Portland, ME – Whiteout conditions and wind gusts over 45 mph are sweeping across coastal Maine and southeastern New Hampshire, making travel dangerous and potentially stranding drivers through 10 p.m. Monday.
According to the National Weather Service in Gray, a Blizzard Warning remains in effect until 10 p.m. for coastal York, Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox and Waldo counties in Maine, along with Eastern Hillsborough and Rockingham counties in New Hampshire. Snow totals between 6 and 10 inches are expected along the Maine coast, while southeastern New Hampshire could see 8 to 14 inches. Wind gusts may exceed 45 mph in Maine and reach 50 mph in parts of New Hampshire.
In Portland, South Portland and Brunswick, visibility may fall below a quarter mile as blowing snow intensifies late this morning into the afternoon. Along I-95 from Biddeford to Kittery, drifting snow could quickly re-cover treated lanes.
Across Manchester, Nashua and Portsmouth, powerful wind gusts may down tree limbs and power lines, raising the risk of scattered outages. Coastal communities such as Hampton, Rye and Seabrook could experience the strongest crosswinds.
Officials urge residents to restrict travel to emergencies only and monitor newengland511.org for road updates. Blizzard conditions are expected to persist through the evening commute, with the highest impact during daylight hours.
