Hello everyone!

Today will feature warmer temps, cloudier skies, and some light precipitation as we welcome our next storm system into the area. Before rain and snow arrive this afternoon, expect clouds to finish overspreading the region from the southwest over the next couple hours as calm and cold conditions give way to light southerly breezes and rising temps.

By 1PM, the time at which this forecast map is valid, most spots should be seeing overcast skies with temps a few degrees on either side of freezing. Precipitation will arrive in SW NH shortly after 1 PM before spreading northeast into Maine later in the afternoon.

The map below shows expected conditions at 6 PM when the steadiest precipitation will be impacting the area.

This system is disorganized so we’re not expecting much if any precipitation to be heavy, but as a little “mesolow” spins up east of Portland, bands of moderate to perhaps even heavy snow may briefly impact the coastal plain. The immediate coast seems likely to be just a smidge too warm for accumulating snow, but if you’re anywhere north of Route 1 along the Midcoast or west of 295/95, expect this one to be mostly snow (I believe the model shown above is probably a smidge too warm on the margins based on current temperature data).

Here’s a look at how much snow to expect this evening. Most spots won’t see more than an inch, but the best shot at 1-3″ looks to be from near Windham to Lewiston to Augusta and points northeast. Though a few bursts of snow may be heavy this evening, this isn’t a significant event. Just take it slow and keep an eye out for slick spots if you’re driving when the snow is falling.

Right along the coast, it looks like temps will be just a smidge too warm for snow, but as always there’s a bit of uncertainty in the exact rain/snow line. Thankfully it’s only an inch or two instead of a foot or two of snow at stake this time!

-Jack