/Sugarloaf Mountain

Maine received its first reported snowfall of the season this week, draping the peaks in northern and western Maine with thin veils of white rising above the fall foliage at the lower elevations.

Webcams at Sugarloaf and Saddleback ski areas both captured snowfall Monday, but it was not clear how much had accumulated.

So far, the snow has been mostly restricted to the higher peaks, Greg Cornwell, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Gray office, said Monday afternoon. The weather service had not yet received snowfall totals or issued any snowfall reports, which usually come out following an inch or more of accumulation but rely largely on data gathered by volunteers, he said.

Cornwell said the timing of this year’s first snowfall is “pretty well in-step” with what the weather service usually observes, but emphasized that it’s been mostly limited to the mountaintops.

“It is the time of the year we see snow coming into the higher terrain,” he said. “Enough to whiten things up.”

Cornwell said Mount Washington in New Hampshire – for which data was available – reported snow depths of 2 inches, and estimated that Maine’s mountains saw no more than 4 inches over the last two days. With precipitation expected to conclude overnight Monday into Tuesday, the weather service may start to have better snowfall data by Tuesday afternoon, he said.

Sugarloaf, located in Carrabassett Valley, issued its first Snow Report late Monday morning.

“Waking up to snow on the mountain makes for a happy day,” snow reporter Erica Jenson wrote around 11:45 a.m. “Enjoy the final days of fall as we begin welcoming in our favorite season.”

In addition to the early morning dusting, Sugarloaf saw a mixture of snow and rain around 4 p.m., which cleared up toward evening, Jenson said when reached by phone Monday night.

She said the summit saw around 2 inches of snow buildup, but “nothing super substantial.”

The base of the mountain also got a dusting, but warmer temperatures and rain later in the day washed away what had accumulated, she said. She said the resort usually sees its first snowfall toward the middle of October.

“We’re right on schedule,” Jenson said.

Maine’s northwestern edge is expected to see more snowfall between Monday and Wednesday, the weather service forecasts. Towns like Rangeley and Jackman are mostly slated to get less than an inch of snow, but some areas along the Canadian border may see greater accumulations, the weather service said.

As the temperatures drop and snow begins to build up, Cornwell urged any hikers to make sure they are considering and preparing for the conditions at higher elevations before attempting a climb.

“Sometimes the conditions you see at the trailhead don’t match that of the higher summits,” he said. “Be prepared for a change in weather conditions.”

Source link

Maine

Mainers asked to report rabbit sightings to help protect endangered New England cottontail

Published

3 hours ago

January 2, 2025

Press Room

Mainers, if you see a rabbit that might be a New England cottontail or an Eastern cottontail (a non-native species that resembles NEC), Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife wants to hear about it.

The New England cottontail (NEC) is Maine’s only native true rabbit, and was once common in southern Maine. However, NEC populations have declined dramatically in Maine and across their entire range due to habitat loss, according to MDIFW, in a news release. Today, NEC are known to occur in just 7 towns: Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, Wells, York, Kittery, Eliot, and Kennebunk; with a statewide population of less than 400 individuals.

“MDIFW is working with partners to restore Maine’s NEC, but we need more eyes in southern and coastal Maine!” said the release.

MDIFW will conduct surveys in the vicinity of credible NEC sightings to search for currently unknown populations.

“Any new confirmations of the species will greatly enhance our restoration effort by allowing us to protect the population and provide additional opportunities for us to conduct habitat management that will ultimately increase Maine’s NEC population,” said MDIFW.

Please take a photo to submit when possible, take note of the following, and report your sighting online:

Date
Time
Location/Town
Habitat Description
Identifying Characteristics- Please do not report known snowshoe hares. Did you observe any features that support identification as an NEC? Find identification tips below.

New England cottontails at a glance

New England cottontails are medium-sized rabbits (14-17 inches long) and weigh in at 1-2.5 pounds. They have dark brown fur with a wash of black-tipped fur, a black edge to their ears. They also have a black spot between their ears though this characteristic is typically not visible from a distance.

Hares are white in winter, but rabbits are brown year-round

It can be surprisingly tricky to distinguish NEC and snowshoe hares during most of the year but identification becomes much simpler in winter! The snowshoe hare goes through a costume change for the snowy months, turning white while NEC retain a brown coat all year. We only need reports of potential NEC so this winter remember to write it down if it’s brown and just enjoy the sight if its white!

Non-native look-alikes

Until recently, Maine was the only state in the northeast that did not have eastern cottontails, a non-native rabbit which is nearly indistinguishable from the NEC. Reporting all brown rabbits in winter not only helps locate new undocumented populations of NEC, it also may help identify areas of eastern cottontail expansion which pose a threat to the recovery of Maine’s only native rabbit.

Click here for more information.

Source link

Maine

Maine home sales increased in November

Published

11 hours ago

January 2, 2025

Press Room

MAINE (WABI) – The Maine real estate market is beginning to see a shift to a more balanced market.

Maine Listings reported about a 6.8% increase in sales of single-family existing homes during the month of November compared to November 2023.

The median sales price reached $385,000, an increase of about 8.5%.

In November, the national price also rose and is now at nearly $411,000.

Source link

Maine

Here are the 1st babies of 2025

Published

19 hours ago

January 1, 2025

Press Room

In Maine, several hospitals traditionally report their first births of the year. We will post them here as they are announced.

Michael Nathan Maiato, 7 pounds 12 ounces, was born at 2:55 a.m. Wednesday at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center Portland to parents Paige and Joe Maiato of Kennebunk.

“We are overjoyed with the newest addition to our family,” Joe Maiato said. “What a way to ring in the new year!”

The Maiaitos said they were excited for Michael to meet his 2-year-old brother, Theo.

Myles Hudson Livingood, 6 pounds 10 ounces, was born at 7:05 a.m. Wednesday at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor to parents Emily Foss Andrews and Michael Livingood of Bangor.

Kolton Robert, 8 pounds 4.9 ounces, was born at 7:27 a.m. Wednesday at Northern Light Mercy Hospital in Portland to parents Mariah Rouille and Robert Desrosier of South Paris.

Source link