GRAY — The National Weather Service almost seems hesitant to talk about it: In the wake of the monster storm that pounded the state this week, what’s a few inches more?

“Another system will approach the area by Friday morning,” according to the NWS forecast, “spreading several inches of snow across the region throughout the day.”

With 6 inches or more possible, the approaching storm was enough for the NWS to issue yet another winter storm watch from Thursday night until late Friday.

It sounds routine, but that 6 inches will fall on top of nearly 30 inches that fell across the region Tuesday. There might even be some sleet, the weather service warned. And some ice buildup and winds gusting up to 20 mph.

After Friday night, clearing, but not for long. Consider the weekend a respite. Yet another storm is expected Monday and this one, forecasters say, could bring as much as a foot of snow to the region.

The sheer volume could mean trouble for homeowners.

“With the large amount of snow on rooftops from (Tuesday’s) storm, and to add another 6 inches or more to that, there is a danger for roof collapses,” said Joanne G. Potvin, director of the Androscoggin Unified Emergency Management Agency.

“If there is no collapse,” she said, “future rain and snowmelt will have no place to drain and may dam up and cause significant interior damage when the roof begins to leak. Homeowners and building and business owners need to be thinking about snow removal from rooftops.”

Fire officials advised that emergency or secondary exits should be cleared of snow.


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