A winter storm that struck Maine late Tuesday night and lasted into Wednesday morning brought hurricane-force winds off the coast of Maine.
Much of Maine was placed under a high wind warning into Wednesday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
The strong winds accompanying the snow and rain 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.
Winds out of the southeast were forecast to blow at a sustained 35 to 45 mph, with gusts reaching up to 75 mph, with the strongest winds along the coast, according to the weather service.
For Greater Bangor, winds were expected to reach up to 60 mph, while they were forecast to reach up to 60 mph in Ellsworth, 75 mph in Bar Harbor, 65 mph in Machias, 70 mph in Eastport, and 45 to 55 mph from Houlton to Fort Kent, according to the weather service station in Caribou.
Farther to the south, winds reached up to 60 mph in Portland, 65 mph in Rockland and 70 mph in Rockland, according to the weather service station in Gray.
On Wednesday morning, the Gray weather office reported that 95 mph winds, which are hurricane force, battered Isle au Haut, while 92 mph winds blasted Matinicus Rock, both in Knox County.
Those strong winds also blew a Southwest Airlines 737 into a jet bridge at the Portland International Jetport about 4:35 a.m., according to a spokesperson. No passengers or crew were aboard the plane at the time.
The winds hit their peak strength mid-morning Wednesday.
As of 1 p.m., Central Maine Power reported 19,208 outages across its service area, with the bulk in the coastal counties of Cumberland, Lincoln, Waldo and York. Meanwhile, Versant Power reported 19,208 outages in eastern Maine.
The storm brought primarily snow overnight, and changed over to rain before sunrise. The melting snow, coupled with heavy rain, raised the flood risk for many communities.
The weather service warned that the Penobscot River was expected to reach flood stage in Bangor, with the biggest risk to the riverfront and Kenduskeag Plaza. Minor flooding was reported along the Kenduskeag Stream there. Meanwhile, the causeway connecting Deer Isle and Little Deer Isle was temporarily closed because of flooding, and other roads along the coast in southern Maine were submerged by the Atlantic Ocean.