BY CRAIG CROSBY

Staff Writer

Central Maine communities suffered few ill effects from the remnants of Tropical Storm Hanna this weekend, save for a few flooded basements.

Forecasters and emergency management planners have now turned their attention to a line of storms expecting to pass through today. But instead of rain, the drop in temperatures accompanying the front will be much more likely to grab people's attention.

Nearly 7 inches of rain fell on parts of Maine as the remnants of Hanna crept up the coast Saturday into Sunday.

In central Maine, where much of the rain fell in about 6 hours overnight, observers reported a range between 2.67 inches in Waterville and 3.38 inches in Augusta.

"It was a pretty healthy rain," said Jim Mansfield of the National Weather Service in Gray. "The bulk of the rain came in a short period of time, which made it that much more impressive."

Robert Higgins, Sr., emergency management director for Somerset County, said confining the bulk of the rain toward the coast helped prevent river flooding.

"We really fared well," Higgins said. "There seemed to be not many problems at all."

Richard Beausoleil, emergency management director for Kennebec County, said there were no reports of flooding into his office.

Kim Kaiser, deputy director of the Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency, said water left one small hole in a road in Newcastle, but that has already been repaired.

"We were very lucky," she said. "There was no major damage."

The National Weather Service is predicting showers and thunderstorms in the area today and tonight, but less than an inch of rain is expected.

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous-weather outlook for Franklin, Kennebec, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Somerset and Waldo counties that calls for a slight chance of strong winds and thunderstorms this afternoon.

"Certainly it's not going to be like what we had on Saturday," Mansfield said.

Kaiser said her office is telling residents in Lincoln County to make sure their storm drains are clear and that any standing water is pumped out of low areas before the rain starts.

But none of the emergency management officials is expecting major problems.

"We're watching the storm closely and telling people to be prepared," Kaiser said.

Today's rain will be spawned by a cool high pressure that will settle into the area over the next couple of days, Mansfield said.

Daytime temperatures in northern Maine may not reach 60 degrees Wednesday while the thermometer is not expected to touch 70 in central Maine until Saturday.

Temperatures on Wednesday and Thursday night are predicted to be in the 40s.

It may seem early for such readings, but Mansfield said central Maine often has seen its first frost by the end of September.

"It does come quick it seems," he said. "You just get through Labor Day and you're dealing with stuff like this."

Craig Crosby--623-3811 Ext. 433

ccrosby@centralmaine.com