After balmy start, real winter arrives

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PORTLAND – The new year started off swimmingly, with temperatures balmy enough to coax people of all ages to strip down to their skivvies and dive into the chilly waters of the Atlantic.

But on Friday, Old Man Winter was back in true form, covering parts of Maine with an inch or 2 of snow and dropping temperatures to something more akin to what a Maine January is all about.

Winter is finally here, one National Weather Service meteorologist said on Friday.

Almost as if they were not used to driving in snow, Maine motorists slid and skidded off highways, causing backups and keeping police busy as the storm rushed across the state.

At midday Friday, police were busy responding to minor accidents and reports of cars off the road all over the midcoast region.

One police officer was heard over a scanner saying it would take awhile for him to get to an accident because of the road conditions. Later in the day, another officer broadcast he would soon would be leaving an accident and “hopefully it will be the last one for a while.”

When contacted Friday afternoon, a Maine State Police dispatcher in Augusta said, “We’re really too busy to talk to you now, please call us later.” State police were still tied up several hours later, but a dispatcher confirmed there were no serious accidents, “just people sliding off the road.”

Two Bangor area roads were closed for a short time due to accidents, but police reports showed the same thing – minor accidents with

no serious injuries reported.

State police in Gray said about 50 cars slid off roads by midday Friday. On the Maine Turnpike, motorists appeared to be ignoring lowered speed limits and driving too fast for the slippery conditions.

The National Weather Service said most of the accumulation occurred in the southern parts of Piscataquis and Penobscot counties and Hancock County. Accumulations amounted to 1 to 2 inches in southern Maine including Portland, Sanford and Livermore Falls. The Bangor area received one inch, while Washington County was only dusted. Southwest Harbor received the most, at 3.5 inches.

In Wiscasset, a dispatcher at the Lincoln County Communications Center said he had “lost count” of the number of minor accidents since the snow arrived. There were a few medical transports, he said, but there were no serious injuries.

Rockland’s Deputy Police Chief Wallace Tower said there were a “couple of fender-benders – nothing serious.”

Thomaston Police Department headed to at least one accident on the “cement flats” on Route 1 in front of Dragon Cement Products Co. An officer could not be reached for details of the incident.

A Knox County Communications dispatcher echoed other departments’ reports, saying vehicles were sliding off roadways, but there were only minor accidents.

Motorists in Hancock County also kept police and ambulance crews busy Friday afternoon as they slid and drifted off the roads from Mount Desert to Blue Hill, however, no serious injuries were reported.

At U.S. Coast Guard Group Southwest Harbor, Petty Officer Matthew Rivera said all was quiet along the coast. The same was the case in Rockland Harbor, according to interim Harbor Master Pete Thibodeau.

Visibility was reduced to less than one mile and accumulation rates reached up to an inch an hour at times across portions of coastal and Down East Maine during the afternoon.

In what’s turning into a familiar script this winter, the snow is to be followed by a mix of rain, snow, sleet and freezing rain throughout the weekend.

The anticipated weekend storms are coming in two parts, National Weather Service meteorologist Tony Mignone said from Caribou on Friday.

“The event Saturday and then a little bit of a break in between, and then some more mixed stuff in most places Sunday into Monday,” he said.

The weather service said next week will turn very cold with temperatures well below normal by midweek.

“We’ve been pretty lucky so far,” Mignone said. “It’s back to the usual thing.”

The Bangor area is looking at temperatures at least a little below zero and maybe even colder, the meteorologist said.

With help from the unseasonably warm temperatures on New Year’s Day, four nonprofit groups raised more than $55,000 for worthy causes during separate swims in the state.

The swims took place at East End Beach in Portland, Willard Beach in South Portland, Kettle Cove in Cape Elizabeth and Old Orchard Beach.

Most ran out as quickly as they ran in, but Thursday’s sunny 40-degree weather convinced a few to take their time getting out of the water.

One man pledged an extra $100 to see his wife dash into the surf for a second time.

Eight-year-old Shawn Martel was one of about 40 people who braved 43-degree waters off Willard Beach to help raise $2,700 for new playground equipment at Skillin Elementary School. The second-grader was excited to be a part of the Polar Plunge.

“It was freezing, but it was refreshing. I’ve never done this before and I wanted to try it,” he said as his parents wrapped him in towels after the swim.

More than 100 people swam in the Get Wet event at Kettle Cove, sponsored by the town’s volunteer water-rescue team. The swim raised $2,000 for this year’s chemical-free graduation celebration at Cape Elizabeth High School.

More than 100 swimmers raised $10,000 for the Marine Animal Lifeline at the Swim for Seals in Portland.

In Old Orchard Beach, 400 swimmers took part in the 16th annual Lobster Dip that raised $41,000 for Special Olympics Maine.

This year’s Lobster Dip included a “chicken dip” for people who didn’t want to swim but still wanted to raise money for Special Olympics. Participants sat in a designated area called the “coop” and sipped hot chocolate by a cozy fire.