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Weakening Hurricane Kyle Still Lashes Out At Maine

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The Associated Press

Published: September 29, 2008

MACHIAS, Maine - Fishermen moved boats to shelter from a rare burst of tropical weather along Maine's rugged eastern coast Sunday as a weakening Hurricane Kyle spun past on its way to Canada, threatening a glancing blow equivalent to a classic nor'easter.

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 Centre 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 late Sunday, but by then was expected to be at 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 service to islands. Flooding closed roads in eastern Maine.

Heavy rain lashed the state Sunday for a third straight day. As much as 5.5 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.

Maine emergency responders had been bracing for wind gusts as high as 60 mph and waves up to 20 feet, but as the storm pushed toward the Canadian Maritime Provinces, it became clear that the state would escape a direct hit.

Officials still expect strong winds and "the attendant power outages," Lynette Miller, spokeswoman for the Maine Emergency Management Agency, said Sunday evening. "We're cautiously optimistic that things will not be as bad as we originally feared."

Residents of the area, which New Englanders refer to as Down East, are accustomed to rough weather, but it most often comes in the winter when nor'easters howl along the coast. Maine hasn't had anything like a hurricane since Bob was downgraded as it moved into the state in 1991 after causing problems in southern New England.

The deadliest storm to hit the Northeast was in 1938 when a hurricane killed 700 people and destroyed 63,000 homes on New York's Long Island and throughout New England. Other hurricanes that have hit Maine were Carol and Edna in 1954, Donna in 1960 and Gloria in 1985.

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