at 5:17 PM by Evan Hatter

Pre-New Year’s Nor’easter slams New England

Heavy snow falls in Durham, ME on Dec. 29. (Associated Press)
Heavy snow falls in Durham, ME on Dec. 29. (Robert Bukaty/Associated Press)

Parts of New England are digging out this evening after a huge nor’easter hit the region, resulting in feet of snow and many power outages.

This storm is the result of a strong low pressure system strengthening as it moves up the eastern seaboard, this is called a nor’easter. Nor’easters can provide a mixed bag of weather but they’re mostly known for snowstorms and brutal cold.

According to NWS Gray, the nor’easter dumped near 30 inches of snow on portions of Maine, the highest totals appear to be in portions of Cumberland, Oxford and Somerset Counties, which each had location clocking in at 27 inches of the white stuff.

 

In fact, conditions got bad enough that a Backcountry Avalanche Warning had to be issued for portions of the Mount Washington area due to the wind creating areas of unstable snow.

You'll find the Avalanche Warning indicated here by the "Dodger Blue" Shade on the map. No seriously, that's what it's called. (NWS Gray)
You’ll find the Avalanche Warning indicated here by the “Dodger Blue” shade on the map. No seriously, that’s what it’s called. (NWS Gray)

Not even Boston was spared. While they missed out on the worst of the nor’easter, conditions were still just right for a little bit of thundersnow! Seriously, I’ve never gotten to see it and videos like this just make me want to experience it even more…(if only we could get some decent convective snowfall around here).

Also, although this wasn’t part of the nor’easter, I still wanted to share this picture from Boston this afternoon.

Really, really cool.