By Joseph E. Becker, Special to The County
Wed. Apr. 1 – Fri. Apr. 3
While the winter weather advisory has been cancelled for northern Maine, a mix of sleet and freezing rain is affecting northern areas this morning and may continue to create slippery conditions for a few more hours. A cold front is moving through the area and will bring a quick end to all precipitation, followed by drier and calmer weather for the rest of the day.
As winds shift from the north, colder air will move in, causing temperatures to fall below freezing by late afternoon and continue dropping into the teens and lower twenties overnight. Any wet surfaces are likely to freeze this evening, leading to icy conditions, especially on untreated and elevated surfaces.
High pressure will be north of the Valley Thursday with partly sunny skies and mostly dry conditions. High pressure moves east Thursday night. A warm front moving into the region Thursday night into Friday will bring increasing clouds, rising temperatures, and widespread precipitation. Snow is expected to develop first Thursday evening, especially across northern areas, before gradually changing to sleet and then freezing rain overnight as warmer air moves in above the surface. This may create hazardous travel conditions by Friday morning due to ice accumulation.
Valley locations could see a few inches of snow along with some sleet, while a light glaze of ice is possible farther south. The exact mix will depend on the storm track. Temperatures will rise above freezing on Friday, changing precipitation to rain, with lighter showers continuing into the weekend.
For the SJV, mostly cloudy skies will continue today, with a slight chance of freezing rain and snow showers during the morning hours. High temperatures will reach the mid-30s with light northeast winds. Skies will partially clear tonight as colder air settles in, with lows dropping into the low 10s. Thursday will bring a mix of sun and clouds and slightly milder conditions, with highs in the upper 30s and light easterly winds.
Thursday night will turn unsettled as precipitation moves in, beginning as snow in the evening before transitioning to a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain overnight. Lows will fall into the mid-20s. Wintry precipitation will continue into Friday morning, creating hazardous travel, before temperatures rise into the upper 30s and change precipitation to rain in the afternoon. Friday night will remain mostly cloudy with periods of rain early, then a chance of mixed precipitation late, with lows in the upper 20s.
Sat. Apr. 4 – Tue. Apr. 7
Another low pressure system is expected to move into the region Saturday night and continue through Sunday, bringing another round of unsettled weather. Precipitation will likely begin as snow across northern areas, while central and southern locations see mainly rain at the onset. As warmer air moves in above the surface, some areas, especially from the Central Highlands northward, could experience a period of sleet or freezing rain overnight.
By Sunday morning, rising temperatures will allow precipitation to change over to plain rain across most of the area. Periods of rain are expected to continue through Sunday and into Sunday night ahead of an approaching cold front. Conditions may vary depending on the exact storm track.
Partly sunny skies Saturday morning will give way to increasing clouds during the afternoon, with highs in the upper 30s. Conditions will deteriorate Saturday night as a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain develops, with lows in the mid-20s. This wintry mix will continue into Sunday morning before transitioning to plain rain as temperatures rise into the mid-40s, leading to wet and potentially slick conditions early in the day.
Rain will remain likely Sunday evening before tapering off, with lows in the upper 20s overnight. Monday will start mostly cloudy before gradual clearing brings partly sunny skies and highs in the upper 30s. Colder air returns Monday night with partly cloudy skies and lows in the low teens. Tuesday will feature a mix of sun and clouds with highs in the low 30s, followed by mostly clear skies and lows near 10 Tuesday night.
Daily Forecast
Today: Sunny, with a high near 20. Wind chill values as low as -11. West wind 7 to 9 mph.
Tonight: Increasing clouds, with a low around 10. Calm wind.
Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 34. South wind 6 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Thursday Night: A chance of snow, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21. South wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Friday: A chance of snow. Partly sunny, with a high near 37. West wind 6 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Friday Night: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Saturday: Rain and snow likely, mainly after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 37. Light east wind increasing to 5 to 9 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday Night: Rain and snow likely before 8pm, then snow likely between 8pm and 11pm, then rain and snow likely after 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Sunday: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 36. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Sunday Night: A slight chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 29.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 10.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 34Today: Mostly cloudy. A slight chance of freezing rain and snow showers this morning. Highs in the mid 30s. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.
Tonight: Partly cloudy. Cold with lows around 13. North winds around 5 mph.
Thursday: Partly sunny. Highs in the upper 30s. East winds around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: A chance of snow in the evening, then snow, freezing rain with a slight chance of sleet after midnight. Light snow accumulation possible. Lows in the mid 20s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.
Friday: Freezing rain and sleet. Snow in the morning, then rain in the afternoon. Light snow accumulation possible. Highs in the upper 30s. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy. Rain in the evening, then a chance of rain, a slight chance of freezing rain and snow after midnight. Lows in the upper 20s. Chance of precipitation 90 percent.
Saturday: Partly sunny in the morning, then becoming mostly cloudy. Highs in the upper 30s.
Saturday Night: Snow, freezing rain and sleet. Lows in the mid 20s. Chance of precipitation 90 percent.
Sunday: Freezing rain and sleet in the morning. Rain. Highs in the mid 40s. Chance of precipitation 90 percent.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy. Rain likely, mainly in the evening. Lows in the upper 20s. Chance of rain 70 percent.
Monday: Mostly cloudy in the morning, then becoming partly sunny. Highs in the upper 30s.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy. Colder with lows 10 to 15.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny in the morning, then becoming partly sunny. Highs in the lower 30s.
Tuesday Night: Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 10.
Weather Notice: The weekly forecast, by UMFK Professor Joseph E. Becker, is based on available computer models and data and may not reflect current conditions or later forecast updates. Check The County.me or the National Weather Service Caribou, Maine for the most recent weather information for the St. John Valley.
