MAINE, USA — The Cascades sang "listen to the rhythm of the falling rain" in the early 1960s. While I don't think this song was written about Maine, it is definitely fitting for the changes to the weekend forecast. It's also what I'm listening to while I write this, so that's an interesting coincidence.
Skiers and snowmobilers, don't stop reading yet...there is still a chance for some snow in western and northern Maine, but the pattern looks to favor a big supply of warm air and a north track for the storm itself.
There also is not much cold air to work with in general, which brings us the rainier solution that models are now starting to show Saturday night.
Here's the set up:
See how that low is over New England, and not over the ocean? This is where our intrusion of warm air comes from. Some models are even hinting at temperatures surging into the 40s as the storm draws near.
Still, it is winter in Maine and we have snowpack on the ground. This could throw models off a little bit and bring a slightly cooler solution to the table. Either way, though, snow looks less likely than rain.
Drizzle and flurries will start late Saturday. Expect rain south on Sunday morning with just a little bit of mix through central Maine. Northern and western Maine see flakes for most of the storm. Some of the mountains could transition to a bit of mixing through the day Sunday.
The storm exits rather quickly Sunday and leaves us for a much drier day on Monday. Just a few flurries will be found Monday morning as sunshine breaks through in the afternoon.
So here it is...the moment you've been waiting for. The snow map for this event:
This is not really impressive at all. Widespread snow just isn't in the cards with this set up. There are still a couple days to tweak, though, so check back again tomorrow and see what has changed.
The other piece to this puzzle is the chance for some gusty conditions Sunday. Wind gusts do not look strong enough for damage, but they could be enough to blow around unsecured outdoor objects like trash cans. Take a look at the modeled gusts below.
The rest of the week actually looks pretty quiet. Maybe a cold snap at the end of the week, but generally storm-free.