Blizzard Warning Covers Downeast Coast as Storm Targets MDI Monday Potential Blizzard Set to Sweep Into MDI on Scheduled First Day Back to School
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Blizzard Warning Covers Downeast Coast as Storm Targets MDI Monday

Potential Blizzard Set to Sweep Into MDI on Scheduled First Day Back to School

Carrie Jones

Feb 22, 2026

Two snowmen on a snowy surface with a coastal background, featuring a cloudy sky and distant hills.
Waiting for more snow on Bar Harbor’s Shore Path. Bar Harbor Story/Carrie Jones

MOUNT DESERT ISLAND REGION—A winter storm is predicted to bring blizzard conditions to the area on Monday.

The storm is expected to begin Monday morning, according to the National Weather Service. The service has placed coastal Hancock and Washington counties into a blizzard warning from 7 a.m. Monday until 7 a.m. on Tuesday.

According to the National Weather Service, “Strongest winds are Monday afternoon/evening, with gusts 40-50 mph, highest Downeast.”

The service said Sunday afternoon, “Travel could be very difficult if not impossible.”

Strong winds and heavy snow are predicted to create hazardous conditions. Snowfall predictions currently range from 8 to 12 inches. At 4:35 p.m., the Weather Service predicted 9 inches for Bar Harbor.

The service predicts that the “snow will be fluffy/low-density in nature and easy to blow and drift.”

Weather forecast map showing total snow accumulation in inches for Caribou, Maine, valid from February 23 to February 24, 2026. Areas of varying snow totals depicted in colors, with key locations and measurements indicated.
Weather map indicating a significant winter storm warning for the Caribou, ME area, highlighting expected snowfall amounts and areas of impact, including strong winds and heavy snow.

Wind gusts are expected to reach up to 50 mph. The most brutal part of the storm in terms of 1-inch snowfall rates and strong winds is currently anticipated to hit Monday afternoon into the evening.

The weather conditions were expected to deteriorate “around the tail end of the Monday morning commute,” and become “extremely dangerous” for the Monday evening commute, the Weather Service reported.

The storm arrives the first day of school after a week-long February vacation. As of 5 p.m., Sunday night, there had been no notification that schools in the region would be cancelled.

A blizzard warning means that there will likely be winter weather that is severe.

“This will lead to whiteout conditions, making travel extremely dangerous. Do not travel. If you must travel, have a winter survival kit with you. If you get stranded, stay with your vehicle,” according to the National Weather Service.

The state has announced it will close all offices on Monday “due to severe winter storm conditions. Governor Mills is strongly urging all Maine people to use extra caution if traveling.”

The storm was projected to bring up to 24 inches to portions of New England, particularly in Massachusetts. As of Sunday afternoon, over 35 million people were in an area that was a part of a blizzard warning. Also as of Sunday afternoon, FlightAware stated that approximately 3,650 flights have been cancelled Sunday due to the weather. More than 4,500 have been cancelled for Monday.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

You can report an outage to Versant. You can also see its updated outage map.

New England travel conditions are here.

CURRENT CANCELLATIONS WE ARE AWARE OF:

  • The College of the Atlantic’s presentation of Eric Hopkins has been postponed. coa.edu/calendar.
  • Raney Bench’s talk about extreme weather that was scheduled for Monday February 23 at 5:00 at Woodlawn Ellsworth was moved to Zoom due to extreme weather. You can register for that talk here.
  • All state offices.
  • Hancock County government offices.
  • Downeast Transportation.

Please feel free to let us know of any cancellations via our comments. We will update this story throughout the next few days if necessary.

LINK TO LEARN MORE

National Weather Service Caribou

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