A second wave of snow was expected to push into southern, central and coastal Maine late Monday night and early Tuesday morning, just hours after an earlier storm dumped nine inches of snow in parts of York County.

The second storm, a nor’easter, is expected to bring 8 to 12 inches of snow to Portland and surrounding communities by the time it ends Tuesday.

“It was all in one parent (weather) system that came in two waves,” said William Watson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Gray.

Forecasters warned that the Tuesday morning commute, with heavy snow and blowing winds, could be treacherous. Winds gusts could reach as high as 35 mph. A winter storm warning went into effect at 7 p.m. Monday.

“The Tuesday morning commute is looking like it will be a mess,” Watson said. He said the storm, expected to start Monday night, could linger until early Tuesday afternoon.

Portland is looking at snowfall accumulations of 8 to 12 inches, most likely in the 9-10 inch range, Watson said. York County, as well as central and midcoast Maine, will also fall within the 8-to-12 inch range. But inland areas, such as Auburn, Fryeburg and Rangeley, will likely see lower amounts, from 2 to 8 inches, Watson predicted.

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Portland got just nine-tenths of an inch from Monday’s storm.

Some organizations  were already announcing cancellations and postponements ahead of Tuesday’s storm and the Maine Turnpike Authority lowered the speed limit from the New Hampshire line to Gardiner to 45 mph just after 8 p.m. due to snow.

Jeremy Ray, Biddeford’s Superintendent of Schools, said in a Monday evening tweet that all Biddeford schools would be closed Tuesday.

Chad Rasmussen of Portland cleans the snow off his car Monday morning on Quebec Street in Portland. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer Buy this Photo

Gov. Janet Mills tweeted that she will delay the opening of state government offices until 11 a.m. Tuesday due to forecasts of strong wind gusts and slippery road conditions.

The town of York canceled classes Tuesday, as did the Wells-Ogunquit Community School District. Regional School Unit 21, which includes the towns of Arundel, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport, also canceled Tuesday classes. With snow intensity picking up late Monday night, more school districts posted cancellations. Regional School Unit 23, which represents Old Orchard Beach, and the Saco School Department, which includes Thornton Academy, canceled classes on Tuesday.

Eric Haley, superintendent for Waterville Public Schools, said the district will wait until early Tuesday to determine whether schools should close for the day. Haley said he bases cancellations on how fast the snow falls and how fast public works crews can plow streets.

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Road crews in Augusta and Waterville said they are prepared for Tuesday’s storm.

“We went out this morning and treated a few roads to prepare, so now we’re loading our trucks and we have crew ready to come in tonight and into tomorrow morning,” said Lesley Jones, director of the Augusta Public Works Department.

 

Roads were snow-covered and slippery in spots early Monday morning, but no serious crashes were reported. The speed limit on the Maine Turnpike was reduced to 45 mph from Kittery to Falmouth.

A list of storm closings, delays and parking bans is available here.

Portland city officials are reminding residents that the city’s snow removal ordinance requires business owners to remove snow from sidewalks abutting their property within 12 hour of a winter storm. Snow must be removed from sidewalks around residential buildings within 18 hours.

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