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By MATTHEW STONE
Staff Writer 01/15/2008

enlarge Staff photo by Andy Molloy

SPRING FASHION, WINTER WEATHER: Jack Lee, manager of the Lucky Gardens restaurant in Hallowell, shovels the sidewalk in front of the building this morning. The Nor'Easter is expected to bring 8-10 inches of snow to the area. Schools throughout the state have been canceled but Lee said the Chinese buffet will be served as usual.

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Staff Writer

The January thaw was never bound to last, Mainers learned abruptly Monday as a nor'easter pummeled central Maine and most of New England with more than a foot of snow in many places.

The snow lasted throughout the day, limiting visibility on roadways and complicating the lofty task before plow operators.

Unofficial snowfall totals Monday night ranged from 10 to 20 inches across Kennebec County. Some reports had 20 inches blanketing Gardiner and 13 inches in Augusta. Waterville reported 10 inches and South China had 15.

The area will see little to no precipitation today, said Carl Erickson, a meteorologist at AccuWeath er.com.

Local and Maine State Police spent much of the day responding to snow-related car accidents, but nothing serious, a state police dispatcher said. The southbound lanes of Interstate 295 closed for more than an hour Monday afternoon after a tractor-trailer jackknifed and crashed near Topsham.

In Augusta, Public Works Director John Charest said he reported for work at 5:30 Monday morning and was not planning to leave until the storm had run its course.

While most of Augusta's city employees were dismissed from their duties at 2 p.m., the city's 31 public works employees were working overtime.

"It's going to be a long day, long night," Charest said Monday afternoon.

Each of the city's 21 plows was in use the entire day, struggling to keep ahead of a storm that was at times dumping more than an inch an hour on streets.

In Waterville, where most city employees checked out at 2:30 p.m., public works staffers were also putting in overtime hours. The city's 13 plows were out in full force all day, according to Bob Gilchrist, operations manager for the Waterville Department of Public Works.

The storm, mostly during daytime hours, was a mixed blessing for those charged with clearing the snow.

"The traffic always creates problems," Charest said. "If it was midnight, we'd be out there and no one would be on the roads."

Most students in the area enjoyed an extended weekend.

Nearly all school districts canceled Monday's classes for the entire day. School districts based in Farmington, Anson and Madison were among the few to keep schools open.

In Augusta, students reported for classes but the day ended before noon. Students in grades seven through 12 saw their school day end at 10 a.m. while younger students remained in classes until 11.

Because the state counts half a day as a full school day, those students may not be assessed a makeup day in June.

State offices in Augusta closed at 3 p.m. and many business in the area allowed employees to leave early.

Those hoping to get off the ground at Augusta State Airport were forced to defer their plans until today. Airport officials decided to close all runways at noon due to poor visibility and to allow plows a chance to clear them.

"Visibility is real bad," airport maintenance supervisor Peter Couillard said.

While few imagined a storm of this size last week -- as the mercury hit 60 degrees and December's snow melted away -- residents were taking the snowfall in stride Monday.

Joel Lyons, of Richmond, said he had no plans of changing his schedule to accommodate the snowfall.

"I don't think snow has kept me in since I was 16," Lyons said at the Hannaford Supermarket on Willow Street in Augusta. "The weather doesn't stop you. If you live in New England and the weather stops you, move somewhere else."

David Brouillette, of Augusta, found a silver lining in the storm's arrival and his car's simultaneous breakdown.

"You're probably safer right now walking to the stores," he said Monday.

Residents had apparently geared up for the storm in advance.

Lowe's home improvement store at Augusta Crossing was "really busy" Sunday as customers stocked up on the essentials, manager Jeff Hines said. But business slowed down noticeably on Monday.

The most popular item?

"We can't keep roof rakes here," Hines said. "People want them so bad."

Matthew Stone -- 621-3811, Ext. 435

mstone@centralmaine.com

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