Most of Maine was under a flood watch Monday, and heavy rainfall and melting snow could lead to continued river flooding and runoff through Tuesday.

The alert was in effect for much of southern, central and western Maine from Monday afternoon into Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. Regions farther north, including the Central Highlands, Down East and Penobscot Valley, could see flooding Monday evening until Tuesday afternoon.

About 1 to 2 inches of rain was predicted to fall across the state on Monday and high winds were expected to follow the precipitation.

Rain in areas of southwest Maine was expected to taper off Tuesday morning, said meteorologist Greg Connell from the agency’s office in Gray.

The weather service also issued a warning for high winds Monday night, with gusts from 30-60 mph that could continue through Tuesday morning. The rain will soften the thawing ground and make it easier for trees to fall, Connell said. The weather service also warned that the winds could cause power outages and dangerous driving conditions.

Central Maine Power and Versant Power both have extra crews on hand in anticipation of high winds Monday and Tuesday, the utilities said in separate news releases.

CMP warned that crews cannot go up in bucket trucks when wind gusts exceed 30 mph.

“Our crews are doing their final checks today, including the preparation of storm kits that contain items commonly used in restoration such as fuses, wires and other useful field equipment,” Dustin Wlodkowski, a CMP spokesperson, said in a news release Monday.

As of 6:20 a.m. Tuesday, more than 16,000 CMP customers were without power, with about 4,800 of them in Cumberland County.

Rivers and streams may continue to rise throughout Tuesday and flooding could lead to ice jams, with chunks of ice piling up and holding back water, Connell said. These conditions can lead to sudden, rapid water movement, he said.

Connell warned that fishermen and others spending time near rivers should keep their distance from riverbanks to avoid being swept up in fast-moving, cold water.

The U.S. Coast Guard planned to conduct ice-breaking operations on the Kennebec River Monday as flooding and ice jamming risks increased, the Kennebec County Emergency Management Agency said.

The Coast Guard Cutter Shackle, a 65-foot ice-breaking tugboat, was expected to be stationed in Merrymeeting Bay and advance northward through Richmond and Gardiner, weather conditions permitting, Kennebec County EMA said in a Facebook post.

While ice on the Kennebec appeared to be breaking up below Farmingdale over the weekend, the agency said ice jams were forming in the Augusta portion of the river.

Ice jamming and rainfall was expected to increase flooding risks in low-lying and riverside locations Monday. The weather service also said ice jamming appeared to be primarily limited to northern rivers and streams.

The Coast Guard did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.

Staff Writer Drew Johnson contributed to this report.