The aftermath of the swiftly moving rainstorm and its strong gale force winds that pounded through the MIdcoast Thursday afternoon just after 2 p.m. continued into the night, July 16, as Central Maine Power attempted to restore power to thousands of customers, and trees stressed by the sudden wind force fell against wires, toppling into roadways.

A tree along the Razorville Road in Washington was reported just after 9 p.m. to have fallen against power wires and closing yet another road in the Midcoast — a full eight-plus hours after the storm swept across the region. And as power was being restored to customers throughout CMP's distribution region, the sound of generators continued into Thursday night.

Warnings of the threat of severe storms began popping up on cellphones beginning just before 1 p.m., and the first thought on most minds was, 'good, we need the rain.' But the warnings of severe thunderstorms persisted, and then news of the storm damage in New Hampshire filtered through, with trees down and destructive winds.

What Midcoast Maine quickly learned was the storm that bore down from the northwest had no mercy, and though the force of it all lasted no more than 20 minutes, what was left in its wake, firefighters from multiple towns, including Liberty, Montville, and Belfast to Washington, Friendship, Lincolnville, Camden and Rockport were left cutting fallen trees, clearing branches and cleaning up.

Just as soon as the storm hit in Camden, firefighters were called to multiple locations for downed trees and wires, and drivers across the Midcoast were turned away from multiple road closures.

It took one resident four hours to get home from Belfast to Rockport Thursday afternoon, as roads got choked with downed trees and wires and finding an open road without hazards became the afternoon task.

In Rockland Harbor, cruise ship American Independence was rocked free of its dockside tie-up and carried across the harbor by a squall, colliding with a smaller boat and sending five people into the water. All were uninjured, according to WGME Channel 13.

Stirring the atmosphere was a cold front from Canada moving through the warm air along coastal Maine.

The National Weather Service noted some impressive low level and deep layer shear that, "will be impressive so a few low topped storms here could become strong to marginally severe. Strong winds, small hail, and frequent lightning would be the main threats under the strongest cores."

That they were.

Central Maine Power said after 4 p.m. July 16 that it deployed crews to respond to more than 40,000 power outages caused by severe storms.

"More than 5,000 customers have already been restored," the company said.

|With storms continuing to move through CMP’s service area, safety is top of mind as crews work as quickly and safely as possible to restore power," CMP continued. "Nearby lightning can cause outdoor restoration to be paused, and bucket truck arms cannot be raised once winds exceed 30 mph. Additional crews are staffed and crews will continue working through the afternoon and overnight hours until all customers are restored."

"These storms are bringing gusty winds at a time when trees are full of leaves, this means falling trees and limbs are a concern," said CMP spokesperson, Dustin Wlodkowski, in a news release. "We encourage drivers to use caution when traveling this evening and give our crews plenty of space to work safely roadside.”

Waldo County

First column, total customers, second column, customers left without power at 11 p.m., July 16.

Knox County

First column, total customers, second column, customers left without power at 11 p.m., July 16.

All counties

First column, total customers, second column, customers left without power at 11 p.m., July 16.

CMP reminded customers that see any downed wires to stay far away from them.