Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Portland, ME
Issued by NWS Portland, ME
715 FXUS61 KGYX 010635 AFDGYX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Gray ME 235 AM EDT Sat Nov 1 2025 .SYNOPSIS... Gusty winds continue through this morning as low pressure drifts into the Canadian Maritimes. High pressure builds in through the weekend with seasonably cool temperatures. A series of shortwave troughs move through next week, bringing generally cool and at times unsettled conditions. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TODAY/... Low pressure will accelerate into the Canadian Maritimes today, with a broad wind field gradually moving east of the Gulf of Maine. This wind field will be the focus of weather early this morning. Flow in the low levels remain stout, with a 850mb jet of 40-50kt just exiting the coast through noontime. Once sfc temps begin to increase this morning, mixing will tend to bring westerly gusts 35 to 40 mph through the coast and interior. This may only be for a 3 to 4 hour window before the flow aloft translates off the coast. While it will remain breezy through the remainder of the afternoon, lighter winds aloft will translate to afternoon gusts mainly in the 20 to 30 mph range. Secondary aspect of this departing low will be low level moisture supporting upslope rain and snow showers, mainly for the higher terrain in the western CWA. Due to high flow, can expect some sprinkles to make it over the mountain barrier, but moisture is shallow and will rely on orographic lift to make the most out of precip chances. Either way, outdoor message for the weekend continues to be the high contrast of conditions in the Whites. This is where wind chills below zero and freshly fallen snow clash with barren trail heads above freezing. As of 2am Sat morning, MWOBS recorded a 126 mph wind gust with this system and present wind chills are running around 5 deg F below zero. && .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH 6 PM SUNDAY/... Ridging for the second half of the weekend will bring relief from the recent blustery conditions. Winds slacken this evening and remain (comparatively) light on Sunday. A light breeze will still make the near full sun conditions feel cool as temps top in the lower 50s, with mid to low 40s in the mountains. Drier air in the column will also mean an end to mountain showers tonight. However wind chills will still be running around freezing and below zero for the higher terrain. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... Pattern Overview: Generally zonal flow Sunday night will transition to southwesterly flow aloft Monday as a trough approaches the area. This trough and an attendant cold front cross Monday night bringing a chance for precipitation. The trough departs Tuesday with broad ridging building in for Wedensday. Another trough looks to approach late mid-week which would bring another chance for precipitation. The end of the week looks much more uncertain, but models are trending toward a rainy start to the weekend. Impacts and Key Messages: * No significant weather impacts expected. * The pattern remains active with a couple chances for precipitation through next week. Details: Sunday Night: Zonal flow aloft with high pressure nosing it at the surface should make for mostly clear skies Sunday night. This combined with calm winds should allow for some degree of radiational cooling, dropping temperatures into the 20s areawide. Some areas along the immediate coast may hang in the low 30s. Monday and Tuesday: Flow aloft and at the surface transitions to southwesterly Monday ahead of a northern stream trough. This acts to increase clouds and chances for showers heading into the afternoon. High temperatures should be able to climb into the upper 40s to low 50s north of the mountains, and into the mid- to upper 50s to the south, before it gets too cloudy. Models are in fairly good agreement that the best forcing arrives Monday night as the trough becomes negatively tilted overhead and a cold front approaches at the surface. QPF looks light with LREF probablilites of greater than 0.25 inches in the 20-40 percent range. Clouds and showers should make for a relatively mild night with upper 30s and low 40s south of the mountains and low to mid-30s to the north. The GFS and Canadian are progressive with the system, keeping Tuesday mostly dry, but the Euro lags the trough and front a bit and keeps showers going through Tuesday morning. Either way, aside from upslope rain/snow showers in the mountains, a good portion of Tuesday looks dry. Clouds will make the difference in temperatures during the day with highs in the low to mid-40s in the cloudier north, and in the low to mid 50s in the clearer south. A tightening pressure gradient looks to result in wind gusts 25-30 mph across much of the area which will make it feel a bit colder. The gradient relaxes Tuesday, but we likely stay well mixed enough for another comparatively mild night with temperatures in the mid- to upper 30s south of the mountains, and in the low 30s to the north. Wednesday-Friday: Uncertainty becomes apparent mid- to late week as models try to resolve another system. They are in somewhat good agreement that Wednesday sees some high pressure in the area making for a dry day. The models than diverge on the location of a low pressure system Wednesday night into Thursday. The Euro has quite a strong inside running low pressure system that would make for a rainy and windy second part of the week. The GFS and Canadian have a much more progressive and weaker low pressure along with a deeper trough that keeps the pressure center more to the south. At this point the details are just conjecture, but this does instill some confidence we see something around this Wednesday night/Thursday period. If you want a dry Friday you`ll want to root for the Euro and Canadian as they bring deep layer ridging overhead. The GFS is more progressive with a trough. Lots to keep an eye on as an active pattern continues! && .AVIATION /06Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... Short Term...West winds remain strong early this morning through noon local time. Gusts 25-35kt are most likely, with a few gusts to 40kt possible in a narrow window after sunrise...mainly for southern NH and coastal ME terminals. Winds then slacken this afternoon, becoming less than 15 kt this evening and overnight. -SHRASN possible in proximity to the White Mountains today into this evening, these taper overnight. VFR ceilings expected with no hinderance to vis, with MVFR ceilings towards LEB and HIE into Sunday. Long Term...VFR is expected Sunday night through the day Monday. A disturbance looks to cross the area Monday night into Tuesday bringing scattered showers and likely at least MVFR ceilings. We should see a return to VFR Tuesday with an increase in wind gusts to around 25kts. Wednesday looks to remain VFR at least through the day with lighter gusts. Another disturbance may approach Wedensday night with similarly lower ceilings and showers. && .MARINE... Short Term...West gales continue this morning and early afternoon with wave heights 8 to 10 ft. Winds will tend to slacken below gale force this afternoon as low pressure pushes through the Canadian Maritimes. An SCA will then likely be needed through midnight for winds, and then into early Sunday morning for continuing seas 4 to 6 ft. Long Term...Sub-SCA conditions are expected Sunday night through the day Monday. Then, a disturbance approaches the area building in SCA wind gusts and seas overnight Monday through Tuesday night. There may be a break in SCA conditions Wednesday through Wednesday night, but another disturbance crosses, bringing SCA winds and seas back for Thursday. && .GYX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ME...None. NH...None. MARINE...Gale Warning until 8 PM EDT this evening for ANZ150>154. && $$ NEAR TERM...Cornwell SHORT TERM...Cornwell LONG TERM...Baron/Hargrove