(updated at 5:15 p.m.) Observers for the National Weather Service (NWS) reported snowfall accumulations of 5.3 inches in Bristol and 4.3 inches in Newcastle at 1:15 p.m. on Sun. as heavy snowfall continued to blanket Lincoln County. Those totals may reflect the half-way mark in a storm that is expected to linger in the area until midnight with 4-6 inches of additional accumulation in the forecast, according to the NWS.
Meanwhile, radar images monitored at intellicast.com indicate that the freeze line for this storm is hovering just offshore of the Lincoln County coastline, and some of the local peninsulas may be experiencing sleet and freezing rain.
Power outages were reported in some areas of Newcastle and Edgecomb following a traffic collision involving a power pole on Rt. 27, but reports from the scene indicate that the power lines were not affected. The power outage in Edgecomb was reported to extend along Rt. 27 down to the Boothbay town line. The source of the power outage remains unknown at this time.
A check of power outages on cmp.com confirmed that power outages have been reported in Edgecomb and Boothbay along the River Road area from Mt. Hunger East Rd west to Rt. 27. Outages were also reported in Bristol on the Pemaquid Point Rd., and in scattered areas of Newcastle.
At 5:10 p.m. a CMP crew was reported working to repair power lines on Rt. 27 near the Edgecomb Town Office.
New forecast snowfall totals have been raised from an original high of 12 inches up to the current forecast of 14 inches, according to the NWS.
Areas south of Lincoln County were already showing higher totals on the 1:15 p.m. advisory, with 9 inches in Kennebunk and 7 inches in South Portland, according to the NWS.
A Winter Storm Warning first issued for Sun. morning will continue through midnight with the heaviest snowfall expected to begin tapering off in the late evening hours, according to the NWS.
Some closings and cancellations have been reported, including the Boothbay Region YMCA (closed) and Wiscasset Community Center (all activities cancelled).
Church services were cancelled at Boothbay Harbor United Methodist Church, Boothbay Region Community Fellowship, Christ Church in Damariscotta, First Baptist Church of Waldoboro, Lincoln County Assembly of God, North Nobleboro Baptist Church, Orff’s Corner Community Church, and St. Patrick’s Church in Newcastle.
Lincoln County residents with plans for air travel should be advised that the Portland International Jetport was also closed at the time of this posting and should check www.transportme.org for further information on their flights.
For a full list of closures and cancellations, click on the link provided through special arrangement with WCSH channel 6 located just to the right of this article.
Aside from scattered reports of vehicles off the road, no major incidents related to this storm have been reported at the time of this posting.
The Lincoln County News website will continue to follow the progress of this weather event, and post any developments as soon as they become available.
