A snowstorm passing over Maine created a slippery morning commute and could end up dumping 7 inches of snow on some areas.

Most schools in southern Maine are closed Monday, while state offices opened at 10 a.m. Parking bans have been announced in several cities.

By 7 a.m., nearly 3.5 inches of snow had fallen in Portland. Snow-covered roads are slippery and visibility is reduced across the area. Lewiston received over 7 inches by late morning, according to the National Weather Service. Orono received 4.5 inches by 10:30 a.m. while Durham saw 6.1 inches.

State Police said many vehicles went off the road across southern Maine. Crashes were reported early Monday on the Maine Turnpike in West Gardiner, Saco, South Portland, Biddeford and Portland, according to the Maine Turnpike Authority. The speed limit was reduced to 45 mph for the entire length of the turnpike.

In Gorham, a father was killed and three children were critically injured when a dump truck hit their car.

Ted Talbot, spokesman for the Maine Department of Transportation, said crews have been out treating roads since 10 p.m. Sunday. Because it is mainly an all-snow event, trucks did not need to pre-treat the roads.

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“At the peak of this, we should have, from Kittery up to The County, about 350 trucks out today,” Talbot said.

Talbot said the roads were especially slick early in the morning, but delays and cancellations helped keep traffic light while trucks cleared the roads.

“The good news is it’s a light and fluffy snow and it didn’t really stick to the roadways and vehicles,” he said.

Snow tapered off by mid-morning in southern Maine, while eastern counties could see another one to two inches of accumulation, said James Brown, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Gray.

In northern Maine, the accumulation in some areas will reach up to 9 inches. The snow began falling in Aroostook County around 5 a.m. and could last throughout most of the day.

“It’s going to be an all-day event up here,” said Francis Kredensor, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Caribou.

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Several courthouses announced delayed openings Monday morning. Cumberland County courts have a 2-hour delay, while Lewiston District Court is scheduled to open at 11 a.m. Bridgton District Court is closed for the day.

Gov. LePage announced that the opening of state offices will be delayed until 10 a.m. statewide Monday.

Multiple Meals on Wheels programs will be closed Monday. Recipients in Androscoggin, Knox, Franklin and Oxford counties should use their storm packs today.

Cannon said the remainder of the week will be sunny but extremely cold.

“A significant Arctic blast will arrive near the end of the week, bringing with it the coldest air of the year,” he said.

Mainers will begin to feel the effects of the extreme cold Thursday evening. By Friday, because of a strong wind, it is going to feel bitterly cold.

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“By the end of the week, we could have some dangerously cold wind chill levels,” Cannon said. “This cold air is coming in from the Arctic and Canada.”

The Auburn Police Department also said a parking ban went into effect at midnight Sunday and remain in effect through midnight Monday.

Portland had not implemented a parking ban. Residents can view parking ban alerts on the city of Portland’s website at portlandmaine.gov. The city has several options during a storm. It can call a citywide parking ban, a peninsula ban, or a yellow zone ban that applies only to the downtown district.

Drivers may also call the city’s parking ban hotline at 879-0300 for more information. For customer service complaints regarding winter operations, residents should call 874-8493. People with sidewalk plowing concerns can call 874-8793. All vehicles left on the street during a snow parking ban will be towed at the owner’s expense.


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