In addition to heavy snow and high winds buffeting the state Thursday, some areas – coastal areas, primarily – are dealing with flooding as well.
Up and down the Maine coast, from Kennebunkport and Wells to as far east as Machias, there were reports of flooding or dangerously high water levels.
In Portland, there was flooding on waterfront piers near J’s Oyster House, on Somerset Street near Whole Foods and on Marginal Way near Diamond Street, said city spokeswoman Jessica Grondin. City officials advised motorists to turn around rather than drive through standing water.
Andy O’Brien, a writer and former state lawmaker, posted on Twitter a photo of flooding at Lincolnville Beach, and wrote, “Never seen anything like it in my 39 years living here.”
Pictures posted on social media from nearby Port Clyde showed severe flooding at the town’s commercial fishing pier.
A vehicle drives through high water caused by tidal flooding at Dock Square in Kennebunkport just after high tide during Thursday’s storm. (Carl D. Walsh/Portland Press Herald)
In Kennebunkport, Hurricane Restaurant in Dock Square was flooded early Thursday afternoon.
The biggest threat of flooding was at high tide, or around 12:30 p.m. for coastal York and Cumberland counties.
South of Maine, many areas were seeing high water levels as well, including Boston and coastal New Hampshire. Video footage on Facebook from a Boston television station showed a giant dumpster floating down a side street.
The National Weather Service station in Boston reported Thursday afternoon that flooding there was approaching levels last seen 40 years ago during the Blizzard of 1978.
“Major impacts & evacuations currently ongoing along the E Coast of MA,” the weather service posted on its Twitter page.
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