Caribou, ME – Drivers across northern Maine and much of Vermont should be prepared for slick and icy roads early this morning as wet pavement refreezes, creating scattered areas of black ice that may be difficult to spot before sunrise. The National Weather Service issued Special Weather Statements Friday evening and early Saturday warning travelers of hazardous conditions.
According to the National Weather Service in Caribou, wet roads across Aroostook, Somerset, Piscataquis and Penobscot counties are refreezing overnight as temperatures fall below freezing. Communities including Madawaska, Fort Kent, Caribou, Mars Hill, Millinocket, Baxter State Park, Houlton and Sherman may encounter icy patches, particularly on untreated roads, bridges and shaded stretches.
Further south, the National Weather Service in Burlington reports similar concerns across the entire northern half of Vermont, from Grand Isle and Franklin counties east through Orleans, Essex, Caledonia, Washington and Orange counties, and extending south into Addison, Rutland and Windsor counties. Forecasters say falling early-morning temperatures combined with leftover moisture may produce patchy but widespread black ice, especially in rural areas.
Officials warn that black ice often appears as a harmless wet sheen, catching drivers off guard. Motorists and pedestrians are urged to slow down, use caution on slick sidewalks and parking lots, and allow extra braking distance during the early morning commute.
Temperatures are expected to gradually rise after sunrise, reducing ice formation, but isolated slick spots may linger on shaded or elevated road surfaces.
