Snow fell in waves throughout southern Maine this weekend and continued into Monday, causing car crashes and lowering speed limits on highways.
The snow was most significant along the southern coast. Most towns in Cumberland and York counties received at least 3 inches of snow on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. Old Orchard Beach had recorded 4.8 inches of snow by Saturday evening, with 4.7 inches in Saco, 4.6 in Cape Elizabeth, and 4.5 in Portland.
The Lewiston-Auburn area received about 3 inches of snow Saturday, while areas further inland saw less than that.
Another wave of snow Sunday afternoon into Monday also hit hardest in the south and along the coast.
As of Monday morning, South Berwick and Ogunquit had the most snow with 4.5 inches and 4.4 inches, respectively, according to the weather service. Falmouth and Gorham topped the Cumberland County charts by Monday morning with 4 inches of snow.
About 3.5 inches of snow was measured in the Portland area Monday morning, while the Lewiston-Auburn area recorded just over an inch.
Speed limits were reduced to 45 miles per hour along all 109 miles of the Maine Turnpike and along I-295 on Monday morning as flurries continued, but the restriction was lifted by 11 a.m.
The weather resulted in multiple motor vehicle accidents over the long weekend, including a fatal crash in Falmouth on Saturday and another that brought down power lines in Alfred on Monday morning.
Several southern and coastal Maine towns issued parking bans over the weekend, including Bath, Brunswick, Cape Elizabeth, Old Orchard Beach, Saco, Sanford, Scarborough, Topsham and Westbrook.
Southern Maine could see scattered snow showers this week, likely Wednesday night into Thursday, according to Zachary Hargrove, a meteorologist at the weather service’s Gray office. But, as of Monday, he expected that “might bring a dusting, but nothing too significant.”
However, cold temperatures are expected to be widespread. Hargrove predicted high temperatures to remain in the 30s in southern Maine on Tuesday before beginning to dip.
“Towards the end of the week and by this weekend, we could end up seeing highs in the teens,” Hargrove said.
