Hurricane Kyle headed for Maine early yesterday, triggering the state's first hurricane watch in 17 years as it roared over the Atlantic off North Carolina on a northward trek that threatened to bring flooding and damaging winds inland.

Forecasters issued a tropical storm warning and hurricane watch on Saturday for parts of coastal Maine.

Authorities expect gusts in Maine to reach up to 96 km per hour and waves up to 20 6.1m, said Robert McAleer, Maine Emergency Management Agency director.