There were school and business closings and cancellations, but otherwise no major incidents have been reported as the leading edge of a winter storm began tracking through Lincoln County Weds. morning.
Snowfall is forecast to become heavier as the day progresses, falling at the rate of 1-2 inches per hour at times, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). The heaviest snowfall should visit Lincoln County in the late afternoon and evening hours, according to forecasts.
Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of this storm is the possibility that coastal temperatures are forecast to creep up close to the 32-degree mark just as the heavy snowfall chugs through the area during the evening commute. The warm temps could cause a changeover to an icy mix or freezing rain, causing hazardous road conditions and the possibility of power outages. The potential for an icy mix is highest along immediate coastal areas and peninsulas, according to forecast models.
A check of temperatures in Lincoln County coastal areas including Southport, Boothbay Harbor and Bristol at 12:37 p.m. indicated temps in the low 20’s with a forecast high of 27-degrees for those areas. Just up the coast, Rockland was already at 28-degrees with a forecast high of 29-degrees.
Radar images monitored on intellicast.com at the same time as the temperature check indicated the freeze line was tracking just offshore of Lincoln County at the approximate distance of Monhegan Island.
Lincoln County remains under a Winter Storm Warning until 7 a.m. on Thurs., according to the NWS. The potential exists for significant snowfall accumulating to 8-12 inches by late Weds. night, according to the NWS.
This storm is courtesy of a low front that is tracking up from Cape Cod and will chug northeasterly through the Gulf of Maine during the day, almost following the coastline. This is the same system that has been blamed for 20 deaths and left 800,000 people without power in the Midwest as a result of heavy icing. That degree of icing is not in the forecast for Lincoln County.
For a full list of closings, cancellations and parking bans, just click on the WCSH6 tile located to the right of this article (through special arrangement with WCSH).
The Lincoln County News website will continue to follow the progress of this event and post any additional information here as it becomes available.
