While small streams and low lying areas across the northern third of the state may see minor to moderate flooding overnight into Tuesday, forecasters expect northern Maine’s large rivers to stay within their banks.
“Right now most of the forecasts have the larger rivers becoming near or just short of minor flood stage,” says National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Bloomer in Caribou.
Bloomer says the predictions depend on how much rain the area gets and, with mild temperatures expected, how much the snow pack melts through Tuesday. He says larger rivers could peak late Wednesday.
Bloomer says there’s still some ice on the northern rivers, which could jam and cause some flooding. But he says with all the runoff expected over the next few days, the ice will likely flush down the rivers, with open flow possible by the end of the week.