Weather Warning

Wed, 12/26/2012 - 4:30pm

CHARLOTTE BOYNTON, Staff Reporter

Due to the inclement weather, a truck slid off the road near the intersection of Route 1 and Route 27 in Edgecomb. By approximately 2:15 p.m., Lincoln County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene. Traffic was stopped as a tow truck pulled the vehicle out of the ditch. No damage or injury was reported and the truck left the scene after being freed. Traffic resumed as of 2:25 p.m.

A truck slides off the road near the intersection of Route 1 and Route 27 in Edgecomb on December 27. By approximately 2:15 p.m., Lincoln County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene. Traffic was stopped as a tow truck pulled the vehicle out of the ditch. No damage or injury was reported and the truck left the scene after being freed. Traffic resumed as of 2:25 p.m. RYAN LEIGHTON/Boothbay Register. Below: A wintry Alna road. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper

A wintry Alna road. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper

UPDATES:

As of 2:45 p.m., an accident on Bog Road in Dresden involving a vehicle hitting a telephone pole had been reported. In Edgecomb, a truck slid off the road near the intersection of Route 1 and Route 27, but was towed back onto the road without incident. The operator of the vehicle was Christen Crosson, 21, of Dresden. She was driving a 2005 Subaru Forester when she lost control of the vehicle due to imprudent speed for the road conditions, and slid into a utility pole. Crosson received no injuries, and no charges are expected to be filed, according to Lincoln County Chief Deputy Ken Mason.
As of 2 p.m. Lincoln County EMA Director Tod Hartung reported all was quiet on the roads and no accidents had been reported in the county.
As of 1 p.m. today, Thursday, Dec. 27, Route 295 in Yarmouth is down to one lane due to an accident.

Chief Deputy Kenneth Mason said many slide-offs had occured due to drivers going too fast for conditions. Wiscasset Police Chief Troy Cline urged drivers to stay off the roads if possible.

The National Weather Service in Gray has issued a winter storm warning for most counties in Maine effective from 10 a.m., Wednesday until 4 a.m., Friday. The storm is expected to drop a foot of snow across the interior sections of Maine. Mixed precipitation is expected in the coastal areas of Maine, according to the NWS office.

Coastal snowfall amounts will average about a half a foot, with the chance for more depending on the precise track of the storm. Inland amounts will average 10-15 inches with the potential for local amounts above that. With strong winds accompanying the storm, blowing and drifting snow will reduce the visibility to near zero in places. The storm will gradually ease Thursday night and Friday.

The weather alert from NWS warns that heavy snow with low visibility will create poor driving conditions, along with possible power outages. Northeast winds from 15-25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph are possible.

The NWS also offered some precautionary and preparedness actions for people to take: “A winter storm warning for heavy storm means severe winter weather, significant amounts of snow are forecast that will make traveling dangerous, only travel in an emergency. If you must travel keep an extra flashlight, extra food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.”