More than 5,800 customers of Central Maine Power Co. and Emera Maine were without electricity late Wednesday night and forecasters said the heavy rain that contributed to those outages is expected to continue into Thursday morning before the downpours begin to taper off Thursday night.

By early Thursday morning, the number of outages reported in CMP’s eight-county service area had dropped to about 1,400, with the bulk of those – more than 900 – in Cumberland County.

The fall nor’easter, which began at midday Tuesday, had dropped 2.21 inches of rain at the Portland International Jetport by 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service in Gray.

But the rain came in bands, providing breaks between downpours. Mike Cempa, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the heaviest rain should start to wind down Thursday afternoon or evening. Cempa said some parts of the state will get 4 to 5 inches of rain by the time the storm ends.

Unlike an unusual rainstorm in August that dropped more than 6 inches on Portland in a matter of hours, knocked out power to thousands of homes and businesses, flooded streets and stranded motorists, Cempa said this storm is having a more gradual effect so there will likely be less damage.

Despite the rain being spread out over three days, the nor’easter was still having an impact on Maine.

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In Freeport, police shut down Bow Street near the Mast Landing School for several hours after a utility pole broke and collapsed into the road, bringing down wires around 7:15 p.m.

The greatest impact the storm had was on electrical service, as the number of outages climbed steadily through the night, reaching a statewide peak of about 6,000.

“The storm is expected to have the greatest impact from about 8 p.m. tonight (Wednesday) until noon Thursday, and we anticipate isolated weather-related power outages throughout the day,” said Lisa Martin, manager of line and meter operations for Emera Maine, which distributes power in northern and eastern Maine, in a news release.

Wet, heavy leaves can weigh on tree limbs, causing them to break and fall on power lines, Martin said, adding that ground softened by rain can cause trees to topple.

“Maine is in for some wild weather over the next couple of days, but it’s nothing we can’t handle,” Gov. Paul LePage said in a statement issued Wednesday. “We are urging everyone to stay aware of weather conditions and respect any road or beach closures.”

Jessica Grondin, a spokeswoman for Portland, sent out a call for help Wednesday, asking the public to help public works crews clear catch basins of leaves to avoid flooding.

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“As a nor’easter descends upon Portland bringing heavy rain and strong winds, the city of Portland’s Public Services crews are busy working across the city to clear catch basins of leaves to avoid flooding. It’s likely that this storm will bring down the majority of remaining leaves on trees,” Grondin said in a statement.

The city sought the public’s help because it is responsible for maintaining more than 6,000 catch basins.

Grondin also reminded city residents that the city’s fall curbside leaf pickup program is set to begin Monday. Leaves must be placed in large, biodegradable paper bags left at the curb. The leaf pickup program is scheduled to end Nov. 21.

Seas whipped up by strong gusts of wind were high Wednesday, with the Coast Guard reporting that pleasure boats in Rockland and Portsmouth broke loose of their moorings.

The Coast Guard also responded to a mariner whose boat was sinking off Matinicus early Wednesday afternoon. Chris Berry, a spokesman for the Coast Guard base in South Portland, said the lobster boat with three crew members on board started taking on water after a wave crashed over its bow, smashing the cabin windows.

The Coast Guard responded by sending a cutter and helicopter. Berry said the Coast Guard lost contact with the ship’s crew for a while, but when the rescue teams arrived, the boat was still afloat. It was escorted back to shore and no injuries were reported.

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Berry said conditions at sea were dangerous, with waves reaching heights of 10 to 12 feet. The weather service said winds over the ocean reached speeds of 50 mph.

The Maine Emergency Management Association issued a coastal hazard warning just after 8 p.m. Wednesday. The agency warned that minor coastal flooding caused by 10- to 15-foot-high seas could occur around high tide at 11 p.m.

Another wave of heavy rain is forecast for Thursday morning.

“Fortunately for us, it’s falling over three days rather than in one period,” said Tom Hawley, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Gray.


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