RUMFORD – Wacky fall weather continues to grip Maine and New Hampshire, keeping forecasters on their toes and homeowners fastidiously watching swollen streams and rivers.

At dawn Thursday, northern New Hampshire was getting blanketed by snowfall while the rest of the state and western Maine were seeing heavy rain.

Rainfall amounts ranged from 1 to 2 inches over a six- to eight-hour period, according to the National Weather Service in Gray.

Mount Washington recorded three inches of rain.

By Thursday afternoon, the Androscoggin River rose rather dramatically from where it was Wednesday.

Meteorologist Art Lester in Gray said aside from heavy rains, the eight or nine inches of snow that fell in New Hampshire notches two days ago could be melting, causing the Androscoggin to rise quicker than expected.

Nighttime temperatures in the western mountains region reached the 40s, but fell Thursday morning into the 30s. In Bangor, temperatures hit 62 degrees at dawn before receding into the upper 40s by midafternoon, according to the weather service.

In the meantime, minor flooding was occurring from New Hampshire to Farmington, prompting the weather service to issue flood warnings for rivers and streams.

The Swift River in Rumford jumped its banks as did several feeder brooks and streams, creating an island of firewood in one resident’s yard while half submerging a nearby hauling trailer.

“It’s been a busy day,” said one forecaster.

Lester said the deluge was caused by a slow moving front with a series of low pressure areas that worked its way east while moisture streamed in from the south.

While Rumford residents were enjoying clearing skies and a beautiful golden sunset Thursday, “it’s still raining pretty good” in the eastern and northeastern part of the state, Lester added.

He said rains so far this fall haven’t been extraordinary or catastrophic; just typical fall weather in Maine.

Last month, Rumford recorded a total rainfall of 9.58 inches, much of it coming between Oct. 27 and Oct. 30, Lester said.

But Mainers can expect a respite from the wetness this weekend as seasonal temperatures and “dry and pleasant” weather moves in, he added.

“As high pressure finally begins to build in tonight and on Friday, this mess will finally begin clearing out of here, yielding a partly sunny day by afternoon in western Maine,” the weather service stated in a regional weather summary.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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