CARIBOU, Maine — A forecast winter storm calling for as much as a foot of snow in some parts of Maine has the potential to throw a wrench into Thanksgiving travel plans, according to the National Weather Service.
Although some uncertainty remained, weather forecasters were confident Monday that much of the state will see a white Thanksgiving.
“It’s more likely [going to happen] than not,” Todd Foisy, a forecaster with the weather service’s Caribou office, said Monday afternoon.
On Monday evening, the weather service issued a winter storm watch calling for 6-12 inches of snow from Wednesday afternoon into Thursday morning.
Down East and central portions of the state may receive the heaviest snow, forecasters said. The snow, coupled with winds gusts of up to 30 mph, could make for treacherous travel conditions on one of the busiest travel days of the year.
The storm watch roughly applies to the lower two-thirds of the state, according to a weather map posted Monday evening on the website for the weather service’s Caribou office.
There is a possibility of snow mixed with rain at the storm’s onset Wednesday afternoon and evening before changing to all snow.
Motorists who must travel during the storm should keep in mind the storm could begin as a brief period of rain as it moves north from New Hampshire and into Maine.
Those who plan to travel by air should monitor the weather and contact the airline they are using or their travel agents for information about cancellations or late arrivals or departures, Bangor International Airport Director Tony Caruso noted Monday evening.
Caruso said that travelers also can track flights via the flight status page on the airport’s website.
Caruso also recommends that passengers try to get to the airport at least two hours before their flights are scheduled to depart so that they will have adequate time to park and go through security.
The snow would arrive just days after unseasonable warm weather, which brought rain to much of the state.
“That’s how it goes this time of year,” Foisy said.
The weather service expects by Tuesday afternoon to have a better handle on how much snow could fall during the storm.
Bangor Daily News writer Ryan McLaughlin contributed to this report.