Photo / Renee Cordes
A U.S. Postal Service driver copes with snowy roads Tuesday on Mitchell Road in Cape Elizabeth.
December 3, 2019
Winter storm hammers Maine businesses, residents
Photo / Peter Van Allen
A driver from Pine State Beverage makes a delivery on Commercial Street, Portland, during the height of the winter storm Tuesday morning.
By Staff
Winter Storm Ezekiel, which began on the West Coast a week ago and spread slowly eastward, was walloping Maine businesses and residents Tuesday morning with snow and strong winds.
After parts of the state received a mild first wave of the storm Monday, Ezekiel entered Maine in force overnight. By Tuesday, hundreds of schools, courts, social service programs and businesses across the state had closed for the day, according to published reports.
No significant power outages were being reported by Central Maine Power Co. or Emera Maine Tuesday morning. But in Augusta, Gov. Janet Mills shut down the Statehouse and all state offices.
Classes were canceled at the University of Maine campus in Orono; the University of Maine at Augusta; all three branches of the University of Southern Maine, in Gorham, Lewiston and Portland; and at Southern Maine Community College in Brunswick and South Portland.
At Portland International Jetport, over a dozen flights were canceled or delayed by 11 a.m.
The Maine Turnpike Authority reduced speed limits on the entire length of the highway to 45 mph, and reported several accidents and disabled vehicles Tuesday morning.
Photo / Maureen Milliken
Traffic was light on Route 27 in Belgrade Lakes, the main artery between Augusta and Farmington, Tuesday as the snowstorm picked up steam in central Maine.
On Commercial Street in Portland, few shoppers braved the storm, but snow plow drivers and delivery drivers were hard at work.
UPS and FedEx appeared to have no let up in deliveries. Beer trucks were especially prevalent. At Old Port Spirits, Wine & Beer, a driver from Pine State Beverage trudged back and forth through snow with hand-trucks loaded with cases of beer.
Photo / Laurie Schreiber
On Mount Desert Island Tuesday morning, the winter storm had coated roads with ice.
At mid-morning, several inches of snow were on the ground in many parts of the state, and the National Weather Service reissued a winter storm warning, extending it to 5 p.m. for portions of nine counties in southwest and south-central Maine. Predictions called for another 3 to 6 inches of snow across the region. Total accumulations were expected to reach up to 1 foot in some areas.
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