Maine saw colder temperatures than average in December, and a couple of winter storms throughout the month blanketed the state in several inches of snow.
The first major snowfall of the season came on Dec. 2. Residents in higher elevations woke up to 8 to 12 inches of snow, while many other areas accumulated between 4 to 8 inches.
Just a couple of days later, warming centers across Maine started opening as the state was blasted with frigid temperatures. Portland reported a low of 2 degrees and Augusta reported a low of 3 overnight Dec. 4 into Dec. 5, breaking decades-old records.
A large winter storm paved the way for Maine to be one of the few places in the U.S. to celebrate a white Christmas after several inches of snow dropped the night of Dec. 23 into Christmas Eve morning. Some areas got well over a foot as the low-pressure system stalled between Lewiston and Brunswick.
In many parts of the state, December temperatures were several degrees colder than average, according to the National Weather Service. In Portland, temperatures were an average of 5.8 degrees colder than usual, while Augusta was an average of 4.5 degrees colder and Waterville 5.1 degrees below normal.
