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A mix of wintry precipitation hit Maine overnight, making for a messy Wednesday morning commute and causing hundreds of closings across the state before ending in most areas later in the day.

The National Weather Service twice extended its winter weather advisory for many parts of the state as the blend of snow, sleet and freezing rain made driving conditions slick and dangerous.

But forecasts called for milder weather Thursday, with temperatures in the 40s and sunny skies in much of the state.

Many school districts — including Auburn, Biddeford, Brunswick, Gorham, Lewiston, Portland, Sanford, Waterville and Winthrop — were closed Wednesday. Students at some other schools, including Augusta and Gardiner, moved to remote classes for the day.

The opening of the Maine Legislature’s 2026 session was delayed until noon Wednesday because of the inclement weather.

The Portland International Jetport recorded 1.6 inches of snow before the snow turned to freezing rain, while Lewiston received 1.8 inches, according to the weather service.

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The areas reporting the highest totals in the state were Dallas Plantation at 3.7 inches and Rangeley at 3.6 inches, while 3 inches fell in both Fryeburg and Porter.

Farther east, Hancock County was hit hardest, with most areas receiving at least 1.5 inches and Southwest Harbor topping the list there at 3.2 inches.

Several crashes occurred Wednesday along the Maine Turnpike, according to alerts from the Maine Turnpike Authority. Shannon Moss, a spokesperson for Maine State Police, said late Wednesday morning that troopers had responded to about 10 vehicles that slid off Interstate 95, but that no injuries were reported.

Speed limits on the entire turnpike were reduced to 45 mph for several hours because of the snowy conditions.

Brad Nadeau, a spokesperson for Portland police, said no crashes out of the ordinary were reported in the city Wednesday morning.

A handful of power outages were reported Wednesday, mostly in Franklin and Somerset counties, according to Central Maine Power’s website. Those outages were resolved by the afternoon.

About 1,200 CMP customers in Franklin County (most of them in Kingfield), almost 1,000 in Somerset County and about 150 in Sagadahoc County lost power for a few hours Wednesday.

Versant Power, which provides electricity to much of northern and eastern Maine, reported about 250 customers without power Wednesday, mostly attributed to a vehicle that struck electrical equipment on Mount Desert Island. Those customers had power back by the afternoon.

The weather service projects things will warm up during the latter half of the week, with high temperatures potentially reaching the low 40s in much of southern Maine on Thursday. However, more mixed precipitation may be on the way this weekend.

Morgan covers breaking news and public safety for the Portland Press Herald. Before moving to Maine in 2024, she reported for Michigan State University's student-run publication, as well as the Indianapolis...

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