RUMFORD — State and municipal snowplows and sand trucks, along with private snowplowers, far outnumbered ordinary vehicles on Western Maine roads Monday.

The blizzard, which started Sunday night, continued into most of Monday, bringing 5 to 10 inches of snow to parts of Western Maine — more in the mountains — along with wind gusts of 30 mph or more.

Andy Pohl, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said reports had not come in from Rumford. However, Paris received 7 inches of snow and Norway received 5 inches. Jay received 10 inches, while some areas in southern New Hampshire received as much as 25 inches.

Schools were closed for Christmas vacation, several local medical practices didn’t open until noon, and Rumford District Court was closed all day. Most businesses remained open, but there were few customers.

Accidents were few, according to the Maine State Police and the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office. A state police spokeswoman said a few vehicles slid off the roads, but no serious accidents were reported.

In Hanover, a Richard Carrier tractor-trailer slid onto its side around 7 a.m. as it was traveling along Route 2. It was set upright a short time later, a state police spokeswoman said.

A pickup truck slid off Route 120 near the Black Bridge and slid down a 30-foot embankment next to the Swift River early Monday afternoon. No injuries were reported.

Rumford police Sgt. Tracey Higley said no major accidents had been reported.

Thanks to the snow, Black Mountain opened for the season Monday morning.

Youngsters on vacation found themselves shoveling out their parents’ or someone else’s driveways and walks. Snowblowers were seen everywhere.

Pohl said the winds were at least as important to traveling conditions as the snow. He said late Monday afternoon that snow was predicted to end by 6 p.m.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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