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A blizzard rolled into Maine on Monday, with whiteout conditions reported in some areas as high winds combined with fresh snow.

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for the state’s whole coastline, from Eastport down to Kittery, until 10 p.m. Monday. Minor coastal flooding, mostly in York County was reported because of high waves.

A winter storm warning covered a strip of Maine that includes Augusta, Bangor, Lewiston and Sanford, while a less-severe winter weather advisory included inland areas from Norway and Rumford northeast to Houlton and Millinocket.

Meteorologists said Monday that the winter storm was expected to bring between 4 and 8 inches of snow to coastal Maine once all was said and done, while the interior parts of the state saw a more limited impact. Earlier forecasts called for as much as 14 inches, but the weather service indicated Monday that final accumulation would likely total closer to 6 inches.

As the blizzard arrived, several school districts and town offices closed, while communities across the state issued parking bans ahead of the blustery conditions.

Forecasters warned that the conditions would make travel difficult and dangerous, with Mainers urged to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary. Speed limits on the entire Maine Turnpike were temporarily lowered, most flights out of the Portland International Jetport were delayed or canceled, and bus and train lines reduced service.

Follow along for live updates on the storm and its effects on Maine.

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4:50 p.m.: Despite outcry from advocates, Portland warming shelter will not open Monday night

Portland officials are defending a decision not to open the city’s emergency warming shelter Monday, despite pressure from community organizations pointing to hazardous blizzard conditions.

According to city spokesperson Jessica Grondin, Monday’s forecast did not meet the temperature and precipitation thresholds used by the city to activate the warming shelter in the Riverside Industrial Park. The threshold to open the shelter is when the nighttime low is 15 degrees or below, or when snow accumulation is forecast to exceed 10 inches.

Instead, based on the forecast, the shelter is scheduled to be open Tuesday night.

Organizations like Maine Needs urged supporters Monday to call on city officials to open the shelter “so people don’t have to spend the night in these conditions.” While the organization acknowledged the existing thresholds for opening, it said the shelter should “also be open during a severe weather alert.”

Grondin said opening the shelter more often than planned is difficult due to staffing challenges, especially with less than 48 hours notice. The warming shelter operation has so far required more than 2,430 hours of staff overtime this season, she said, with many employees working over 15 extra shifts to ensure the shelter is open when temperature thresholds are met.

“While we are not able to activate the warming shelter tonight, we understand the interest in opening the shelter on more extreme weather nights that fall outside the existing thresholds, and will explore the ability to do this in the future,” Grondin said. “We will continue to look for ways to strengthen the model moving forward.”

Earlier Monday, the National Weather Service said Portland’s conditions met the criteria for a blizzard — three straight hours of wind gusts over 35 mph and visibility of less than a quarter mile.

Grondin said police officers on duty Monday night will monitor for homeless people in need of immediate help and work to connect them with care.

— Andrew Rice

3:45 p.m.: Wells police ask drivers to avoid coastal road

Wells police asked drivers to avoid Webhannet Drive along the town’s Atlantic coast on Monday afternoon as the blizzard brought high waves that crashed onto the road.

The National Weather Service warned of potential coastal flooding in York County, cautioning that waves could reach as high as 15 feet.

— Staff report

3:20 p.m.: Weather service confirms storm officially reached blizzard status

Southern Maine’s coastline officially experienced blizzard conditions Monday, the National Weather Service confirmed.

According to the weather service, the criteria for a blizzard is three straight hours of wind gusts over 35 mph and visibility of less than a quarter mile, often from blowing snow.

Reports from the Portland International Jetport met those conditions Monday, said Jon Palmer, a meteorologist at the weather service’s office in Gray. He noted blizzard conditions were also likely experienced both north and south of the city.

“Rockland got very close — extremely close, actually,” Palmer said in a Monday afternoon phone call. “The gusts were only one mph off from reaching the criteria.”

Palmer said reports from weather service stations in Rochester and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, also reached the blizzard threshold.

— Drew Johnson

3:15 p.m.: Portland businesses describe ‘snow day’

As people bundled in snow gear scurried along Portland’s powdered sidewalks Monday, some sought refuge in establishments that touted their reputation for staying open during a snowstorm.

Matt Juliano, the manager at Highroller Lobster Co., said local hotel staff often point their guests to the downtown restaurant, which often stays open during nor’easters like these.

While the restaurant hadn’t seen many customers as of Monday afternoon, Juliano said most of the foot traffic came from hotels in the area, such as the nearby Press Hotel. Typically, Mondays are the restaurant’s busiest weekday, thanks to trivia nights and an all-day happy hour, Juliano said.

Tatum Philbrook, who works at Munjoy Hill Tavern, said the bar had seen enough people Monday afternoon to keep the bartender busy. She said the bar had a typical amount of customers for a winter weekday, many of them regulars who live in the neighborhood.

