All posts by Jack Sillin

I’m a third-year atmospheric science student at Cornell University who has been blogging about the weather since 2011. While I’m not officially a meteorologist, I have accumulated a bit of experience forecasting both local weather (in western Maine and New Hampshire) as well as national/international weather during my time writing for weather.us and weathermodels.com. I also have experience programming in Python, teaching concepts in weather forecasting, and communicating forecast information to general audiences.

Clear And Cool Today

Hello everyone!

More calm weather today as high pressure builds in from the north. Expect highs near 40 south and closer to 30 north with sunny skies. Winds will be noticeable out of the north this morning but will eventually relax as we get towards afternoon.

-Jack

Starting Dreary Ending Mild And Windy

Hello everyone!

A pretty dreary morning is in store today as a front lingers over the area and low pressure develops offshore. Expect continued drizzle/rain especially east through the morning before drier air works in. When the dry air does come, you’ll feel it. Downsloping will spike temps to near 60 at the coast and clouds and drizzle will fade to sun. Clouds will linger more in the mountains as the influence of downsloping will be less significant. For an explanation of downsloping and it’s impacts on the weather in Maine, check out my column in UpPortland (once the page loads, the article is on page 19). Temps  in the mountains will likely get up into the 40’s except far northern areas who will see temps in the 20’s and 30’s with freezing rain changing to snow. Maine’s got it all in terms of weather today!

-Jack

Northern Freezing Rain, Southern Drizzle

Hello everyone!

Today’s forecast is all about location as a warm front is draped over the central part of the region. Along and north of the front, look for temps in the low to mid 30’s today with showers and freezing rain likely throughout the day. Areas in this category would include anywhere north of a Bethel-Augusta-Belfast line. South of there, temps will rise into the upper 30’s/low 40’s and while steady precip seems unlikely, widespread drizzle is likely as onshore flow sets up. Heavy rain arrives tonight and temps in the far north may still be below freezing which would mean heavy freezing rain though that threat should remain north of Jackman for the most part. Some thunder is possible as well\ around midnight in the south. All in all, a pretty dreary day but it won’t last and clearer skies return for tomorrow.

-Jack

Continued Clear Conditions Today, Ever So Slightly Cooler Too

Hello everyone!

More thrilling weather today as cold (yeah right) high pressure builds in from Canada. Expect partly to mostly sunny skies and highs just a hair cooler than yesterday in the 30’s north 40’s south.

Clouds increase ahead of a storm system tonight, I’ll try to have an update on that this evening but in case life gets in the way, look for more details tomorrow morning.

-Jack

Another Mainly Clear Day Today

Hello everyone!

A weak wind shift is moving through the area today bringing slightly drier air behind it. Leftover fog this morning is burning off leaving a lovely day with mainly sunny skies south, partly cloudy skies north, and temps in the 40’s north, low 50’s south.

-Jack

Foggy Morning, Calm Afternoon

Hello everyone!

Today will start out foggy with Dense Fog Advisories out for a good chunk of the area and for good reason, visibilities are below a half mile in places so take extra time on the commute this morning. Fog slowly lifts today as warmer air works in. While not a classic CAD situation, some cooler air will likely become dammed up against the higher terrain and so the cold temps for today will be found not up north but in Central Maine where low to mid 40’s are expected compared to low 50’s elsewhere. Sun looks likely north of the mountains and at the coast (as well as York County and points SW) but it may take most of the day to get the fog out as the December sun hasn’t shown much of a capacity for burning off low clouds this week.

-Jack

Morning Showers And Warmer Today

Hello everyone!

Today will feature mainly cloudy skies as a cold front that actually has warm air behind it (a warm-cold front?) moves east. Showers are around this morning and will be hit or miss through midday when things look to dry up. Highs will range through the 40’s for most with some 50’s in the south. While temps are mainly above freezing this morning, some mountain valleys could still be hanging onto some subfreezing air which could cause spotty patches of freezing rain and associated patches of slick roads.

-Jack

More Clouds, Cooler But Not Cold

Hello everyone!

We got a thriller in the forecast today. Just a hint of uncertainty as an epic battle is fought between the weak December sun and a stubborn low cloud layer. The consequences of this clash will be unfathomable. Should the sun win and the clouds crumble, we could reach the mid 40’s south compared to the forecast low 40’s and temps up north could skyrocket into the upper 30’s or even to 40. Should the clouds hold up against the onslaught of radiation more than expected, temps could plummet into the upper 30’s south and low 30’s north.

Winter will rise again.

-Jack

Slightly Cooler With More Clouds Today

Hello everyone!

Powerful forcing mechanisms from a rapidly developing offshore low will lift deep level moisture beyond its condensation point today. Alright, that sounds pretty intense. The translation? There will probably be a few more clouds today. There will also be a deep and brutal arctic blast on its way today bringing brutally cold temps. Yeah, we might not get out of the upper 30’s in some spots today with the coast poking into the low 40’s.

Winter will rise again.

-Jack

Still Mild And Mainly Clear Today

Hello everyone!

The big weather news of today is that there will be a glorified wind shift passing through. Ok, sorry cold front, you really don’t deserve the title ‘cold front’. The glorified wind shift will be accompanied by convectively rising air parcels. Ok, now to the other end of the scale, that makes it sound like a July severe weather outbreak. Let me translate that for you: there may be a few more clouds than this morning when the front moves through. Highs will resemble October more than December with temps getting into the upper 30’s/low 40’s north and upper 40’s to low 50’s south. Yeah, this sustained boring weather drives me insane.

Looking ahead, more hot weather is expected through next weekend.

Winter will rise again.

-Jack