A severe winter storm will descend on Maine on Tuesday night, bringing strong winds, snow, sleet and rain.
That storm, the second of three this week, has sparked concerns about a repeat of the widespread power outages seen in the wake of the wind storm on Dec. 18.
“I urge Maine people to take precautions and to prepare for the storm and its aftermath. As always, please pay close attention to local forecasts and the directions of emergency management personnel, and be sure to give plow trucks, utility crews, and emergency first responders plenty of space on the roads as they work to keep us safe,” said Gov. Janet Mills, who ordered state offices to delay opening until at least noon Wednesday.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning, high wind warning and flood watches, in effect late Tuesday into Wednesday.
Based on current projections, snow will start to fly over Greater Bangor about 10 p.m. Tuesday and between 1 and 3 a.m. Wednesday for points east and north, according to the National Weather Service’s Caribou office.
That will changeover to mixed precipitation between 3 and 6 a.m. for Greater Bangor and Down East Maine and about 9 a.m. for Aroostook County. It will become all rain by 8 a.m. starting in Greater Bangor, according to the weather service station in Caribou.
Greater Bangor is expected to see snow accumulation around 6 to 8 inches, with 4 to 6 inches forecast for coastal Hancock and Washington counties. To the north, 6 to 8 inches are forecast for most of Aroostook County from Houlton to Van Buren, and greater amounts (8 to 12 inches) for Fort Kent and Estcourt Station.
Meanwhile, the western mountains are expected to see no less than 6 inches of snow before the changeover to rain, according to the weather service station in Gray.
Temperatures are forecast to rise throughout the day on Wednesday, reaching highs of 49 degrees Fahrenheit in Bangor, 48 degrees in Bar Harbor, 47 degrees in Machias and Eastport, 44 degrees in Houlton and 37 degrees in Fort Kent, according to the Caribou weather station.
The combination of melting snow and rain will increase the rise of flooding.
The strong winds accompanying the snow and rain have raised concerns about widespread power outages, especially as many utility poles remain damaged from the Dec. 18 storm that left more than 420,000 without power statewide and four dead.
A weather service advisory warned of sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph and gusts that could reach 75 mph.
“Damaging winds will blow down trees and powerlines. Numerous to widespread power outages are likely. Travel will be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles,” the weather service advisory reads.
For Greater Bangor, winds are expected to reach up to 55 mph, while winds may reach up to 75 mph in Bar Harbor, 65 mph in Machias, 70 mph in Eastport, and 45 mph from Houlton to Fort Kent, according to the Caribou weather station.
In response to concerns about widespread power outages, the state’s utilities are staging crews before the storm strikes.
“Most utilities in New England are preparing for some kind of impact from this storm, and CMP is no different. We have been monitoring this winter storm since late last week and have already secured additional line and tree crews, which will be pre-staging Tuesday night.” said Jon Breed, a spokesperson for Central Maine Power, the state’s largest utility. “We have seen several winter storms this season, with tree damage and motor vehicle accidents being some of the most common causes of power outages. With another storm on the way, we urge caution if anyone needs to travel on Wednesday as conditions will likely be hazardous throughout the day.”
In a Tuesday statement, Maine Emergency Management Agency Director Peter Rogers urged Mainers to be safe when using alternative power sources and to never drive through flooded roads.
The weather service is forecasting a third storm similar to the Tuesday-Wednesday storm to arrive this weekend.