Maine
West Nile virus found in Piscataquis, Sagadahoc, Washington counties
Health officials detected four cases of West Nile virus in three counties where the disease had not previously been found this year.
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Monday that four birds in Piscataquis, Sagadahoc, and Washington counties had tested positive for the disease. An alpaca in Lincoln County also tested positive, following a case there in a bird earlier this summer.
Mosquito-borne illnesses have been found in 13 of Maine’s 16 counties.
Mosquito pools in Waldo County tested positive for West Nile virus, and pools in Penobscot County tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis – another mosquito-borne illness, the Maine CDC said. Mosquito pools are groups of up to 50 mosquitos collected for routine testing. Monday’s announcement marked the first time either disease was found in a pool this year.
By now, mosquito-borne diseases have been found in 13 of Maine’s 16 counties, the Maine CDC said.
Last week, a Mainer with no history of travel tested positive for the virus. Officials said they believe that person acquired the disease locally.
“With 13 out of our 16 counties showing the presence of mosquito-borne disease activity, Maine people and visitors should be extra vigilant about taking protections whenever you go outside,” Puthiery Va, director of the Maine CDC, said in a statement. “We urge you to take simple steps to prevent mosquito bites, wherever you are in Maine, especially during this high mosquito-activity, high-risk time.”
Many people who contract West Nile virus are asymptomatic or have fever and flu-like symptoms, the Maine CDC said. In rare cases, the disease can be fatal.
The Maine CDC recommends individuals, especially those in high-risk regions, cover their skin when outdoors and use insect repellent. Residents also can avoid being outdoors during dawn and dusk, when mosquitos are most active, the agency said.
PORTLAND (WGME) — Driving this time of year, when winter weather hits, can be tricky, especially in Maine.
Fortunately, the Maine Turnpike Authority has above-ground weather sensors to keep them informed.
The above ground weather sensors help determine several different factors about the road conditions. (WGME)
“What they do is they capture a bunch of atmospheric and pavement data, temperature data and conditions. They take that information and take it to our vendor, Vaisala, and they process that data and put it here on the screen for us to use in our winter maintenance operations,” Maine Turnpike Authority Project Manager Brian Taddeo said.
These sensors can also tell the turnpike authority how well tires are gripping the road.
“So the grip factor is the measure of friction between the tire and the roadway. That’s really important for us because it tells us the pavement is dry, mobility is not impacted by weather, because there is none,” Taddeo said.
The above ground weather sensors help determine several different factors about the road conditions. (WGME)
The highest the grip factor goes to is 0.82, which would be on a dry road.
As the roads become icy, that number will drop.
“This system is also a predictive system, so it can actually show us what’s going to happen 12 hours from now, 24 hours from now, 72 hours from now,” Taddeo said.
This allows the Maine Turnpike Authority to plan in advance of an upcoming storm.
That’s important as they cover a stretch of interstate from Kittery all the way up to Augusta.
The MTA has cameras set up along the Turnpike to see what road conditions look like. (WGME)
“We have 109 miles of road to cover, and this gives us the chance to see everything all at once, so we can dispatch our crews to whatever zones need to be handled,” Taddeo said.
The MTA also has underground sensors that are used to collect road data.
PORTLAND (WGME) — Mild temperatures and lots of clouds will rule the sky on Wednesday before some light rain and snow showers overnight.
Enjoy the mild temperatures while they last as it is turning cold by week’s end.
Lots of clouds will rule the sky for the next few days in Maine. High temps will also sit in the low-to-mid 40s for the day.
Wednesday evening.{ }(WGME)
The next chance for some precipitation will move in Wednesday evening through the nighttime hours as mostly rain with some mountain snow.
Look for some fog and areas of drizzle overnight too.
Thursday morning.{ }(WGME)
Rain will head out early Thursday morning followed by lots of cold, Canadian air.
Highs will still run in the low 40s ahead of a cold front shifting through early Thursday evening.
Once that front exits, expect to not leave the mid 20s on Friday.
Wind chills will be in the negatives and single digits to start Friday morning.
Weekend forecast.{ }(WGME)
The weekend looks calmer, with a round of snow and rain likely Saturday night through Sunday morning.
Temperatures will be back in the 30s after a cold end to the work and school week.
Incoming cold air.{ }(WGME)
Lots of cold air is set to enter the United States next week in waves.
Temperature outlook.{ }(WGME)
The next 8 to 14 days showcase below-normal temperatures around New England.
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