A look at the region as of 7:55 AM Wednesday shows winds increasing as the front approaches the state. The front is jamming up against high pressure anchored over the Atlantic. The result is a squeeze play that will bring heavy rain along with gusty winds over the region through Thursday.
Reports to Central Maine Power and Emera Maine have indicated close to 5,800 without power as of 8 AM. That number could rise, especially for the MidCoast and DownEast region.
Gusty winds in excess of 40 miles per hour are expected at times across the state during the day. As the front stalls over the Gulf of Maine early Thursday, DownEast areas remain windy. Western and southern areas see the wind diminish slowly this afternoon into the evening.
With the front stalling out over eastern Maine, that is where the highest totals of rain will accumulate. A widespread area of Washington County down to around Bar Harbor could exceed 5″ of rainfall by the time it ends Friday morning.
Given the tropical nature of this system, locally higher amounts of rain are possible where heavy rain showers train.
Flash flooding, urban street flooding from leaf clogged drains, reduced visibility in heavy showers, flying debris are all possible land hazards.
For the latest updates on the storm, please follow the Pine Tree Weather Facebook page and on Twitter. The links are provided below.
-Mike Haggett
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Forecast information supplied by Weather.us, WeatherTAP.com, the National Weather Service, WeatherBELL Analytics and AccuWeather Professional.
For official forecast information: please check in with National Weather Service Gray for Western & Southern Maine and National Weather Service Caribou for Eastern & Northern Maine.
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