A crosswalk warning sign is bent and covered with snow Wednesday morning as pedestrians cross High Street near Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
After a reported 16 inches of wet snow fell overnight, Brian Morency, left, hammers loose the packed snow Wednesday morning on the driveway at his apartment on Winter Street in Lewiston. His landlord, Brett Williams, center, and his son, Jeremiah, were shoveling. “Thought we were over this,” Brett Williams said. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
Instead of shoveling the snow over the fence in front of their apartment on Maple Street in Lewiston, Manis Herrmann, 10, and her father, Michael, chose to be creative Wednesday morning and make a family of snowmen. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
Instead of shoveling the snow over the fence in front of their apartment on Maple Street in Lewiston, Manis Herrmann, 10, and her father, Michael, chose to be creative Wednesday morning and make a family of snowmen. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal)
A sign greets visitors at the Poland Public Works garage. (Dennis Sampson/Photo)
A sign outside the Poland Public Works Department kind of says it all.
“Enough already,” declared the sign, as the crews inside took a breather after digging out from the latest blizzard.
Unfortunately, their wishes may not be fulfilled: More snow is in the forecast for early next week.
How much remains to be seen.
A storm that began Tuesday morning didn’t wind down until Wednesday afternoon, leaving up to 24 inches in parts of Oxford County.
For a while, it seemed like it would never stop snowing. And while winter-weary Mainers were digging out Wednesday afternoon, weather forecasters were sharing the grim news — another blizzard may be sweeping across the area next Tuesday and into Wednesday.
Sound familiar?
A meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Gray said Wednesday night that while snow may be coming Tuesday, it was far too soon to say what kind of storm it would be.
It could be a little storm, he said. It could be a big one. If it turns into the latter, it will be the fourth significant blizzard of March.
The snowfall totals from the most recent storm placed it in the top 10 of March storms over recent years.
In South Paris, 24 inches were recorded by the time it was over. Other Oxford County towns saw a few inches less, but the totals were still impressive: 22 inches in Bryant Pond, 21 in Rumford, 20 in Otisfield.
In Livermore and Turner, 20 inches fell. In Lewiston-Auburn, 16 inches of fresh snow fell on top of that left by a similar storm a week ago.
The ski resorts were thrilled.
“Holy smokes,” declared the Sunday River mountain report Wednesday. “That was one to remember. After 20-22 inches of new snow, the hoots and hollers were loud and clear across all eight peaks.”
Snowfall amounts
Oxford County
• South Paris: 24
• Otisfield: 20.5
• Buckfield: 18
Androscoggin County
• East Livermore Falls: 20
• Mechanic Falls: 19
• Lewiston: 16
Franklin County
• Jay: 20
• Rangeley: 17
• New Sharon: 14
Cumberland County
• Gorham: 19.5
• Bridgton: 18.5
• New Gloucester: 12.5
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