NWS Caribou, Maine Area Forecast Discussion
881
FXUS61 KCAR 261846
AFDCAR
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Caribou ME
246 PM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026
.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
- Raised precipitation totals for tonight over southern portions
of the area.
- Decreased precip chances for the Monday system
&&
.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Colder air moving in tonight will lead to icy roads for many
places north of Bangor late tonight.
2) Well below normal temperatures Friday night, Saturday, and
Saturday night followed by moderating temperatures Sunday, then
a light wintry mix on Monday.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...Colder air moving in tonight will lead to icy
roads for many places north of Bangor late tonight.
KEY MESSAGE 1 DESCRIPTION...
As of early Thursday afternoon, we are seeing a break in the
precipitation with just a little light rain or rain/snow in the
north. Warmer air has moved in, with temperatures ranging from
the mid to upper 30s north, to around 50 Downeast.
The concern for icy roads is later tonight behind a cold front.
Another rain of precipitation will move in this evening, first
in the north and later tonight over southern portions of the
area. Most of the precipitation will be ahead of the cold front
and fall as rain, though there could be a very brief changeover
to snow before it ends from north to south. Any snow
accumulation should be a half inch or less. What the
precipitation will do is wet or re-wet the roads, and with
temperatures falling fairly fast behind the cold front, think
that many roads won`t have time to dry before temperatures fall
below freezing. The freezing line reaches Caribou/Presque Isle
around midnight and Millinocket/Greenville/Danforth around 4am.
The freezing line may get down to Bangor around dawn Friday,
but think it will be brief enough from Bangor south that roads
should not ice up.
One other issue to be aware of tonight is fog ahead of the cold
front. Can`t rule out locally dense fog especially over central
portions of the area, and on hilltops.
The cooler, drier air and sunshine during the day Friday should
allow any icy roads to dry out pretty quickly.
KEY MESSAGE 2...Well below normal temperatures Friday night,
Saturday, and Saturday night followed by moderating temperatures
Sunday, then a light wintry mix on Monday.
KEY MESSAGE 2 DESCRIPTION...
An upper level trof will continue to pipe in an arctic airmass
into the region Friday night. The 925mb temps drop to the
coldest for the weekend between -18C to -20C on Friday night.
Expected surface temps in the single digits below zero in the
north and teens above zero in the south. By Saturday morning,
the 925mb model temps show a slight warming with the partly
cloud skies to -10C to -14C. Temps at the surface should remain
well below normal at low 20s in the north and mid 20s in the
south. Mostly clear skies on Saturday night should drop temps
again into the single digits across most of the region with
teens near the coast.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
This afternoon, southern terminals (BGR/BHB) have improved to
VFR, but northern terminals remain mainly IFR. Precipitation has
changed to rain now for even the far north. Tonight, look for
IFR developing BGR/BHB around 2z as rain moves in. Northern TAF
sites will generally remain IFR/LIFR this evening, but gradually
improve from north to south later tonight, with VFR expected by
about 12z at all sites behind a cold front.
VFR expected areawide on Friday and Friday night. NW winds
around 15 kts gusting to 25 kts during the day Friday, then
subsiding to 5-10 kts Friday night.
Saturday-Sunday...Mainly VFR with possible MVFR in snow showers
on Sunday. NW winds 5-10 kts, then Saturday night to Sunday SW
winds 5-15 kts.
Monday...Possible MVFR/IFR with uncertainty in snow. SSW winds
5-10 kts.
&&
.MARINE...
Small craft conditions continue through Friday and probably
Friday evening, either as seas or winds. SW winds into this
evening switch to N/NW late tonight and remain from the N/NW
into Friday night. Light freezing spray later Friday night.
Small Craft Advisory conditions are possible Friday night and
again Sunday night and possible Gale Force conditions on Monday.
Light freezing spray is possible Friday night and Saturday.
&&
.CAR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ME...None.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 2 AM EDT Saturday for ANZ050-051.
Small Craft Advisory until 8 PM EDT Friday for ANZ052.
&&
$$
DISCUSSION...TF/ARL
AVIATION...TF/ARL
NWS CAR Office Area Forecast Discussion