In the city’s Old Port, Portland Beer Hub initially stayed open for what the business dubbed an “adult snow day” before deciding to close its doors early at 4:30 p.m.

Bartender Christopher Gatchell said the bar was “desolate” Monday afternoon, partly because of the slick sidewalks. But he said the business remained open so it could be reliable for customers during the snowstorm. The beer bar even posted special snowstorm deals on social media.

By later Monday afternoon, though, Gatchell said staff made the decision to close early because walking in wintry conditions after sunset could be dangerous.

— Morgan Womack

2:45 p.m.: More snow still expected, forecasters warn

Snow will continue in coastal areas throughout Monday afternoon, the National Weather Service said.

Southern areas are likely to get a few more inches, while areas Down East should expect up to another 8 inches in places, the weather service said.

The weather service’s Caribou office said Hancock and Washington counties should expect another 4 to 8 inches by Tuesday morning. Blizzard conditions, with low visibility and blowing snow, will continue, with gusty winds up to 55 mph in places.

The rest of the coast, from Camden and Rockland south to Portland and Kittery, should anticipate another 1 to 3 inches until the blizzard warning expires late Monday night.

The weather service says travel should only be undertaken in an emergency, and that anyone out on the roads should take a winter survival kit with them.

— Staff report

1:50 p.m.: Power outages creep up but remain low

Despite high winds gusting up to 50 mph in places, power outage levels across Maine remained low early Monday afternoon.

About 700 of Central Maine Power’s nearly 687,000 customers across southern and central Maine were without power as of 1:45 p.m., according to the utility’s website. That included 190 customers in Lincoln County, 167 in Knox County, 132 in York County, 126 in Kennebec County and 84 in Cumberland County.

Source: Central Maine Power

In a news release Sunday ahead of the blizzard’s arrival, CMP noted that its crews are prohibited from going up in bucket trucks when wind speeds exceed 30 mph. Falling trees cause the most CMP outages, the utility said, and crews continue to work with local agencies to clear roads blocked by downed trees even when it’s too windy to use bucket trucks.

Versant Power, serving northern and eastern Maine, reported no outages as of 1:45 p.m.

More than 650,000 Americans, almost entirely on the East Coast, were without power as of 1:45 p.m., according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages nationwide. That included 292,000 in Massachusetts, 135,000 in New Jersey, 68,000 in Delaware and 41,000 in Rhode Island.

— Staff report

1:40 p.m.: Amtrak Downeaster cancels all trains Monday

All Amtrak Downeaster trains have been canceled Monday.

The service originally called off its morning runs between Portland and Boston but later issued an update saying no trains would run Monday.

“The safety of our customers and our team members remains our highest priority,” the Downeaster’s announcement said. “We are taking proactive steps to limit exposure to hazardous conditions for our customers, employees and rail equipment.”

The Portland Amtrak ticket window is also closed because of the storm.

— Gillian Graham

1:20 p.m.: Truck crash blocks 2 lanes on Maine Turnpike in York

A tractor-trailer crashed and jackknifed on the northbound Maine Turnpike in York and is blocking two lanes of traffic, the Maine Turnpike Authority said.

The MTA said in an alert around 1 p.m. Monday that the crash was reported near mile marker 5 in York, and that drivers in the area should use caution and expect delays.

The speed limit on the turnpike has been reduced to 45 mph because of the blizzard. Authorities have cautioned that driving conditions are dangerous and that unnecessary travel should be avoided.

— Morgan Womack

1 p.m.: Snow expected to accumulate throughout Monday afternoon

An alert from the National Weather Service early Monday afternoon warned that a few inches of snow will continue to accumulate across portions of south-central and southwest Maine throughout the day, making for a storm total between 4 to 6 inches of snow in several communities.

The weather service indicated that most areas have gotten about 3 inches of snow so far and should expect another 1 to 3 inches Monday afternoon. The agency had previously noted that blowing snow could make it more difficult than usual to measure exact snowfall totals.

Coastal Maine is experiencing blizzard conditions, the weather service noted. Visibility on roadways is lower than a quarter of a mile. Strong winds have the capacity to knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects, and power outages are also possible, though few have been reported.

The blizzard warning for coastal Maine remains in effect until 10 p.m. Monday.

— Morgan Womack

12:45 p.m.: Snowfall in other parts of Northeast reaches 2 feet

Snowfall totals reached 2 feet on Monday morning in southeastern Massachusetts, Long Island in New York, and parts of New Jersey and Rhode Island, according to reports made to the National Weather Service.

Only a few snowfall reports from Maine have been submitted to the weather service’s Gray office so far. York had recorded 3.3 inches by 8 a.m., with Kittery measuring 2.2 inches at 7 a.m. and North Berwick seeing 2 inches by 9:15 a.m., though those amounts were all but certain to increase throughout the day.

