LEWISTON – Higher than normal river levels, melting snow, saturated ground and more rain on the way Monday afternoon prompted the National Weather Service to issue a flood watch covering southern and western Maine extending through Tuesday afternoon.

“It means there’s a potential for flooding,” said Steve Capriola, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Gray.

Capriola said that the region could see anywhere from three-quarters of an inch to one-and-a-half inches of rain between Monday afternoon and early Tuesday morning. He said the heavy rains potentially mean that small streams would flood and recede quicker than bigger rivers like the Androscoggin.

“It takes the bigger rivers a little longer to respond and it takes them longer to subside,” Capriola said.

According to Capriola, flood stage along the Androscoggin River is 13-feet. The waterway was at about 10-feet on Sunday. While the level steadily fell all day, Capriola said it will likely rise again once the rain starts Monday afternoon. He said the potential for flooding stems partly from the fact that there is still melting snow in the foothills and mountains.

Law enforcement agencies are keeping their eyes open for any water covering roadways. Lt. Rick Coron of the Auburn Police Department said officers are checking areas where the river runs close to the road for water running over onto the road so that the department can alert the Highway Department, which will barricade roadways.