Maine
Holiday traffic in Maine expected to be heavier; new congestion reduction system is in place
MAINE -The summer tourism season starts this weekend for the long Memorial Day holiday weekend, and traffic on the Maine Turnpike is expected to be very busy.
The Maine Turnpike Authority said Wednesday they expect traffic will be up by more than 2% compared to last year when 1,008,927 transactions were recorded over the four-day weekend.
As usual, Friday is expected to be the busiest day of the four-day weekend this year, especially headed north between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Traffic is also expected to be busy midday on Saturday in both directions and Monday afternoon and evening headed south.
All construction and maintenance activities on the turnpike will be suspended over the long weekend, though there are several construction areas that include narrowed lanes and reduced speed zones.
Turnpike officials are also sharing information with travelers about the new, dynamic part-time shoulder use (PTSU) system that is now operational for drivers on I-95 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Kittery. This PTSU system is in place on approximately three miles of I-95 – between Exit 5 in New Hampshire and Exit 3 in Maine – including the Piscataqua River Bridge. Designed to reduce congestion and improve safety, the PTSU system will be used during peak travel periods from May through October, during unplanned incidents, and as traffic conditions warrant.
Based on real-time travel conditions, crews at the Maine Turnpike Authority’s Transportation Management and Communications Center in Portland will determine when to allow the right shoulder of the road southbound to be used as an open travel lane, while New Hampshire will manage the PTSU northbound. When the PTSU system is activated, drivers will see the system’s messaging components (beacons and lane-use signals) turn on to indicate when the shoulder is open for travel. There will also be warning signs with flashing beacons at the on-ramps approaching the system to alert merging traffic when the shoulder lane is open for travel and to use extra caution when merging into the highway.
Traffic operators from both states will close the shoulder to traffic when congestion eases, if there’s a motorist in the breakdown lane, or if any other emergency situation warrants the closure of the shoulder. Safety patrols will be increased when the PTSU system is in use.
Copyright 2024 WABI. All rights reserved.
Maine
Northern lights could be visible in Maine on Christmas night. How to look for them
Time lapse video: Northern lights near Milwaukee, Wisconsin
See a time lapse video of the northern lights dance across the sky north of Milwaukee, Wisconsin in Bayside on Thursday night.
Parts of the United States could be in for a magical Christmas sight: The Northern Lights.
Alaska and the northern Midwest states have the best chance of getting a glimpse of the dazzling sights, but the northern most reaches of New England may see it too, according to the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center. Based on maps they released, Maine has the best chance of seeing it tonight.
It’s possible more New England states will get a view of the Northern Lights, also known as aurora borealis, tomorrow night when the view line dips down into Vermont and New Hampshire.
Map of where Northern Lights may be visible on Christmas 2024
Map: Where Northern Lights may be visible tomorrow
Christmas won’t be the only shot at seeing the Northern Lights from this storm. NOAA is predicting a broader swath will be able to see the Northern Lights tomorrow night, including parts of New Hampshire and Vermont.
How to see the northern lights
The best time to see an aurora is when it’s dark out, usually between an hour or two of midnight, according to NOAA. Officials recommend getting away from city lights and sticking to lower latitudes.
“There may be aurora in the evening and morning but it is usually not as active and therefore, not as visually appealing,” NOAA said.
Where to check the northern lights forecast
To track the latest northern lights forecast, check out these websites:
Are the northern lights dangerous?
The solar storms that cause the northern lights can affect technology by inducing extra currents in the ground that can degrade power grid operations, according to NOAA.
Maine
Funeral home to hold visitation for Maine singer-songwriter
DOVER-FOXCROFT, Maine (WABI) – Visitation for a popular Maine singer and songwriter who died earlier this month will be held in Dover-Foxcroft next week.
Lary Funeral Home announced that visitation for David Mallett, a Piscataquis County native, will be held Monday, December 30th from 4PM to 7PM.
Mallet died at the age of 73 on December 17th after battling cancer.
The funeral homes announcement said that family, friends, and the local community are invited.
Mallett began his music career at the age of 11 when he started singing in a folk duo with his older brother, Neil.
He started writing his own songs while studying acting at the University of Maine.
His most well-known song was “The Garden Song” which was recorded by Peter, Paul, and Mary, John Denver, Pete Seeger, and The Muppets.
Mallett lived most of his life in Sebec.
Copyright 2024 WABI. All rights reserved.
Maine
Snowfall totals in Maine range from a dusting to 5 inches Tuesday morning
Parts of Maine were reporting a snowy Christmas on Tuesday.
As of 11:30 a.m., the National Weather Service said 6 inches of snow had fallen in Rangeley, 5 inches in Madrid, 1 inch in Freeport, 3 inches in Lewiston and as many as 8 inches in nearby Jackson, New Hampshire.
Portland received only a dusting of snow.
Jon Palmer, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Gray, said forecasters expected precipitation to slow down in inland areas through Tuesday morning but said snowfall would continue up and down the coast with 1-3 inches expected from Portland through the Midcoast.
Palmer said Christmas Day would be “a pretty nice day” in Maine.
He said the day would start off mostly clear with some clouds building in the middle of the day all around the state. Temperatures are expected to be in the low 30s.
The forecast is expected to stay until Sunday, when 1 to 2 inches of rain will likely fall around the state. Although, he said, there could still be snow in the White Mountains.
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