A slow-moving nor’easter is expected to bring rain, high winds and rough surf to York County this weekend, with the worst of it arriving Saturday.

“Most of the impact will be tomorrow with heavy rain, winds and coastal splash-over,” Megan Arsenault, deputy director of the York County Emergency Management Agency, said on Friday. She noted the area could see an “astronomical high tide” on Saturday.

The National Weather Service has issued a high surf advisory and a coastal flood advisory, warning of possible flooding, isolated road closures, dangerous swimming and surfing conditions, rip currents and localized beach erosion.

Arsenault urged people to steer clear of the coast.

“That includes boaters on the water but also just onlookers,” she said. “They are expecting some pretty high waves and some splash-over, so folks don’t need to be at the coast or at the beach. It’s better to stay away for this weekend.”

Conditions will begin deteriorating Friday and into Saturday morning, said Cameron Barker, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Gray-Portland office. 

The storm will unfold slowly over 24 to 48 hours, bringing heavy rain and strong winds. 

“It’s unusually early in the year to get a nor’easter,” Barker said. “Typically it’s a late fall or winter-time event.”

York County sits on the northern fringe of the storm and can expect 1 to 2 inches of rainfall, Barker said. Winds of 35 to 40 mph are forecast for most of Saturday and Sunday, with gusts offshore topping 50 mph. Because trees still have their leaves, downed branches could cause isolated power outages.

Waves are expected to top 10 feet along the coast and reach 15 feet roughly 30 to 40 miles offshore. Coastal flooding risk is low, though flood-prone beach roads could see a 1- to 2-foot surge. The full moon, which causes higher sea levels during high tide, happens to be overlapping with the storm, Barker said.

As a precaution, the town of Kennebunk removed the stairs at Gooch’s Beach Friday morning to protect them from rough surf, according to a Facebook post; they’ll be reinstalled next week, weather permitting.

Arsenault also encouraged residents to prepare an emergency plan. 

“We always recommend that people have a supply of emergency items on hand — food and water for at least 72 hours, first aid kits, tools and backup power sources,” she said “We are expecting some winds that may cause some power outages in York County, so taking time today to get all those things in place will help people over the weekend.”

She recommended following the National Weather Service and local news for updates, adding that the county will post developments on its Facebook, X and Instagram accounts.

One silver lining: York County has been in a moderate to severe drought, according to weather service maps, so the rain should offer some relief. 

“Heavy rain is usually something we monitor pretty closely for flooding, but since we’ve been in drought conditions, the rain is actually gonna help us this weekend,” Arsenault  said. 

Kennebunkport Harbor Master Frank Orr echoed the call for caution. 

“Your personal safety should be your top priority,” he said via email “Do not put yourself in danger just to protect your property.”

Orr offered some recommendations for mariners that he said come from bulletins issued by the U.S. Coast Guard, Sea Tow and other sources:

• Avoid hazardous conditions.  Remain in port, seek safe harbor, and/or secure your vessels for severe wind and waves.
• Secure all paddle craft and small boats to prevent unintentional drifting out to sea.
• If feasible, haul your boat out of the water and store it in a safe location on land.  If it cannot be hauled out, remove valuables and important documents from your vessel including electronics and gear and store them on shore. 
• If securing your boat in an area vulnerable to flooding, use extra lines to account for expected rainfall, changing water levels and storm surge.
• Document your boat before the storm by taking photos or video of your vessel to show how and where it is secured if an insurance claim must be filed.