Maine · Preparedness Guide

Maine is the largest New England state by area but one of the least densely populated — and that combination means disasters hit hard and help arrives slowly. The 1998 ice storm was the worst natural disaster in Maine history, knocking out power to 700,000 people and devastating the state's forests. Nor'easters routinely drop 2-3 feet of snow on the coast and mountains simultaneously. The Kennebec, Penobscot, and Androscoggin rivers flood every spring. The coastline from Kittery to Eastport — over 3,000 miles when counting islands — faces Atlantic storm surge and coastal erosion. Northern Maine is extraordinarily isolated; some communities in Aroostook County have single road access points that close in major storms.