Maine
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.”