A flood watch has been issued for all of Maine on Sunday with periods of torrential rainfall potentially leading to flash flooding.
The National Weather Service in Gray is predicting 2 to 3 inches – or more – of rain starting midmorning, said Stephen Baron, a meteorologist.
“We are expecting flooding to be an issue in some places,” Baron said.
The storm could add to an already wet and rainy summer.
The Portland International Jetport saw 5.68 inches of rain in June and has recorded 3.8 inches so far in July. Typical rainfall in June would be around 4 inches, and for July, typical rainfall would be about 3.4 inches for the entire month, Baron said.
The weather has wreaked havoc on some Maine communities as well as other places around New England.
Residents in Vermont saw historic flooding earlier this week, causing damage to roads, homes and businesses and leading to the drowning death of a man in Barre, a city of about 8,500 people in the central part of the state.
Earlier this month, the Biden administration approved the use of federal disaster relief funds for eight Maine counties impacted by a severe spring storm that took place from April 30 to May 1. The storm brought heavy rain and wind and created flooding, swollen rivers, power outages, tree damage and more than $2 million in infrastructure damage.
Flash flooding on June 29 in Franklin County caused about $4.6 million in damage, plus an additional $1.8 million to state roads in the area.
Baron said weather models have been consistently showing that Maine will likely continue to see more rainy weather through the end of the month.
“It’s been over a month now where these low-pressure systems are just going around and continuing to cross our area,” he said.
He added that people should be cautious if they come across flooded roads and should not drive through floodwaters or around barricades.
“Our catchphrase is, ‘Turn around. Don’t drown,’ ” Baron said.
Gov. Janet Mills also warned Mainers to be cautious while traveling Sunday.
“Maine is expecting a significant storm tonight expected to bring heavy rainfall that could exceed two inches per hour,” Mills said in a tweet Saturday night. “With flash flooding likely, I encourage Maine people and visitors to stay vigilant. Take caution if traveling, and never drive through flooded roads.”
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