PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Drought conditions across much of Maine may have contributed to the large numbers of trees that toppled during a storm that walloped the Northeast this week, officials said.
It left more Mainers in the dark than even the infamous 1998 ice storm, but the long-term effects will likely be much different.
Because of dry conditions, the trees’ roots weren’t healthy, and ground conditions along with foliage that remained on the trees made them more susceptible to wind, said Peter Rogers, acting director of the Maine Emergency Management Agency.
"It was kind of a perfect storm," Rogers said.
He had declared a state of emergency on Monday, the day the storm peaked during the early morning hours.
Maine’s two major utilities were still reporting more than 200,000 customers without power early Wednesday morning.
Other states in the Northeast are also still cleaning up from the storm.
All 16 Maine counties were declared federal disaster areas.
"The temperature is in our favor right now.
Those were cold temperatures back then," Pomerleau said.