Maine has some serious weather. Not as bad as some places, but severe enough to be fatal and costly.

Nor'easters and Extreme Weather in Maine

Nor’easters bring some extreme conditions to the state that can knock out power for days and even weeks.

Bad Driving Conditions

Driving conditions get really treacherous and the cold and wind chill can be dangerous.

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Hurricanes and Tornadoes are Rare

Maine does not have a high percentage of other natural disasters like giant hurricanes and monster tornados. These do happen in the state, but not on the same level elsewhere, according to maineencyclopedia.com.

Historical Events

There have been some major storms and flooding that have devastated areas. These are historical weather events and Mainers remember.

List of Storms

Here’s a list of some of the biggest and wildest storms in Maine.

Five Biggest Storms in Maine People Still Talk About

The 1998 Ice Storm

This was a major winter storm that knocked out power across many parts of the state in January 1998. Over 220,000 people lost power for several weeks. It’s considered one of the largest outages in Maine. The National Guard was called in to help get the roads clear and to clean up debris.

The 1978 Blizzard

The blizzard of 1978 happened in February with winds over 70 mph and over two feet of snow in parts of the state. Some homes were destroyed along the coast with waves wreaking havoc. Widespread outages occurred and roads were blocked. Blowing snow and drifts made travel difficult and many people were stranded.

The Great Flood of 1936

Maine has a lot of rivers, streams and waterways which can rise to high levels during a melt off and storm. The great flood in March of 1936 made the Kennebec and St. John Rivers rise to unprecedented levels. Bridges came down and power was lost across large areas. Brunswick and Topsham had some neighborhoods completely under water, requiring locals to use boats to get around town.

Ball Lightning Storm of 1853

In February 1853, Mount Desert Island had a strange weather phenomena with balls of lightning entering homes. Reports from the time said “balls of fire” entered people’s houses through windows and chimneys. The structures were shaking and some people were injured. Locals described it as one of the most awful storms they ever experienced.

The Storm of December 2023

The winter storm in 2023 was huge and had 90 mph winds, massive snowfall, flooding and power outages. Federal aid was provided to Maine as a result. Communities were without electricity for weeks. Boats and kayaks were floating in backyards and objects were seen flying through the air.

The 2017 Tornadoes

Maine does not see a lot of tornadoes, and rarely are they ever very big or devastating. In July 2017, several tornadoes hit the state and caused serious damage. Cars were flipped over, homes were hit by heavy winds and trees were toppled. It was a strange phenomenon that hardly ever happens in Maine.