Depending on how you look at it the snowstorm that occurred February 5 was either a gift from above, or a big letdown. The snow was light and fluffy in the Midcoast, with six to eight inches of the white stuff reported.

Snow was lighter than expected in Wiscasset with seven inches reported, and Edgecomb weighed in with a mere six inches.

Tom Hawley of the National Weather Service in Grey said that expectations were pretty much met, with an average of around 8 inches over much of the state. “And we may have had a brief period of sleet here in Gray,” he said.

“Further south got hit a little harder. York County had a lot of 10 inch reports, and there were some 11 inch reports in northern New Hampshire. Higher than we thought,” he said.

Knox County reported 8 inches in Hope and 7.4 in Camden. Ski areas got a surprise gift. With fewer than six inches expected, less than southern Maine and along the coast, the Sugarloaf area reported almost eight inches of the stuff its business relies on.

“A band of heavier snow formed late yesterday afternoon (February 4) and we had to issue a winter storm warning,” Hawley said. “Six or more inches require an upgrade from watch to warning.”

Edgecomb Fire Chief Roy Potter said that road conditions were slippery February 5. “On our way back from the fire (on the Marston Road in Boothbay) there was a tractor trailer truck that couldn't make it up the hill by the Edgecomb Town Hall.” He said that a van slid off the road nearby, but was able to get back on. “The road conditions weren't good,” he said.

After road crews were out plowing and sanding during the night, roads are in much better conditions today, Feb. 6.

The next few day look clear and sunny but cold. “We'll have a bit below normal temperatures right through next week,” Hawley said. “Tomorrow looks nice and Saturday looks nice.”

But Sunday, Feb. 9, is still up in the air. “Clouds will increase on Sunday. There's going to be something out there,” he said. “Right now it looks like a lightweight event and we could see some light snow. The track is still uncertain but we have to keep an eye on it.”