Bangor, Maine – A powerful winter storm is intensifying across eastern Maine and the New Hampshire Seacoast, bringing blizzard conditions, heavy snowfall and dangerous winds through tonight and into early Tuesday.
The National Weather Service in Caribou and Gray has issued Blizzard Warnings for much of coastal and interior Hancock and Washington counties, along with coastal southern Maine and southeast New Hampshire.
Across interior Hancock and central Washington counties, 6 to 12 inches of snow is expected between 10 a.m. Monday and 7 a.m. Tuesday, with wind gusts up to 50 mph. Coastal Hancock and Washington counties, including Bar Harbor, Eastport and Machias, could see 6 to 12 inches with gusts as high as 60 mph.
Farther south along the Maine coast from Portland to Rockland and Belfast, 5 to 8 inches of snow is forecast with wind gusts up to 50 mph through 10 p.m. Monday. In southeast New Hampshire, including Portsmouth, Manchester and Nashua, totals of 8 to 14 inches are expected with gusts up to 50 mph.
Whiteout conditions are likely, with visibility frequently dropping below a quarter mile due to falling and blowing snow. Travel could become extremely dangerous or impossible, especially late Monday morning through the evening commute.
Strong winds combined with heavy, wet snow may down tree limbs and power lines, raising the threat of scattered power outages across the region.
Officials urge residents to avoid travel except for emergencies. If travel is unavoidable, carry a winter survival kit and remain with your vehicle if stranded. Road conditions are available at newengland511.org.
Conditions will gradually improve late tonight into early Tuesday as snowfall tapers and winds begin to ease, but hazardous travel may linger into Tuesday morning.
