 MONDAY OUTLOOK… PATCHY DENSE FOG is the main concern for commuters starting the day, and they could be stubborn in spots until the frontal boundary passes through in the afternoon. RAINFALL could be moderate to heavy at times ahead of the front and may contain a rumble of thunder. WIND accompanies the heavier rainfall, where coastal areas could see S/SE gusts in the 30-40 mph range and may cause isolated power outages. Cold air damming over the interior should knock the wind down, but where heavier rain develops, it could bring isolated gusts in that range there. STEADY PRECIPITATION ENDS over the south by mid-afternoon, the west and east by early evening, and over the north by mid-evening. All areas could see a stray shower after the frontal passage until the air column dries out. THE BREEZE shifts to the SW behind the front and continues overnight. RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES are likely for Caribou, Millinocket, and Bangor as the thermometer climbs into the 40s and 50s across the region. Temperatures fall back into the low to mid-30s by Tuesday morning. NEW YEARS EVE DAY… All areas start breezy, but the wind diminishes during the day as a weak surface high moves into the region. The mountains may see snow showers in the morning, but those will dry out by the afternoon. The region sits in the warm sector with the SW wind flow and brings another seasonably mild day, with mid-to-upper 30s along the Quebec border and near 50° along the southern shorelines. NEW YEARS EVE NIGHT… With the next system moving in, the sky will be partly to mostly cloudy by the time the ball drops. DENSE FOG over the south and east may be an overnight issue as outflow moisture moves ahead of the storm. With the fog, this may pop areas of PATCHY DRIZZLE. With temperatures at or below freezing for areas away from the shorelines, this may bring the possibility for some LOCALIZED LIGHT ICING to occur. This idea is not entirely set in stone, but one feature I am monitoring. While much of the state appears to be mainly dry, southern areas run the SLIGHT RISK OF A RAIN SHOWER in the 11 PM to 2 AM window, but it should not impact outdoor activities. The feeling of the air could be a bit raw as an E/SE airflow picks up along the southern shorelines. Low temperatures around midnight range from the mid-20s to around 40° along the immediate coast and will fall a few degrees more before daylight on New Year's Day. NEW YEARS DAY… Forecast ideas have trended cooler, which is good news for ski country as what once appeared to be a washout may bring some joy. Precipitation works in from the southwest with a sub-990mb low developing along the shorelines, covering all but the north by midday. While the mountains / Quebec border regions appear to see SNOW, the foothills across the west and east may see JUNK, with RAIN likely the outcome along the coastal plain. With the storm track cutting up into central areas, then pivoting to the northwest, an E/NE wind picks up and could be gusty in the 30-45 mph range, which may bring the risk of isolated power outages with concern for the MidCoast and DownEast regions. DETAILS WILL BE IRONED OUT with the track, impacting the outcome. STAY TUNED. OPERATIONAL MODELS HAVE ABANDONED SHIP on the major storm ideas floating around for early next week, but I am not ready to dismiss the chance for snow. The main energy sources are working through regions poorly sampled by weather balloons. The atmosphere is very chaotic to the west. Cold air will be around, without a doubt. Time will tell if those ideas were simply science fiction to bring false hope or anxiety or whether they may come back around again. Check The PTW Weather Wall the morning |
Mike Haggett
|
