Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Portland, ME

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831 FXUS61 KGYX 151027 AFDGYX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Gray ME 627 AM EDT Sat Jun 15 2024 .SYNOPSIS... A cold front will drift south and exit the forecast area later this morning. Behind the front an area of high pressure will settle over the region through Sunday, bringing mild and less humid conditions for the weekend. A warm front will move into the region Monday followed by a stretch of very hot and humid conditions through the week. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/...
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6 AM Update: Residual showers continue to shift offshore early this morning as a cold front lags near the coast. This will be the last of rain chances as cooler and drier air will be ushered in behind it, as noted already inland. While some clouds will be found across coast to start...drier air will quickly erode them leading to mostly sunny skies. Prev Discussion: Cyclonic flow aloft is in place as the trough axis shifts to our east. Surface high pressure will be building down from the Great Lakes, however gradient winds and mixing will favor a WNW breeze around 15 to 20 mph, higher in the mountains. Dew points will plummet into the 40s, and this combined with some cooler temperatures in the mid 60s to mid 70s will favor comfortable conditions.
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&& .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM SUNDAY/... With the surface high settling over the region overnight, the scenario will promote clear skies allowing temperatures to bottom out. Looking at lows in the upper 30s to mid 40s by early Sunday morning. This will likely lead to some valley fog given calm winds, particularly in the Connecticut River valley. The high will drift east on Sunday with return flow, helping to bring temperatures and dewpoints up. Looking at highs in the mid 70s for most of the region with dewpoints climbing back into the 50s. Overall conditions will be mild, a welcome period before the upcoming heat during the work week. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/...
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Record Heat Forecast Confidence Continues to Increase. Few changes to the long term. Hot but mainly dry forecast. Overview: Amplifying 500mb ridge axis across the Eastern CONUS will continue to build through the week before cresting across our region by mid-week with extremely anomalous height fields. Potential suppression of the amplified ridge towards the end of the forecast period as shortwave troughs move across Northern New England bringing the threat for thunderstorms, cloud cover and a cooling trend. Impacts: Multiple days of heat indices in excess of 95 to 100F beginning Tuesday likely continuing through the end of the week. The potential exists for heat indices in excess of 105F especially over southern NH and SW ME. The Merrimack Valley is of particular concern. Forecast Details: Sunday - Surface ridge will be centered over the area with a perfect June day expected as dewpoints remain in the 50s under mostly sunny skies. Monday - Surface warm front pushes through the area as Mid-Atlantic heat doom amplifies northward. A few showers are possible along the warm front along with increased cloud cover and the beginning upward trend in humidity but overall seasonable weather is expected. Tuesday - Quick ramp up in temperatures and humidity as 500mb heights increase to 596 dam along with 850 temps of 26C. This will allow for heat index values to surge into the 90s and the first day that heat headlines might be needed. Wednesday - Thursday things get worse with some impressive 500mb height anomalies over us as the heat dome becomes centered across the NE CONUS. Reforecast Ensemble Means are near record values in all ensemble camps, thus record highs or near record highs have high confidence at Day 6 forecast time frame. In addition the heat will be building with low temps remaining in the 70s, causing unconditioned buildings to have issues. Looks like if excessive heat warnings are needed it will be in this time-frame. Friday - Guidance is hinting at a slight suppression of the heat dome as the area looks to be in the ring of fire as 500mb shortwaves will be riding over the ridge bringing the chance for thunderstorms, most likely severe in nature based off climatology break down of ridge patterns. RECORD HIGHS FOR JUNE 19: Concord-98, 1995 Augusta-98, 1995 Portland-94, 1995 RECORD HIGHS FOR JUNE 20: Concord-98, 1993 Augusta-95, 1953 Portland-93, 2020
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&& .AVIATION /12Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
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Short Term...Looking at RH values dropping into the 35-45% level this afternoon, supporting clear skies and VFR conditions. Winds will increase with gusts around 20kt for most terminals, but by tonight with high pressure building overhead it will drop off. Long Term...No aviation impacts are expected Sunday through Monday with VFR conditions in dry weather. The issue moving into the week will be the building heat and possible impacts to crews.
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&& .MARINE... Short Term...At the time of this issuance a cold front boundary was sinking south towards the coast while a 1010mb surface low lingered off the Midcoast. Despite the nearby proximity of the low, buoy obs show seas are mostly in the 2-4 ft range across the coastal waters, and winds are in the 5-10kt range. The low is pulling away from the area as the cold front sinks south. A period of 10 to 20kt winds possible behind the front this afternoon. Surface high pressure will build across the waters for the weekend, bringing fair conditions into Sunday. Both ahead of, and behind, the front, seas of 2-4 ft are expected. Over the far outer edges of the central waters, a brief period of seas of 4-5 ft will be possible through this evening, especially with the Northwest wind fetch. No headlines are planned through Sunday with high pressure in control. Long Term...This period will be dominated by surface high pressure allowing seas to remain below SCA conditions. Offshore to parallel flow will be the dominate wind pattern through next week. Expect seas to be in the 2 to 3 feet range.&& .GYX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ME...Beach Hazards Statement from 8 AM EDT this morning through this evening for MEZ024>028. NH...None. MARINE...None. && .GYX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
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ME...Beach Hazards Statement through this evening for MEZ024>028. NH...None. MARINE...None.
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&& $$ NEAR TERM...Jamison LONG TERM...Dumont