Light snow falling across Maine on Friday morning is expected to turn to rain by noon. (Sun Journal photo)
Light snow falling across Maine is creating slick driving conditions for the morning commute, but the state will largely miss out on the winter weather causing travel delays across large swaths of the country.
It’ll be the first snowfall in most parts of Maine in 11 days. William Watson from the National Weather Service told the Associated Press that the western mountains will see up to 4 inches of snow. On the coast, Portland will see only about an inch before the snow transforms to rain. By noon, it will be raining across most of the state, according to the National Weather Service.
A winter weather advisory is in effect until 7 p.m. in Oxford, Franklin and Somerset counties, where snow accumulations could reach 4 inches and up to a tenth of an inch of ice is expected, according to the weather service.
The speed limit is reduced to 45 mph for the entire length of the Maine Turnpike. A crash in the northbound lanes between Kennebunk and Biddeford was reported shortly before 6:45 a.m., according to the Maine Turnpike Authority.
Yikes. The @MaineTurnpike near Falmouth is a mess. It’s completely covered. As you can see plows are out plowing and treating the roads but it’s still slick.
Take it slow.
Be patient.
Expect about 15-20 minutes added to your commute.@WGME #WeatherAuthority pic.twitter.com/zHJc9fV9t6— Lauren Healy (@LaurenOHealy) December 28, 2018
Despite the expected precipitation Friday, Maine will avoid most of the wild winter weather that has shut down highways, delayed flights and caused at least two deaths elsewhere in the country. The storm system caused blizzard conditions in the Midwest and torrential rains led to flooding in southern areas.
More than 11 inches of rain has already fallen in some areas of Louisiana and Mississippi. In Kansas, blizzard conditions closed a 75-mile stretch of interstate, according to the Associated Press.
The weather is causing travel delays at major airports headed into the holiday weekend, but the Portland International Jetport was not reporting any cancellations or delays early Friday morning.
This story will be updated.
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