In January, average temperatures throughout Maine are generally in the upper 20s and low 30s. While 30 degrees might not sound like a lot, how about the experience of a 30-degree swing?
That could be the reality for some spots in Maine between Saturday and Sunday evening. Expect a T-shirt day on Saturday, then revert to using ice scrapers and wearing winter coats on Sunday.
It’s going to be quite warm Saturday, especially in southwestern Maine. There could be a few spots in York or Cumberland counties that make it to 60 degrees if the sun breaks out. It’s looking possible, if not likely, that we break a record in Portland for high temperatures. It’ll feel like summer.
Record highs vs. forecast temperatures. News Center Maine
This is the part where I wish I could add a sound effect. Here it is: a record getting scratched, then a pause while a narrator speaks.
NARRATOR: ‘IT DOESN’T LAST LONG’
And it doesn’t. I can’t even tell the skiers to be excited for this forecast; it just looks pretty gross on Sunday.
News Center Maine
The map above is a good reference point of what we expect. This has been tweaked a little bit since yesterday’s.
The biggest difference is the slight expansion of the forecast for icing in the 1/4″ to 1/2″ range. Generally speaking, this will allow for power outages, but is unlikely to be a catastrophic event.
I reached out to National Weather Service office in Gray to get their expertise on ice storms. They shared the following chart with me that breaks down the info:
NWS Gray
The takeaway here is that the forecast for our highest ice totals remains below their guidelines on what is worst for ice accretion.
There could still be some minor changes as this forecast moves forward, but this is a pretty cohesive idea of what to expect.
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