BANGOR, Maine — A combination of high winds and heavy rain knocked out power for thousands of Mainers on Sunday night. The weather conditions also had resulted in some flooding.
The National Weather Service issued a high-wind warning Sunday for parts of coastal and eastern Maine, effective from late Sunday afternoon through Sunday night.
The warning applied to southern Penobscot, interior and coastal Hancock, interior Waldo, and central and coastal Washington counties, including Greater Bangor, Dedham, Ellsworth, Bar Harbor, Blue Hill, Machias, Winterport and Unity.
The stormy weather began around mid-afternoon, bringing with it 30 to 35 mph winds, with gusts as high as 55 to 60 mph.
High winds were expected to down trees and power lines, resulting power outages, forecasters said. Blown-down debris also was expected to block some roadways, and minor structural damage to poorly constructed buildings was possible.
As of 9:40 p.m., Central Maine Power had more than 30,000 outages — including more than 8,000 in Kennebec County and more than 3,000 in Lincoln, Knox and Sagadahoc counties.
As of 9:15 p.m., Emera Maine was reporting more than 19,000 customers in the dark. Hancock County suffered the most outages with 14,738 customers without power.
Emera Maine spokesman Bob Potts said Sunday that repair crews and customer service personnel were put on standby so they would be ready to deal with storm-related outages “because the impact is expected to be fairly widespread.
“We’re kind of preparing for the worst but hoping for the best,” Potts said late Sunday afternoon as wind speeds began to pick up.
Potts reminded customers to make sure that their electronic devices, such as cell phones and tablets, are charged so that they can report outages should they occur. He also urged the public to use caution and move over, when possible, if approaching utility crews working on roadways.
Customers who use generators should ensure they are used in accordance with manufacturer’s guidelines, he said.
Potts asked customers to stay clear of downed power lines and trees that were in contact with power lines.
Ferry service from Rockland to Vinalhaven and North Haven was canceled because of the weather outlook, the Maine Department of Transportation announced in an alert issued Sunday afternoon.
A flood watch also was in effect from late Sunday afternoon through Monday morning for parts of Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset, Androscoggin, Kennebec, Franklin, Oxford and Cumberland counties and the Down East region, where a combination of heavy rainfall and melting snow could cause rivers and streams to swell.
Route 88 in Cumberland was temporarily closed late Sunday afternoon because of downed trees and flooding, according to state transportation officials. Route 237 was closed at the Gorham-Standish line because water was flowing over the roadway.
Meanwhile, a wind advisory was in effect for central Penobscot, southern Piscataquis and northern Washington counties, including the Lincoln, Dover-Foxcroft, Milo, Danforth and Topsfield areas.
Weather forecasters said 20 to 30 mph winds were expected in those areas, with gusts up to around 45 mph.
Forecasters urged motorists to use extra caution as winds that strong could make driving difficult, especially when it comes to high-profile vehicles.