Strong wind knocks out power to thousands in Maine

Mar. 2—Thousands of Maine homes and businesses are without power Tuesday morning as strong winds buffet the state.

The wind is gusting to nearly 60 mph in some areas, bringing down trees and powerlines. Dangerously cold wind chills of 25 below zero are expected across parts of Maine Tuesday morning.

Central Maine Power reported more than 44,000 customers were without power at noon, including 1,100 in Cumberland County, 1,400 in Androscoggin County and 1,100 in Kennebec County. York County is hardest hit with more than 13,000 outages, including thousands in the Eliot and Kittery area.

Versant Maine, which serves northern and eastern areas of the state, reports more than 6,500 outages at 9 a.m.

The National Weather Service reported wind speeds of 57 mph in Windham and 47 mph at the Portland International Jetport early Tuesday morning.

The weather service has issued a wind advisory for parts of York, Cumberland, Waldo, Sagadahoc and Somerset counties.

A high wind warning is in effect for parts of Franklin, Somerset and Oxford counties until 3 p.m. Wind gusts in those areas are expected to reach 65 mph. The weather service warned of widespread power outages as trees and power lines are brought down by wind. Travel will be difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles, according to the weather service.

Gusts of over 70 mph are likely on mountain peaks in the recreational areas of the western Maine mountains and White Mountains, according to the weather service.

The National Weather Service says the brutal cold and wind will be short lived as temperatures climb back to the 30s and 40s on Wednesday.

This story will be updated.