A man crosses Maine Street where snow has been piled high during a blizzard, Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, in Brunswick. A fluffy snow up to two-feet deep blanketed parts of the Northeast, just days after the biggest storm of the season dumped up to 19 inches of snow on the region.
Cary gets 30 inches of snow
Updated 6 p.m.: (AP) — The National Weather Service says the Maine town of Cary has recorded 30 inches of snow during the past 24 hours. It’s one of several towns in the state that will remember the latest winter storm mostly for the massive amounts of snow they received.
Cary is near the Canadian border and has registered the most snow in Maine from the storm that still was active Monday evening. But there were several towns not far behind, including Dexter, which got 28 inches, and Island Falls, which logged 25 inches.
Meteorologists say some towns see similarly high snowfall totals every few years. And the numbers still can rise.
The storm is expected to continue on for several more hours before petering out Monday evening.
More storm updates found below….
Alan Boucher uses a farm tractor to dig out of his driveway during a blizzard, Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, in Freeport. Snow up to two feet deep blanketed parts of the Northeast, just days after the biggest storm of the season dumped up to 19 inches of snow on the region.
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Updated 3:35 p.m.: The U.S. Postal Service announced Monday afternoon that post offices in the ZIP codes beginning with the 3 digits 044, 046 and 049 will be closing early.
Employees of the effected offices are advised to call the employee emergency number for updates.
Mail will be collected and processed as road conditions permit, and post offices should reopen at scheduled times Tuesday.
Maine getting fewer power outages than expected
Updated 1:35 p.m.: (AP) — Maine utilities say despite whiteout conditions caused by blustery snow, the storm hasn’t brought as many power outages as expected.
A spokeswoman for Central Maine Power says about 800 power outages were reported by mid-day Monday. Most are in an area of Waldo County that was predicted to have the biggest snowfall and the fastest wind speeds.
The snow in Maine is light, not sticky, and the wind isn’t moving as fast as predicted. Although driving conditions are poor, the snow isn’t creating much havoc with electrical systems.
A spokeswoman for Emera Maine said utilities still are prepared to deal with higher wind speeds if it picks up in the afternoon.
Maine warns of unsafe driving conditions in snow
Updated 11:15 a.m.: (AP) — Maine authorities say road conditions are bad enough to warrant staying off the highways so snowplow drivers can do their work.
High winds are making for poor visibility on roads and blowing snow into the path of drivers. Some areas of Maine got 20 inches of snow on Monday, and winds are topping 35 mph.
The Maine Department of Transportation says two incidents on Interstate 95 require the attention of drivers in the Augusta area. However, they say it’s better to stay off the roads altogether.
A tractor trailer got stuck in the median at the 110 northbound mile marker, blocking a lane. Two tractor trailers also got stuck at Exit 113 northbound, causing more lane blockage.
The state police asked all commercial tractor trailers to stay off Maine’s interstates to prevent more issues that stop traffic and delay road clearing.
Worst of storm may be over for New Hampshire
Updated 10:05 a.m.: (AP) — The National Weather Service says winter storm warnings have been lifted for New Hampshire, while blizzard warnings remain in place until 7 p.m. for the Midcoast and coastal regions of Maine.
Justin Arnott, a meteorologist for the weather service, says winter storm warnings for Strafford and Rockingham counties in New Hampshire have been lifted. The Granite state got a little less snow than expected, he said, but still saw upward of 14 inches of snow in some places. He says that made it one of the biggest, if not the biggest storm of the year, for some locations.
In Maine, Arnott said the storm was still ongoing, though some parts of the state could see as much as 2 feet of snow by the end of the day. If those numbers play out, Arnott projected that this storm could be at least as large as one that hit the state at the end December. Blizzard warnings remain in place along the coast from Sagadahoc to Washington counties.
Storm immobilizes Maine
Updated 8:45 a.m.: (AP) — A powerful storm packing snow and wind has immobilized much of Maine, where authorities are advising residents stay home and be wary of strong winds that could be dangerous.
The National Weather Service says parts of mid-coast and eastern Maine could get 2 feet of snow before it’s all over. The storm was still raging in Maine on Monday morning and was expected to continue into the afternoon.
Snow totals included 20 inches in Harpswell and 15 inches in Kennebunk. Authorities warned that high winds of more than 35 mph were making for dangerous conditions and low visibility.
The storm has closed state offices, the Portland International Jetport and hundreds of schools.
Maine closes state offices Monday
AUGUSTA – Gov. Paul LePage announced all state offices will be closed Monday.
“Travel conditions are expected to remain treacherous throughout Monday,” wrote LePage. “I encourage Mainers to stay off the roads and avoid traveling unless it is an absolute emergency. Avoiding unnecessary travel will keep accidents to a minimum and allow state and municipal road crews to safely go about their work.”
LePage reminded Mainers to put safety first and help their neighbors weather the storm.
“Watch for the most up-to-date forecast, keep yourself safe, and reach out to a neighbor who might need a helping hand,” said Governor LePage. “Our state has a well-known reputation for Mainers helping Mainers, and I expect that this storm will once again bring out the best in our citizens.”
Strong sustained winds and gusts will cause blowing and drifting snow, limit visibility, create dangerous travel conditions and are expected to contribute to power outages throughout Maine. During and after the storm:
- Stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary, and let the plow drivers do their work. Travel will be extremely treacherous, with near-zero-visibility at times.
- Check in with neighbors and friends who may need help during the storm.
- If you lose power, use generators or alternate heat sources safely.
- Run generators outside only, 15 feet away from doors or windows, with exhaust pointing away from the house.
- Ensure all heating vents are clear of any snow to avoid carbon monoxide buildup.
- Take care shoveling snow, especially if you have health problems.
- After the storm has passed, determine whether excess snow needs to be removed, especially flat or roofs with minimal slope.
State police: Fire at log home in York leaves 1 dead
Updated 6:08 a.m.: YORK (AP) — State police have tentatively identified a man killed in a fire that destroyed a log home in York over the weekend.
Workers at a nearby Veterans of Foreign Wars hall reported the fire on Saturday morning. The building was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived.
State officials say a body was found in the rubble of the home on Saturday afternoon. Investigators say the body is probably the home’s 64-year-old owner, John Herrin.
An autopsy will be performed this week.
The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
Police say firefighters prevented the flames from spreading to other homes and a wooded area nearby.
Another winter blast slams into Northeast
Updated 3 a.m.: (AP) — Heavy, wet snow is once again blanketing the Northeast just days after the biggest storm of the season dumped up to 19 inches of snow on the region.
Winter storm warnings are in effect into Monday from upstate New York to Maine, where blizzard conditions and 2 feet of snow are possible.
Hartford, Connecticut, could get 4 to 8 inches of snow, the Boston area 6 to 10, Portsmouth, New Hampshire 12 to 18 and 16 to 24 in Portland, Maine.
The National Weather also is warning of strong winds and coastal flooding.
Schools around the region delayed or canceled classes Monday including in Boston.
According to the flight-tracking website FlightAware.com, more than 1,300 flights in the U.S. were scrapped Sunday and more than 6,000 delayed.
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