Lewiston–> Mechanic Falls–> Turner. Each stop has been fairly quiet, except this brook in a yard on the last stop. pic.twitter.com/qUEAtCr6AM

— Kyle Jones WMTW (@MsKyleJones) September 30, 2015

UPDATED 2:29 P.M.: Central Maine Power reported that 2,955 customers in Androscoggin County were without power. 

Greene was hit hardest with 1,159 customers without power.

CMP reported 3,210 customers without power in Kennebec County.

Almost 600 customers in Oxford County and almost 400 customers in Franklin County were without power.

UPDATED 2:05 P.M: FREEPORT — Hunter Road by the power lines, at 38 Hunter Road, will be closed under further notice due to flooding, according to Police Chief Gerald Schofield.

UPDATED 3:07: Hunter Road has been re-opened.

UPDATED 2:10 P.M.: PORTLAND — The National Weather Service said rainfall totals topped 6 inches in parts Maine on Wednesday. Meteorologist Chris Legrow says there were reports of 6.1 inches of rain near Sabbattus and 6.8 inches of rain near Windham. The University of Southern Maine cancelled classes for the afternoon.

Emera Maine said it was working to restore power to about 1,400 customers.

The weather services said rainfall totals topped 5 inches in New Hampshire, and Burlington, Vermont, had 2.04 inches of rain, a record for daily rainfall for Tuesday.

In Maine, parts of Portland flooded during the height of the rainstorm but waters quickly receded. A flood watch runs through Thursday morning in some areas.

Over a half foot of rain in the bucket now in Lewiston/Auburn. Over 3 months worth of rain in just 18 hrs. #MEwx pic.twitter.com/aXnhfwuH0J

— Charlie Lopresti (@CharlieWGME) September 30, 2015

TRAFFIC ALERT: Route 1 NB in Brunswick in Cooks Corner is CLOSED at the moment. Two car crash with heavy damage #Maine #MEwx #MENews

— James Sinko (@JamesSinko) September 30, 2015

Roads flooding all over the city and many are being closed, stay off the roads if possible.

— Portland Police (@PolicePortland) September 30, 2015

Old port @PressHerald @sunjournal @NECN @WCSH6 pic.twitter.com/HYRYf9TBFw

— JmeWhite1 (@JmeWhite1) September 30, 2015

Whole foods in Portland @WCSH6 @sunjournal @PressHerald pic.twitter.com/b3POH5763K

— JmeWhite1 (@JmeWhite1) September 30, 2015

Flood Warning in effect for Androscoggin County until 330 PM #mewx http://t.co/azOqI7oouv

— Maine Weather (@SimpleWeatherME) September 30, 2015

95 North toward Lewiston is a pretty easy drive. Rain is steady but visibility is clear. #mewx

— Kyle Jones WMTW (@MsKyleJones) September 30, 2015

UPDATED 12:13 P.M.: Teresa Glick, deputy director of the Oxford County Emergency Management Agency, said there were no reports of flooding or flash floods in Oxford County right now, but the agency and emergency officials are watching for any changes.

The flood watch is in effect until 12:15 p.m.

UPDATED 11:15 A.M.: GREENE — The Maine Department of Transportation reports that Allen Pond Road at Hooper Pond Road  is reduced to one lane because of flooding. Barricades have been placed out to mark the effected area.

Hurricane Joaquin forms near the Bahamas

UPDATED 11:07 A.M.: MIAMI (AP) — The Bahamas was bracing Wednesday for a brush with Hurricane Joaquin, which was on a projected track that would take it near the East Coast of the U.S. early next week.

The hurricane was expected to pass near the islands of San Salvador, Cat Island, Eleuthera and Rum Cay late Thursday and early Friday, close enough that it could bring tropical-storm-force winds, coastal flooding and 5-10 inches (13-25 centimeters) of rain, said Geoffrey Greene, a senior forecaster with the Bahamas Meteorology Department.

“We would be very concerned about them,” Greene said of the small, lightly populated islands in the far east of the Bahamas.

The center of the storm was expected to be closest to land in the Bahamas about 2 p.m. Thursday, passing east of San Salvador, Greene said.

Forecasters expected the storm to drop about 3-5 inches (8-13 centimeters) in the central Bahamas, including Long Island and Exuma. The effects are projected to be minimal on New Providence, which includes the capital of Nassau, with scattered showers and thunderstorms.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center long-term forecast showed the storm could near the U.S. East Coast above North Carolina early next week, but it said the complexity of the weather environment means “it is too soon to say what impacts, if any, Joaquin will have on the United States.”

Joaquin strengthened to a hurricane Wednesday morning, with maximum sustained winds near 75 mph (120 kph). The Hurricane Center says additional strengthening is expected over the next two days.

The center of the storm early Wednesday was about 245 miles (395 kilometers) east-northeast of the central Bahamas and moving toward the southwest at 6 mph (9kmh).

UPDATED 9:11 A.M.: (WGME) Mother Nature is going to try to make up for a huge rain deficit over the next 24 hours.  Portland has received a little under 5 inches of rain since July 1. 

Some towns should get that through this evening.  Rain will become heavy at times early today and extend through through the afternoon.

It still looks like this morning will be the focus for heaviest rainfall. Torrential downpours are possible.  

We’ll get a break with some dry hours Thursday followed by the chance for more wet weather late week into and through the weekend.  

That will be dependent on more topical moisture associated with Hurricane Joaquin.   There’s a high level of uncertainty in the forecast between Friday and Monday. 

WHAT TO EXPECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY

• 3 to 5 inches of rain through Wednesday evening. Heaviest should be Wednesday morning.
• Flood Watch —  A Flood Watch has been issue for the entire area  form 2 a.m. Wednesday through Thursday morning.   Widespread rainfall totals of 3 to 5 inches of rain may push smaller rivers and streams to bankfull by Wednesday, with some urban and localized drainage flooding possible as well.
• Coastal Flood Watch —  A Coastal Flood Watch has been issued for Coastal Cumberland, Coastal York, and Coastal Rockingham Counties from Wednesday morning through Thursday afternoon.  High tides of concern are 1:14 p.m. Wednesday, 1:47 a.m. Thursday, and 2:06 a.m. Thursday. Tides are already running astronomically high due to the full moon cycle. It won’t take much to produce minor coastal flooding.
• Winds — Wind should not be high on the list of  storm impacts through Wednesday. A stiff south to southeasterly wind sustained 10 to 20 mph is expected during the morning.  Those winds will shift north and gust over 20 mph during the afternoon and evening. Our strongest winds will likely be during the evening with gusts over 30 mph possible.

UPDATED 7:51 A.M.: MIAMI (AP) — Joaquin strengthened to a hurricane Wednesday morning as it nears the Bahamas.

A hurricane warning has been issued for the central Bahamas as the storm approaches.

Hurricane Joaquin’s maximum sustained winds increased to near 75 mph (120 kph). The U.S. National Hurricane Center says additional strengthening is expected over the next two days.

The storm is centered about 245 miles (395 kilometers) east-northeast of the central Bahamas and is moving southwest near 6 mph (9 kph). Joaquin’s center is expected to pass over or near the central Bahamas Wednesday night or Thursday.

Meanwhile in the Pacific, Marty has weakened to a tropical depression as it moves away from Mexico’s coast.

Marty’s maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 35 mph (55 kph) and it’s expected to weaken to a remnant low later Wednesday or on Thursday. The depression is centered about 115 miles (185 kilometers) south-southwest of Zihuatanejo, Mexico.

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