Chilet Noel of Portland sports a colorful umbrella under rainy skies as he walks through Lincoln Park on Wednesday. Ben McCanna/Portland Press Herald

Tens of thousands were without power Thursday morning after a wind and rainstorm battered the state through the night, while some communities braced for possible flooding.

Periods of freezing rain Wednesday morning gave way to a widespread soaking rain that lasted through the night. Southerly winds along the coast were expected to gust to 60 mph, creating the likelihood of widespread power outages.

Central Maine Power Co. reported more than 20,000 customers without power at 7 a.m. Thursday. Hardest hit were Waldo and Kennebec counties.

Versant, which serves northern and eastern Maine, reported more than 62,000 customers without power.

“After high winds swept through our service territory last night and this morning, crews are prioritizing public safety issues like downed lines,” Versant officials said in a 5 a.m. update. “Along with addressing public safety issues, crews are assessing damage, which is necessary for us to plan to bring the most customers online at once. At this time, restoration is expected to continue over several days.”

The weather service said that the heavy rain and strong winds would not have as big an impact as the storm on Dec. 18-19, 2023, because the winds were focused on the Midcoast and would not penetrate as far inland. Rivers and reservoirs had plenty of capacity for runoff, less snow melt was predicted in the mountains, and river levels were not expected to rise as much as last year, the weather service said.

By 7 p.m., Portland charted 1.45 inches of rainfall, Scarborough saw 1.35 inches, Augusta 1.35 inches and Caribou, well north, saw 0.86 inches, according to the weather service. At that time, Wiscasset had seen the most precipitation, recording just over 2 inches.

But the bulk of the rain had yet to come, said Derek Schroeter, a weather service meteorologist at the Gray office, when reached by phone shortly after 7 p.m.

“We’re still looking for another 1-2 inches across the area through the first half of tonight,” Schroeter said. “After midnight, the worst of the heavy rain will be pushing Down East Maine, and it should be out of Down East by daybreak.”

Source: Central Maine Power

Many areas could see 2 to 3 inches of rain, with close to 4 inches possible, once the storm has cleared. That could result in flash flooding as water levels rise in area streams, minor to moderate river flooding and localized ice jam flooding.

The National Weather Service issued a flood watch from 1 p.m. Wednesday to 7 a.m. Thursday over much of central Maine, including Kennebec, Somerset and Androscoggin counties. But forecasters say this storm will be less powerful than last December’s, and the state’s recent dry spell means much of the rain will be absorbed into the ground.

The weather service also issued a high wind warning for Waldo, Lincoln, Knox and Sagadahoc counties, where south winds of 30 to 35 mph with 60 mph gusts were expected. That warning was in effect from 6 p.m. Wednesday to 4 a.m. Thursday.

A pedestrian walks under cover of an umbrella between Exchange Street and Patton Court on Wednesday afternoon in Portland. Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald

“Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines. Significant power outages are expected,” the weather service warned. “Inflatable decorations could be damaged or blown away. Travel will be difficult, especially high-profile vehicles.”

There were two cancellations and 20 delays reported among flights into and out of the Portland International Jetport on Wednesday, according to data tracked by FlightAware.

A handful of school districts, primarily in central Maine, canceled school for the day Wednesday, while others called for a two-hour delay.

Wednesday also brought warmer temperatures, which were expected to cool slightly but remain above freezing Thursday, with highs in the 30s and 40s statewide.

Along the coast and just inland, damaging winds are possible with downed trees and power lines. There is a significant risk of power outages in those areas, the weather service said. The foothills and western mountains have a limited risk of outages.

Strong winds from the south were likely to blow over trees, which are accustomed to withstanding gusts from nor’easters, CMP spokesperson Jon Breed said Tuesday.

“What’s significant about this particular storm are the southerly winds,” Breed said. “When you have these changing wind directions pushing on the weaker sides, they uproot.”

Officials are keeping an eye on the Kennebec River, which can flood with substantial rainfall in a short period. Augusta City Manager Jared Mills said in his weekly update to city councilors that most of the reservoirs that feed into the river are currently low enough that they should be able to handle additional runoff.

This story contains reporting by The Associated Press.