Weekend storm hits The County the hardest

Northern Maine was blanketed Saturday night with several inches of heavy, wet snow — a change from the fluffy stuff that has been the rule so far this winter. In combination with freezing temperatures overnight, the precipitation made for icy road conditions and some minor accidents, though no serious injuries were reported.
In addition, some areas experienced storm-related power outages that were largely resolved by noon Sunday.
According to reports from the National Weather Service in Caribou, Aroostook County bore the brunt of the winter storm. More than a foot of snow fell in Houlton, Monticello and Island Falls. Farther north, Presque Isle and Caribou reported about 8 inches, while about 5 inches fell in the Bangor area.
State police units handled about a dozen vehicles that slid off Interstate 95 during and after the snowstorm, but no serious injuries resulted, and warming temperatures near midday improved conditions on many roads.
“There were a lot of people just going off into snowbanks, mostly without even any damage to their vehicles,” said Sgt. Sean Hashey of the Maine State Police in Orono.
Back roads remained icy and slushy well into Sunday afternoon, according to the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department.
Bangor Hydro-Electric Co. reported scattered power outages related to the storm, mostly in Hancock County. About 2,500 customers lost power, but most customers had their power restored by noon Sunday.
The National Weather Service says Mainers should expect a few more inches of wet snow beginning Monday afternoon or evening and continuing into Tuesday, with accumulations heaviest Down East. Temperatures will drop lower Tuesday.