A couple days of mostly quiet weather are in store for Maine, but we’re gearing up for yet another significant storm set to arrive on Saturday.
More wind, rain, mountain snow and significant coastal flooding are likely across the state.
Thursday will start out sunny and turn cloudy. Highs will be in the upper 30s to around 40 degrees Fahrenheit, with a chance for a few snow showers or flurries in the afternoon or evening.
Friday will be sunny and quiet. Highs will be in the mid-30s.
Saturday storm
Another potent, quick-hitting storm will arrive after midnight Friday night and will continue into Saturday morning. Heavy rain, strong winds, mountain snow and coastal flooding are likely once again.
Timing
Rain and inland snow will begin after midnight Friday night. Snow will quickly transition to rain for inland areas, with the mountains keeping snow the longest. The worst conditions look to be around 5 to 10 a.m., with improvements heading into the afternoon.
Coastal flooding
High tide is at 12:05 p.m. Saturday, and that means another threat of coastal flooding. Current forecasts have levels similar to Wednesday’s storm, which of course led to major impact up and down the coast.
With a similar surge, damage could even end up worse as all the dunes and protections have been washed away and weakened by the Wednesday storm.
If you have a coastal home or property, be prepared for significant impacts on Saturday.
Wind
Winds look strong once again with this system, especially along the coast. Gusts up to 55 mph are possible, and some scattered outages are as well. However, the power outage threat looks to be lower this time around due to all the weakened trees and branches already being downed.
Flood threat
Another 1 to 2 inches of rain looks likely, and while there could be some minor flood issues, the fast-moving nature of this system and the low amounts of snow on the ground this time mean the flood threat isn’t major. Still, some places could see minor flooding on Saturday morning.
Snow
While many of us will see some snow, outside of the mountains, a quick transition to rain will keep totals on the low side. Another significant storm of 5 to 10 inches looks to be on the way for mountain areas and ski resorts.
After the storm moves out, we quiet down for Sunday with more sun and highs in the low to mid 30s.
We turn cold next week with more sun and temperatures in the 20s and low 30s Monday.
Another storm looks to move in Tuesday evening into Wednesday, and snow-producing temperatures are likely.
