Frost and freeze advisories issued for coastal Maine; more seasonable conditions expected to end the week
Maine Braces for Cold Night, Then Warms Up for Rest of Week
Sub‑freezing temperatures are expected to bite Maine’s coastal communities from midnight Tuesday into the early morning of Wednesday, before the state turns toward more typical fall weather for the remainder of the week.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a frost advisory for the entire coast of Maine from midnight to 8 a.m. Wednesday, forecasting overnight lows of 30 to 35 °F. In interior Cumberland and Androscoggin counties, a freeze warning was put in place, with temperatures as low as 25 °F expected. Other inland towns—Fryeburg, Rumford, Rangeley and Jackman—were predicted to see drops to between 25 and 30 °F.
“Some areas are already past the growing season, so we don’t have (advisories) out for those areas,” said Hunter Tubbs, a meteorologist at the NWS office in Gray. “This is around the time when meteorologists would expect the region to begin experiencing frosty overnight temperatures.” He urged residents to cover or bring inside any sensitive outdoor plants.
Tubbs explained that the coldest part of the week will arrive Tuesday night into Wednesday, but the rest of the week should be relatively mild. The cold snap is attributed to a strong cold front that brought northwesterly winds from Canada. “That’s just because we had a strong cold front that came through, and that allowed for strong northwesterly winds to bring down colder air from Canada,” he said.
Wednesday’s daytime highs are projected to rise into the high 50s and low 60s across southern and central Maine. By Thursday, temperatures are expected to climb again, with Portland and Lewiston potentially reaching 70 °F thanks to a warm front moving in from the southwest. However, Friday and Saturday will see a dip, with highs falling to the low 60s— and even into the low 50s for some western communities. The heat should return Sunday, with Monday highs possibly reaching 70 °F again.
Nighttime temperatures will remain fairly steady. Southeast regions, including Greater Portland, are expected to record lows in the mid‑to‑low 40s from Thursday through the beginning of next week, while areas farther north and west should see lows in the mid‑to‑high 30s.
Rainfall looks limited. Tubbs noted, “As of right now, it doesn’t look like anything significant in terms of rainfall.” He added that occasional showers might touch the western mountains later in the week, but they are unlikely to amount to much.
Adding to the chilly atmosphere, the Mount Washington Observatory reported the first measurable snowfall of the season on Tuesday morning, when New Hampshire’s highest peak recorded just over half an inch of snow in 24 hours. A wind gust of 110 mph was also logged.
Residents of coastal Maine should prepare for the overnight frosts by checking that outdoor plants are protected and that windows are sealed to keep heat out of their homes. As the week progresses, the weather should return to more comfortable fall conditions, with temperatures rising through the day and nights remaining mild.
