A flood warning was issued for the Kennebec River on Tuesday in three places with the river expected to rise to flood stage overnight — and perhaps into a downtown Augusta parking lot — before falling on Wednesday.

Heavy rain on Tuesday caused drain backups and minor floods on roads across central Maine, and the National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the Kennebec in Augusta, Skowhegan and north Sidney. On Tuesday afternoon, the town of Rome closed a portion of Rome Road near Crystal Spring Road because of water in the roadway, Selectman Richard LaBelle said.

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• Much of Maine under flood watch through Wednesday

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In Hallowell, water accumulated on Hallowell-Litchfield Road and Shady Lane, said Sean Goodwin, interim director of the Kennebec County Emergency Management Agency. Drivers are cautioned not to drive through flooded areas.

The National Weather Service in Gray said that in Augusta, the Kennebec rose to a stage of 9.5 feet on Tuesday afternoon. Flood stage is 12 feet. The river is expected to rise to 12.7 feet early Wednesday and fall below flood stage by evening. Goodwin said that could send water into the low-lying parking lot in downtown Augusta, which already was closed off to cars on Tuesday evening, but other low places on the river, including Hallowell and Gardiner, probably will not be affected.

“We’re not expecting too much,” Goodwin said.

The only other part of Maine under a flood warning was north of Mattawamkeag in Penobscot County, where the Mattawamkeag River is expected to rise gradually through Thursday to nearly 14 feet. It was just above its 13.5-foot flood stage on Tuesday. Central Washington County was under a flood advisory through 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.

In the Augusta and Waterville areas, rain stopped Tuesday afternoon and the sun shone, but rain is expected to return late Wednesday afternoon. A chance of showers is in the forecast each day through the weekend with high temperatures averaging around 54 degrees.

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