CAMDEN — Sunset is just an hour away now (4:38 p.m.) and that's when the job of snow plow operator for the town of Camden gets a little harder to do.

"The visibility is tough at times today, but later tonight it will be really hard because I can't see where the road ends and the ditches begin," said Keryn Annis from behind the large steering wheel of one of Camden Public Works' snowplow trucks late Tuesday morning.

At first, Annis' truck didn't have much heat, which meant a lot of wiping the windshield with a towel and scraping ice frozen inside the passenger side window, where he couldn't reach. But about an hour later, the heat had kicked in and with his passenger helping keep the fog off the windows, things were looking a little more clear. In fact, it was time to shed a layer and take off the mittens.

Annis' has worked for the town for 20 years, as of this past fall. Eighteen of those, he said, were spent working the front end loader downtown during snow storms, moving plowed snow down to the public landing and into the harbor. Camden is one of the few towns in the state that are still allowed to do that, having been grandfathered in by state officials.

As is typical with nor'easters, lulls in the snow and wind broke up the persistent flow of sideways moving white stuff. But don't be fooled, because the storm is still around and it keeps bringing with it short windows of less snow and less wind, and then without warning smack you back in the face with both.

The National Weather Service's blizzard warning for the Midcoast continues through 4 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28. In a 3 p.m. update, the NWS said that heavy snow continues for much of the region, and the strong low pressure off the coast of Maine will track northeast toward Nova Scotia by Wednesday morning.

That means the storm is still here, and will be overnight as additional bands of heavy snow will continue to rotate onshore and affect northern New England through tonight. So stay off the roads and make a plan to shovel the driveway and prepare for clearing tomorrow morning.

Blizzard conditions also continue for areas near the coast, but they are expected to taper off eventually, but continue through the evening. Blowing snow will also continue to present a hazard for everyone. And while heavier snow will wind down late tonight, light snow will lingering into Wednesday.

So far, the blizzard has been kind to tree limbs and power lines, with Central Maine Power reporting just 151 customers without electricity. Of those, the two counties with the most outages are Waldo County (57) and Androscoggin (87).

According to Weather Underground, reports of strong wind gusts in Knox County have come in from Swans Island, Knox County Regional Airport and Vinalhaven. At 1:41 p.m., Swans Island report a 55 mph gust; at 1:15 p.m. the airport reported a 52 mph gust; and at 1:38 p.m. Vinalhaven reported a 44 mph gust.

At a marine reporting station in Penobscot Bay, there was a 58 mph gust at 1:30 p.m.

Waldo County has been spared the stronger winds, with Belfast reporting a 35 mph gust at 1:42 pm. and the town of Knox reporting a 32 mph gust at 1:54 p.m.

Annis' route Tuesday is the "mountain route." It covers Barnestown Road to the Hope town line, Molyneaux Road, Howe Hill, Gillette Road to the Hope town line, Ragged Mountain Road, Wiley Road, Annis Road and Country Way.

He was called in to begin plowing at 4:16 a.m. this morning.

When asked how long he will work today, he gave a look that said, "Till it's done and the storm is over."

It was at that moment that the 1981 J. Geils Band tune Freeze Frame came on the radio.

"Wet, heavy snow is worse than blizzard snow, which is dry," said Annis. "Wind affects visibility, but it blows snow off the road. But it also blows snow onto the road in other places. The lulls and bands of a nor'easter also let us catch up and stay ahead of the accumulating snow."

After about two hours and half a tank of fuel, Annis drove the truck back to the Public Works facility on John Street. Inside, other drivers were taking a break, adding chains to a backhoe and checking the latest weather reports.

They would soon all be back out on the road, doing what they do best when snowstorms hit - plowing.

To reach Editorial Director Holly S. Edwards, email hollyedwards@penbaypilot.com