Nor’easter active: surf and coastal flooding in Maine; stronger impacts south

The nor’easter is expected to turn west toward the New Jersey coast tonight into Sunday, then weaken slowly as it moves across southern New England. Its farther-south track limits the widespread wind threat in Maine, while the coast remains hazardous. • Maine surf and marine: High Surf Advisories continue through 8 p.m. Sunday from York through Knox Counties and in coastal Hancock County. Large breaking waves, strong rip currents and occasional larger waves within a wave set make beaches, rocks, jetties and seawalls dangerous. Jeffrey’s Ledge was reporting waves around 14 feet Saturday afternoon. Gale Warnings cover many exposed Maine waters through Sunday evening; hazardous marine conditions ease gradually Monday. • Coastal flooding: Coastal York County and the New Hampshire Seacoast remain under Coastal Flood Advisories through 11 p.m. Sunday. Repeated high tides can bring splashover, debris on vulnerable roads, dune erosion and pockets of minor flooding. The forecast surge has trended lower, but the long-period waves remain a concern. Check local tide and alert details before going near the shore. • Maine wind and outages: The strongest land gusts are favored from southwest Maine into southeastern New Hampshire later Saturday into Sunday morning, around 40 mph in exposed spots. Elsewhere along the Maine coast, northeast gusts of roughly 25–35 mph are more likely. Gusty conditions can continue into Monday. A few limbs and isolated outages are possible with trees still in leaf. • Rain timing: Rain comes in bands Saturday night through Monday, at times moderate or heavy south of the mountains. The steadiest rain is expected to taper later Monday, though lighter showers may linger Tuesday. Bangor and Downeast get a later, lighter event; northern Maine could see mainly light rain late Monday into Tuesday. • Rain totals: Southern Maine and southern New Hampshire generally have a 1–2 inch forecast. Localized amounts up to 4 inches are possible in far southwest Maine and far southeast New Hampshire where bands persist. Bangor is more likely around 0.25–1 inch, with localized Downeast coastal totals near 1.5 inches. Far northern Maine may receive only light rain. The exact bands can still shift. • Southern New England: Impacts are more serious in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Flood Watches cover central and eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island; the forecast is broadly 2–4 inches, with isolated 5–7 inch totals possible. Strong northeast gusts around 45–60 mph near exposed southern New England coasts, Coastal Flood Warnings on the eastern Massachusetts coast, severe beach erosion and 15–25 foot offshore seas are the main concerns through Sunday. Some rain and wind continue Monday. • What to do: Follow official warnings for your town, stay away from the surf, avoid flooded roads and use the live Storm Desk for current alerts. I’ll update this Center and the detailed Premium Coast, Inland and Mountains forecast as new guidance comes in.