In neighboring New Hampshire, 7.5 inches was recorded in Milford on Monday morning, with other early leaders including 5.3 inches in Keene, 4.7 inches in New Ipswich and 4.6 inches in Bennington.

Forecasters said Monday morning that most of coastal Maine should expect 4 to 8 inches, with totals decreasing in the interior parts of the state. Earlier forecasts called for up to 14 inches.

— Associated Press and staff reports

12:30 p.m.: Quiet but snowy north of Portland

Things were quiet around lunchtime Monday along Route 9 (Cumberland Road) in North Yarmouth.

Pedestrians had mostly petered out once the winds picked up, but a few brave souls could be seen wheeling down the road in their vehicles (presumably equipped with four-wheel-drive).

There’s a haunting beauty to the sound of the wind blowing, as clouds of snow whip through the trees against a chalk-white sky.

— Alex Lear

12:15 p.m.: Live feed shows wintry conditions in downtown Portland

Portland Downtown turned back on its Monument Square Tree Cam — minus the tree — Monday to show off the snowy and blustery conditions in the heart of the city.

— Staff report

11:45 a.m.: Blowing snow obstructs visibility on Portland peninsula

As winds pick up along Maine’s coast, gusts of blowing snow are obstructing visibility on Portland’s peninsula and coating the roads in fresh powder.

Forecasters have warned that driving conditions could be treacherous Monday as the combination of snow and high wind creates potential whiteout conditions.

Portland City Hall was closed Monday because of the blizzard, and the city is under a parking ban through early Tuesday morning.

The Portland City Council raised the fee for failure to move a vehicle during a parking ban from $40 to $130 in November, citing low levels of compliance with bans in the past.

— Morgan Womack

11:30 a.m.: Reduced speeds along Maine Turnpike expanded

The speed limit along the entire Maine Turnpike has been temporarily reduced to 45 mph, according to authorities, who urged any drivers on the roads Monday to travel with caution.

Early Monday morning, the Maine Turnpike Authority reduced the speed limit between the New Hampshire line to Falmouth.

Later in the morning, as blizzard conditions continued to worsen across the state, the agency extended the speed reduction to the entire turnpike. Oversized loads are also prohibited.

— Morgan Womack

11 a.m.: National Weather Service says conditions are ‘rapidly deteriorating’

A new alert from the National Weather Service says heavy snow and stronger winds up to 40 mph are moving ashore along Maine’s coast, which will lead to low visibility while traveling.

Blizzard conditions are expected to continue and spread throughout Monday morning into the early afternoon, according to the agency.

“Prepare for rapidly deteriorating conditions and avoid travel if at all possible,” the alert read.

Currently dry air is pouring into the area on north winds. and has slowed the northward push of the heaviest snow. But moderate/heavy snowfall is inching north. Even with lower snowfall amounts strong wind gusts will drop visibility to near-zero at times once the snow arrives. pic.twitter.com/hPZ0SXOAft

— NWS Gray (@NWSGray) February 23, 2026

The alert covered coastal parts of Cumberland, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc and Waldo counties, including Portland, Bath, Brunswick, Damariscotta, Boothbay Harbor, Rockland and Camden.

— Morgan Womack

10:45 a.m.: Video shows high winds battering York lighthouse

A video posted to social media by a New England photographer shows strong winds and choppy waves at Nubble Lighthouse in York as the winter storm set in along Maine’s coast.

Eric Storm posted the video from the rocky shore at Sohier Park on Monday morning.

Meteorologists warned Monday that winds could reach around 50 mph along the immediate coastline. Coastal communities, including York County, could see flooding and tall waves during the afternoon high tide cycle, according to the National Weather Service.

— Morgan Womack

10 a.m.: Storm knocks out power for thousands along East Coast, but Maine impact limited so far

The storm caused power outages that left more than 500,000 customers in the dark along the East Coast early Monday, including over 212,000 customers in Massachusetts and 128,000 customers in New Jersey, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages nationwide.

About 10,000 customers were without power Monday morning on suburban Long Island. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said utility crews will restore power as soon as possible, but winds of 50 mph or higher could delay action.

“The line men and women are not going up there to restore power if they have to go up on a power line. So … people have to understand that we will do it as soon as it’s safe to have that occur,” Hochul told PIX11 in New York.

But power outages were few and far between in Maine midway through Monday morning.

Central Maine Power, the state’s largest utility, reported 163 of its 686,000-plus customers had lost power as of 10 a.m. Monday. Of those 163, 126 were in Kennebec County and 30 in Cumberland County, with the remaining few in Oxford and York counties.

CMP said in a news release Sunday ahead of the blizzard that it was bringing in extra crews at its service centers in preparation for the storm.

