A significant winter storm will hit Maine starting late Wednesday night.
Heavy snow and rough travel is expected Thursday, with snow continuing until early Friday. The frigid weather over the next few days could increase the likelihood of even more snow next week.
Wednesday will start off with sunny skies and highs near 40 degrees. Clouds will increase as sundown approaches.
Snow will start to fly about midnight Wednesday and quickly become heavy in central and southern Maine, which will likely make for a tough morning commute.
Moderate to heavy snow will continue through early Thursday afternoon, with light snow or sleet for the rest of the day-time hours.
A second wave will bring light to moderate snow Thursday evening into early Friday morning before wrapping up around sunrise.
The accumulation will be highest in southern Maine, where 8 to 12 inches are expected from central York County to Greater Augusta and the midcoast. Southern York County and points north of Augusta are expected to see 5 to 9 inches by the time the snow stops flying.
Northern Maine will see the lowest snow accumulation, which will peak around the Thursday morning commute.
Some places, particularly southern York County, may see snow mixing with sleet. It’s uncertain how far north that precipitation mix will extend, which could reduce overall snow totals.
Temperatures will be cold for the duration of the storm, with highs peaking in the teens to about 20 degrees on Thursday.
Behind the storm, skies will gradually clear by Friday afternoon. It still will be cold, with temperatures in the low to mid-20s, but gusty winds will create wind chills below zero in many spots.
Friday night looks downright frigid, with lows below zero across much of the state.
Saturday also will be quite cold, with highs will be in the teens and wind chills below zero. Skies will be partly cloudy.
Another round of snow will arrive Sunday followed by more snow Monday night and Tuesday.
