City Urges Residents to Prepare for High Wind, Rain & Coastal Flooding Event on Friday, December 23, 2022

The City of Portland is urging residents to prepare for the high wind, rain and coastal flooding event that will begin in Portland early on Friday, December 23. Residents should be prepared for coastal flooding to close low-lying roads and roads near the waterfront as well as power outages. Temperatures are expected to drop sharply Friday night into Saturday morning, leading to flash freezing along roadways, so people should use caution when traveling on Saturday. High winds with gusts of up to 62 mph could damage trees, power lines, and property. Widespread power outages are likely.

City officials are coordinating preparedness efforts with the Maine Emergency Management Association (MEMA) as well as County Emergency Management Agencies, State partners, and Central Maine Power (CMP). 

People are encouraged to stay tuned to alerts and warnings through media or by visiting www.portlandmaine.gov/stayconnected and signing up for the City’s Emergency Alerts list. You can also text the word PortlandMEAlerts to 38276 to subscribe. 

Given the strong winds forecasted, people should remove objects in their yard that could become airborne, such as holiday decorations, shovels, and garbage cans on decks and porches. 

Friday’s trash and recycling collection will occur as normal, however, if conditions become unsafe for crews, we may have to stop collection. Residents are encouraged to hold their items until next week if possible, and to bring in barrels and cans as soon as their items have been collected. 

City officials will barricade streets that are flooded. The public is urged to pay attention to these barricades and not drive through flooded streets as it could damage your vehicle and cause extra calls for service to first responders. 

If you observe a downed power line, report it to CMP. Citizens are reminded to never touch a downed power line or a tree in contact with a downed line. Motorists should slow down or change lanes when approaching utility crews working on roadways.

Other related tree damage from trees in the public way should be reported to City Forestry crews via our 311 tool, SeeClickFix. Residents can download the SeeClickFix mobile app or visit www.portlandmaine.gov/311. Residents are urged to provide as much detail as possible with pictures so crews know how to respond to each hazard.

Regional warming centers are expected to open in several Maine counties. Please visit MEMA’s website to find a location near you. You may also dial 2-1-1 or visit their website for a list of locations.

Be sure that alternate heat and power sources are in proper working condition, properly installed, and that you follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. If you are using a portable space heater, please keep the following safety tips in mind:

• Keep combustible objects at least three feet away from portable heating devices.
• Only buy heaters evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
• Check to make sure the portable heater has a thermostat control mechanism and will switch off automatically if the heater falls over.
• Only use crystal clear K-1 kerosene in kerosene heaters. Never overfill it. Use the heater in a well-ventilated room away from curtains and other flammable items.