MACHIAS, Maine — Fishermen moved boats to shelter from a rare burst of tropical weather along Maine’s rugged Down East coast Sunday as a weakening Hurricane Kyle spun past on its way to Canada, threatening a glancing blow equivalent to a classic nor’easter storm without the snow.
A hurricane watch for Maine was discontinued Sunday, but a tropical-storm warning remained in effect from Stonington, at the mouth of Penobscot Bay, to Eastport on the Canadian border, the National Hurricane Center said. The Canadian Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for parts of southwestern Nova Scotia, with tropical-storm warnings for parts of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
The Category 1 storm’s track was expected to bring its center ashore in New Brunswick just west of Saint John late Sunday or early today, but by then it is expected to have less than hurricane strength, said Peter Bowyer of the Canadian center in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
There were no immediate plans for evacuations in Maine, although residents were warned of potential power outages and interruptions in ferry services to islands.
Heavy rain lashed the state Sunday for a third straight day. As much as 5 1/2 inches had already fallen along coastal areas. Flood watches were in effect for the southern two-thirds of New Hampshire and southern Maine through Sunday evening.
Authorities expected wind gusts to reach up to 60 mph and waves up to 20 feet in Maine, said Robert McAleer, Maine Emergency Management Agency director.
Down East residents are accustomed to rough weather, but it most often comes in the winter when nor’easters howl along the East Coast.
