Power outages possible as nor’easter hits Maine overnight

“It’s that time of year,” Jess Paquette said about Tuesday’s weather as she walked through downtown Lewiston. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

A strong coastal storm system approaching the southeastern New England coastline Tuesday will bring periods of rain and strong northeast winds through Wednesday.

A Wind Advisory has been issued for coastal areas. Winds gusting up to 55 mph are possible Tuesday night. Power outages are expected.

Wind gusts over 35 mph are forecast for Androscoggin County. The wind strength is to diminish farther inland.

Periods of moderate to heavy rain during the day and night may cause nuisance flooding around clogged storm drains in urban areas. Some southern rivers may rise, but flooding is not expected. Splash-overs and beach erosion are possible Tuesday and Wednesday during during high tides.

The storm has its origins from the first of two bomb cyclones that formed offshore the Pacific Northwest since late last week. That cyclone drove a disturbance into California on Thursday and Friday that has since tracked across the country toward the Ohio Valley. Now it is initiating this East Coast storm.

The rain could cause areas of flooding in Philadelphia, New York and Boston, while winds may be strong enough to topple trees and cause power outages in eastern New England.

The storm will also become a classic nor’easter, as it gains strength over the Atlantic Ocean and generates strong winds from the northeast as it charges up the East Coast.

Quieter weather is then expected Thursday and Friday before another potential storm system approaches from the south this weekend.

Information from The Washington Post was used in this report.