2 min read

The nor’easter moving north along the mid-Atlantic and southern New England coast this weekend will bring hazardous beach conditions, rain and gusty winds to southern Maine.

The storm has slowed and was moving into southern New England on Friday, said Jerry Combs, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s office in Gray.

While there may be a chance of rain Saturday morning and afternoon in Maine, the odds increase Saturday night and into Sunday and Monday. The rain may start sooner in York County, Combs said. Southwestern Maine can expect 1 to 2 inches of rain, but Combs said he is not expecting any flooding.

“We’ve been so dry lately,” Combs said. “So this is a beneficial rain that we will see.”

Much of Maine has been experiencing at least moderate drought conditions this summer.

York County and the New Hampshire seacoast will have a higher likelihood of minor coastal flooding. Those areas are under coastal flood and high surf advisories.

“Going in the water is not recommended at all as surf conditions are going to be very dangerous through the weekend,” Combs said.

Wind gusts are likely to range from 25 to 35 mph in interior areas and up to 40 to 45 mph along the coast, he said. Winds could pose a limited power outage threat, with trees and branches possibly being blown onto power lines.

Central Maine Power has been tracking the storm and will staff additional crews at some service centers, according to a CMP press release. CMP crews cannot raise bucket truck arms when winds are greater than 30 mph, but they can help clear roads blocked by downed trees.