High winds and blowing snow pose high risk following Saturday Nor’easter

By Rosemary Lausier, Bangor Daily News Staff

Following a Nor’easter that pummeled the state with heavy snow and wind, Mainers now have to worry about poor visibility and digging themselves out. 

Although the snow has stopped falling, high winds will make blowing snow a dangerous risk on Sunday, reducing visibility and causing difficult driving conditions, according to the National Weather Service in Caribou. 

Snow totals are still coming in Sunday morning, but many parts of the state — particularly along the coast — saw more than a foot of snow. 

In the southern part of the state, Portland reported 12.5 inches, Brunswick reported 18 inches and Lewiston reported 16 inches of snow as of 4 a.m., according to NWS Gray.

As of 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Bangor had already seen 11 inches of snow while Ellsworth reported 7 inches and Roque Bluffs — in Washington County — reported 17 inches, according to NWS Caribou. 

The heavy snow band arrived in Aroostook County in the early evening, so the latest snow reports in those areas are not immediately available. However, the NWS in Caribou was reporting 7 inches of snow as of 9 p.m. Saturday with 3 inches falling over the course of 1 ½ hours. 

Meanwhile, as of 6 a.m. Sunday, Orono recorded 13 inches of snow and East Machias recorded 19 inches. 

Power is still being restored to areas on Sunday morning with 1,115 Versant Power customers and 599 Central Maine Power customers without electricity. 

The highest concentration of outages are in the Brookin area with 315 customers affected and Lincoln County with 320 customers affected. 

In Bangor, there is a downtown parking ban in effect from 11 p.m. Sunday to 6 a.m. Monday to allow for snow removal. Vehicles left on the street or in city parking lots may be ticketed and towed, Bangor officials said.