3-Day Outlook: Wednesday, May 15 – Friday, May 17
A cold front will move across the St. John Valley today and stall out over the Central Highlands of Maine. Mostly cloudy to partly sunny skies are expected across the Valley today. The National Weather Service in Caribou notes that “[w]ith daytime heating, this front will be the focus of shower development by this afternoon. Soundings indicate enough instability for some isolated thunderstorms north of the Bangor region and south of the Crown of Maine.”
Along the northern border, showers are expected to develop this evening with showers likely overnight into early Thursday.
The boundary remains stalled over Maine Thursday with a chance of showers over the course of the day. The front weakens as high pressure begins to build in Thursday night with a slight chance of showers overnight into Friday. An upper-level trough approaches from the west later Friday with a chance of scattered showers over the course of the day. Mostly cloudy skies with a chance of showers is expected Friday night into Saturday morning.
Daily Summary
Today: Isolated showers after 3 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.
Tonight: Showers likely, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. North wind 3 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Thursday: Scattered showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 69. North wind 3 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.
Thursday Night: A chance of showers, mainly before 10 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
Friday: A chance of showers, mainly after 10 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. Southeast wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.
Friday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. Southeast wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
4- to 7-day outlook: Saturday, May 18 – Tuesday, May 21
While surface high pressure will move across the Valley through the first part of the period. Weak upper-level troughs will bring a continual chance of light showers for much of the period. It will not be a complete washout; however, the weather service stated “[a]lthough the risk of daily showers will persist through the weekend into early next week, much of the time will remain dry. The better shower chances will generally occur across northern areas.”
Presently, more sun than showers seems to be probable Sunday through Tuesday with increasing chances for showers midweek as a low pressure and cold front approach from the west.
Daily Summary
Saturday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. Southeast wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.
Saturday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.
Sunday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
Sunday Night: A chance of showers, mainly after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
Monday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 69. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
Monday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
Tuesday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 74. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy skies early followed by increasing clouds with showers developing later at night. Low 49. Chance of rain 40 percent.
8- to 14-day Regional Climate Trends: Wednesday, May 22 – Tuesday, May 28
Near normal temperatures / Above normal precipitation
Note: Computer model precision diminishes the further into the week the forecast projects. Check The County.me or the National Weather Service Caribou, ME at for weather updates with more current information for the Saint John Valley.
The Week Ahead is the work of UMFK Professor Joseph E. Becker based on personal weather station data, various computer forecast models, and information that the National Weather Service, NOAA, and other weather resources provide.
