FORT KENT, Maine — Most of Maine is under a flood watch Monday as mild temperatures coupled with a rainy forecast produce significant snow melt, raising the river levels and creating the potential for ice jams.

According to reports from the National Weather Service offices in Gray and Caribou released Monday, the watches are in effect in Penobscot, Piscataquis, Aroostook, Hancock, Washington, Somerset, Androscoggin, Cumberland, Waldo, York, Kennebec, Franklin, Oxford and Sagadahoc counties.

“Temperatures will remain above freezing tonight in advance of an approaching cold front which will cause snow to melt,” the National Weather Service said in its release. “Rain chances will also begin to increase later tonight, (and) moderate to heavy rain will occur across the region later Tuesday into Tuesday night.”

At a Monday morning conference-call meeting, the River Flow Advisory Commission was told potential for flooding around the state is “extremely high,” according to Greg Stewart with the United States Geological Services in Maine.

“A lot of it depends on how much rain we get,” he said. “The system is well primed, (and) flood potential is well above normal especially as you get into the northern reaches of the state.”

Small ice jams were reported along the Piscataquis River as of Monday morning, and river watchers are keeping an eye on a jam on the St. John River near Dickey in Allagash.

Temperatures in southern Maine are expected to soar into the mid-70s on Monday, followed by up to 2 inches of rain on Tuesday, according to Tom Hawley, hydrologist at the National Weather Service in Gray.

“We will start to see some melting this afternoon, and river levels going up in response to that,” he said. “It looks like late tomorrow, we will start to see rivers approach and go above flood stage.”

Maureen Hastings with the Caribou office of the National Weather Service said about 1-1.5 inches of rain was expected late Tuesday with temperatures climbing to the 50s.

“There is still a good amount of snow in northern Maine,” Hastings said. “That snow is pretty wet, and I can’t imagine it will absorb much of that rain so it will be pure runoff.”

By Wednesday, the rain will have moved out and conditions improved for a slower melt to the snow with cooler temperatures through the weekend.

The National Weather Service on Monday said the threat of ice jams and flooding will persist through Wednesday and areas normally prone to flooding will likely see some minor flooding with water on low lying roadways and parking lots.

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