BANGOR, Maine — Rising temperatures along with predicted rain and melting snow have led the National Weather Service to issue a flood watch for parts of Maine Thursday.
Much of the state received a thin covering of snow Wednesday that changed to rain in most areas. Snow continued to fall throughout the day in northern Aroostook County. Madawaska received 8 inches of new snow as of 4 p.m., according to the weather service. St. Agatha had 5.5 inches, while Caribou received 2.5 inches with snow still falling.
Bangor got 1.8 inches of snow before it changed over to rain, according to the weather service.
With a warm front expected to work through the state overnight into Thursday, temperatures are forecast to rise quickly into the 40s in the north and low 50s elsewhere. Moderate to heavy rain is expected to taper off into showers during the day, adding to the potential for flooding, according to the weather service.
The combination of another 1-1.5 inches of rain and melting snow may produce runoff that causes minor flooding of streams that could, in turn, dislodge ice on rivers in the north and create jams by late in the day into the evening. The flood watch is in effect from Thursday morning through the evening in Aroostook, Penobscot, Somerset and Piscataquis counties.
A high wind advisory is in effect for the midcoast area Thursday morning, with gusts exceeding 50 mph, creating the potential for downed power lines and power outages, according to the NWS Gray office. Areas that could be affected include Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox and coastal Waldo counties.