“From extreme cold, to heavy snow and now this expected storm, this winter has brought its share of weather challenges that our crews have risen to and overcome time and time again on behalf of our customers,” CMP President and CEO Linda Ball said in a written statement.

Versant Power, which covers much of northern and eastern Maine, reported a single customer without power on Mount Desert Island but no other issues as of 10 a.m. Monday.

— Associated Press and staff reports

9:30 a.m.: What defines a blizzard?

Meteorologists often use the term “blizzard” to describe heavy snowfalls and severe snow, but the National Weather Service officially uses it to describe a combination of blowing snow and winds.

The agency’s official definition states that blizzard conditions occur when winds are higher than 35 mph, resulting in low visibility during travel. Blizzards often develop on the northwest side of an intense storm system. A difference in low pressure in a storm and high pressure outside of the storm creates a “tight pressure gradient,” which creates strong winds, according to the National Weather Service.

Even if it’s not snowing, a blizzard can still cause whiteout conditions when snow on the ground is blown around. Strong winds can also cause power outages.

— Morgan Womack

Travel During Blizzards is DANGEROUS!

Your safest option: Stay home and off the roads.

If you MUST travel, be prepared: Tell someone your route, check conditions, keep a full tank/charge, and ensure your emergency kit is on board. Don't risk it! https://t.co/VyWINDkBnn pic.twitter.com/BTxrmVUJH6

— National Weather Service (@NWS) February 23, 2026

8:35 a.m.: Coastal conditions worsening

A meteorologist from the National Weather Service in Gray said Monday morning that conditions are beginning to “trend downhill” in coastal areas, but the interior parts of the state will not feel much impact from the storm.

Meteorologist Danny Dumont said winds as high as 50 mph are expected along the immediate coastline and 35 mph in the interior of the state.

Snow started in Portland and York County as of about 8 a.m. and should continue throughout the morning, Dumont said.

He said the coast is expected to receive between 4 and 8 inches of snow, while Maine’s foothills will see less. Some inland areas toward the western Mountains may not get any snow at all, Dumont said.

The worst conditions are expected in York County and Down East Maine. Coastal flooding could occur Monday afternoon, coinciding with the afternoon high tide, with 13- to 15-foot-tall waves. Dumont said that could lead to minor beach erosion.

— Morgan Womack

8:25 a.m.: Storm prompts travel cancellations

Monday’s storm quickly began to impact transportation in Maine and beyond.

Officials from the Portland International Jetport warned that the winter weather is expected to impact operations through Wednesday, with delays and cancellations likely.

More than two dozen incoming flights had already been cancelled by 8:15 a.m. Monday. Only two flights scheduled to depart from Portland on Monday have not been canceled, according to the jetport website.

Speed limits on the Maine Turnpike from the New Hampshire line to Exit 53 in Falmouth have been temporarily reduced to 45 mph. Oversized loads are also prohibited.

The Amtrak Downeaster has canceled several morning runs because of the storm. Trains 680, 681, 682 and 683 between Portland and Boston have been called off, according to the Downeaster website.

Greater Portland Metro announced Metro BREEZ, Husky Line and Metro Connect will not operate Monday. Regular service is planned for all other routes.

Concord Bus Lines has canceled all buses in Maine and New Hampshire.

— Gillian Graham

7:45 a.m.: ‘Nearly impossible’ travel conditions along East Coast

Millions of people in New York City and a large swath of the northeastern U.S. were stuck at home under road travel bans and blizzard warnings Monday as heavy snow and strong winds intensified, creating whiteout conditions in the densely populated region.

Snow fell at a rate of 2 to 3 inches an hour early Monday from New York through Massachusetts. Some areas had gotten well over a foot of snow since Sunday, along with wind gusts of over 30 mph and low visibility.

Long Island MacArthur Airport reported 20 inches of snow as of Monday morning. Freehold, New Jersey, had 19 inches.

The National Weather Service called travel conditions “nearly impossible.”

Blizzard warnings stretched from Maryland to Maine. Cellphones across New York City received wailing push alerts Sunday night announcing a ban on nonemergency travel on all streets through noon Monday because of “dangerous blizzard conditions.” Rhode Island and New Jersey implemented similar restrictions.

More than 5,000 flights in and out of the United States were canceled for Monday, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. Most were canceled in New York, New Jersey and Boston.

— Associated Press

7:15 a.m.: Schools, government offices closed in parts of Maine

Several school districts across the state, including schools in Kittery, Lewiston and Portland, are closed Monday.

Over a dozen communities also issued parking bans from early Monday into Tuesday morning, including Portland, South Portland, Gorham, Scarborough and Brunswick.

Maine state offices are also closed due to severe winter storm conditions. Some communities, including Portland and Gorham, closed city and town offices.

— Morgan Womack