LEWISTON — The snowstorm rolling through Maine on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning is expected to be on par with other storms this winter — at least until Wednesday morning, when the sleet arrives.

Derek Schroter with the National Weather Service in Gray said while the storm will likely “be similar to what we’ve seen throughout this winter, we have a big slug of moisture colliding with some cold, hard pressure.

“For the Lewiston and Auburn area, that means about 6 to 8 inches of snow to start. Later in the storm, the snow will mix with sleet.”

Schroter said the storm should dissipate “pretty quickly” Wednesday afternoon.

Dale Doughty, director of Lewiston Public Works, said, “A big part of this storm is the timing.”

“One of the things we’ll be keeping an eye on is the rate of snowfall,” Doughty said. “It should be pretty average to start, but it’s supposed to ramp up late Tuesday night and flip to sleet early Wednesday morning.

“I heard the rate of snow would be a half-inch to an inch of snow per hour, which is pretty fast.”

Once the snowfall from earlier in the storm mixes with sleet Wednesday morning, “that’s when we’ll see that heavy, mealy snow that’s annoying to drive through,” Doughty said.

Doughty suggested morning commuters “leave early and be very careful.”

The Maine Department of Transportation expressed a similar sentiment on its Twitter page.

“Our crews will be out overnight trying to stay ahead of the storm,” according to the post. “If you don’t have to leave the house — don’t risk it!”

The Lewiston Public Works Department announced a daylong parking ban for Wednesday, from 12:01 a.m. to 11 p.m.

In Auburn, a parking ban was ordered from 8 p.m. Tuesday to 8 p.m. Wednesday.

mdaigle@sunmediagroup.net

« Previous

In business, requirement for paid sick time a source of healthy debate

Next »

Mix of snow, rain and sleet has state digging out again