Caribou, Maine – Drivers across northern Maine face immediate travel hazards as snow, sleet, and freezing rain coat roads before sunrise Friday, creating slick conditions on major routes including I-95 and secondary highways.
According to the National Weather Service in Caribou, a wintry mix will continue through at least 8 p.m. Friday, with snowfall totals reaching 3 to 6 inches across Aroostook County, including Caribou, Fort Kent, and Van Buren. Ice accumulation and sleet are expected to reduce visibility and create hazardous road surfaces during the morning commute.
Conditions are most severe across northern communities such as Presque Isle, Houlton, and Frenchville, where temperatures hover between 28 and 32 degrees through midday. Central areas, including Millinocket and Greenville, are seeing a mix of snow and freezing rain before a gradual transition. Bangor, Bar Harbor, and coastal Hancock County are expected to change to plain rain by late morning as temperatures climb into the upper 30s.
Road crews may struggle to keep up with rapidly changing conditions. Officials urge drivers to slow down, allow extra travel time, and avoid unnecessary trips during peak icing.
Precipitation tapers off by evening, but another round of mixed precipitation could impact northern Maine this weekend. Additional advisories may be issued as conditions evolve.
