Both the Maine State Police and the National Weather Service are urging motorists traveling to Thanksgiving events on Wednesday to exercise caution and make every effort to reach their destination by Wednesday afternoon.
“Because of the expected intensity and accumulation of snow, driving will become treacherous on one of the busiest travel days of the year,” the NWS advised. “Travelers should be at their destination by Wednesday afternoon to avoid hazardous conditions.”
Maine State Police are urging drivers to have themselves and their vehicles ready for the winter season. Maine State Police Chief Colonel Robert Williams said drivers need to be planning ahead for any Thanksgiving related travel and keeping a close eye on weather forecasts and road conditions. “When the storm hits, the best advice is to slow down,” Colonel Williams said.
Williams said four people were killed during the four-day Thanksgiving weekend last year and five people lost their lives in traffic crashes during the holiday weekend in 2012. The chief said all nine deaths were attributed to speed or driving too fast for road conditions.
Additional troopers will be working throughout the long weekend looking for aggressive and impaired drivers, and ready to assist motorists as a result of the storm.
Meanwhile, Central Maine Power Company is gearing up for the possibility of power outages.
“We’ve put our storm response plan into motion, and we’re watching the forecast closely,” said Gail Rice, spokesperson for CMP. “This storm could cause considerable buildup of snow on roadways, tree limbs, and power lines. This could result in power interruptions and difficult travel, so we’re getting crews, equipment, and materials in place to respond.”
Utility trucks are fueled and equipped, and CMP personnel are holding pre-storm planning sessions to discuss staffing levels and finalize storm-response plans. The utility is checking the availability of contract crews to assist local crews if the storm causes widespread damage. CMP is also keeping the Maine Emergency Management Agency informed on preparation efforts, according to Rice.
Rice urges CMP customers to use caution if they see downed lines.
“Everyone should stay clear of any downed power lines or fallen trees that may be tangled in the lines,” said Rice. “All downed lines should be considered live and dangerous. Customers should leave the clean-up to our crews, who are trained and equipped to handle these situations safely,” Rice said.
CMP also reminds drivers to use caution when approaching utility crews. The working conditions are difficult, and the workers appreciate everyone’s consideration for their safety.
Additional information on storm safety and restoration, including a town-by-town listing of outages in the CMP service area with an area map, can be found on CMP’s web site at www.cmpco.com .
On Tuesday afternoon the NWS upgraded a Winter Storm Watch issued on Monday to a Winter Storm Warning with Heavy Snow, which means, “severe winter weather conditions are either expected or occurring,” according to the NWS bulletin. A NWS “Warning” is the highest level of storm alert, meaning the NWS has high confidence that a significant winter storm will affect the area.
Precipitation in Lincoln County is forecast to begin in the mid morning hours of Wednesday, likely starting as rain or freezing rain before developing into snowfall. The storm will be centered offshore, which is likely to bring heavy, wet snowfall.
The snowfall, heavy at times, will continue through the overnight hours, tapering off around sunrise on Thanksgiving Day, according to forecasts.
Total accumulation has been forecast in the 6 to 10 inch range. The Winter Storm Warning with Heavy Snow is in effect from 10 a.m. Wednesday to 7 a.m. Thursday.
The Lincoln County News website will continue to follow the progress of this event and will post any additional information here as soon as it is obtained.
