Blowing Snow Causes Whiteout Conditions In Aroostook County
Police in Aroostook county are warning drivers of hazardous road conditions due to blowing snow.
Maine State Police in The County are warning of whiteout conditions, as strong winds cause blowing and drifting snow. A trooper took these photos below in on Route 1, in Westfield. State Police say, "We are asking the public to stay off the roadways as driving conditions are extremely hazardous. Please stay safe and be cognizant of changing conditions as you can go from clear roadways to a complete whiteout in a matter of a few hundred feet."
Drifting snow easily swallows up vehicles in seconds when wind and snow are in abundance. Troopers say if you encounter a whiteout, and lose your bearings, do not stop or park on the road. Slow down, use the snowbank as a reference, and find a driveway or parking lot to pull into until visibility improves.
Whiteout conditions have caused multiple accidents and closed roads. Aroostook County Emergency Management says Route 1 in Bridgewater, and Route 89 between Caribou and Limestone are closed currently.
Tuesday's high winds has knocked out power to nearly 26,000 around the state. Early Tuesday morning, Versant was reporting 4,778 customers without power, while Central Maine Power had 21,220 customers off-line. A combination of rain on Monday, followed by a sudden drop in temperatures and high, gusty winds caused the outages. Trees and branches taken down by the winds are pulling lines down with them.
According to the National Weather Service, wind chill temperatures across central and northern areas range from -15 to -40 degrees.
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