Gorham, Maine 7 Day Weather Forecast

Wx Forecast - Wx Discussion - Wx Aviation

137
FXUS61 KGYX 021037
AFDGYX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Gray ME
637 AM EDT Wed Apr 2 2025

.SYNOPSIS...
Departing high pressure gives way to increasing cloud cover
today. Low pressure will bring a period of snow to wintry mix to
rain across the area tonight into Thursday. High pressure
returns Friday into Saturday. Another low pressure system will
bring another round of snow to wintry mix to rain Saturday night
into Sunday. A drying trend follows Monday into Tuesday.

&&

.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/...

6:35am Update... No notable changes at this time as the forecast
remains on track. High clouds continue to filter in from the
west, and will continue to thicken through the day.

Previous...

High pressure moves off to the east today. Clouds increase
through the day as the next storm system approaches from the
west. As the high moves offshore, a freshening onshore wind
brings cooling temps along the coast for the afternoon. With the
cool airmass in place and increasing cloud cover, highs
generally range from the mid 30s across the north, to the mid
40s through southern New Hampshire. Temps then cool back through
the 30s late in the afternoon.

Light snow likely reaches into northwestern areas before sunset
late this afternoon. With the cool dry airmass in place, precip
is expected to start as snow in these areas, and then expand
eastward through the evening.

&&

.SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM THURSDAY/...
The first round of snow rapidly spreads from west to east
through the evening as moisture is lifted north of an
approaching warm front. This initial burst of snow is likely to
be where most of the snowfall accumulation comes from south of
the mountains, with generally 1-2 inches of snow expected all
the way to the Maine coast. The forcing associated with this
band looks to be focused north of southernmost New Hampshire, so
these areas are expected to generally see a coating or less
toward the Mass border.

The main push of moisture moves in by late in the evening and
into the overnight hours. With this round, a transition to sleet
and freezing rain is expected, with northern areas holding onto
snow the longest into the overnight. Across the mountains and
foothills, generally 2-4 inches of snow is expected before a
changeover to sleet and freezing late in the night.

The distribution of sleet and freezing rain won`t be a smooth
transition overnight. Areas further east are expected to have a
deeper cold layer present, favoring more sleet. Surface
temperatures then rise above freezing as warmer air intrudes
from off the ocean, favoring more of a transition from sleet to
rain through the overnight. A brief period of freezing rain
can`t be ruled out, but it generally looks like a snow to sleet
to rain set up east of I-95.

Further north and west, a longer period of freezing rain is
expected after a period of sleet. Heavier precipitation rates
don`t favor icing efficiency of the freezing rain, so generally
around a tenth of an inch or less is expected across the
interior, with higher amounts mostly reserved for the higher
terrain.

During the morning hours on Thursday, temps creep into the mid
30s from south to north, with temps likely climbing above
freezing across the north as the precip comes to an end midday.
Warmer air tries to push into southern New Hampshire on
southwesterly flow during the afternoon on Thursday, but is not
likely to make much progress northward through the day. This
sets up a strong gradient for highs on Thursday, with southern
New Hampshire most likely to reach the low 60s, while most of
Maine holds in the mid 40s.

After the morning precip and rain, the bulk of the day on
Thursday looks mostly dry. Some scattered showers can`t be ruled
out at times, and then one last line of showers is possible
late in the day as the cold front crosses northern New England.

&&

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/...
1030 PM Long Term Update... A trailing cold front will cross
Thursday evening, bringing an end to the precipitation across
the region. High pressure then looks to build across New England
on Friday and Friday night with mainly dry conditions. A triple
point low then will move across the Ohio River Valley on
Saturday before moving over the region on Sunday. This will
result in overrunning precipitation across the area beginning
Saturday afternoon through at least part of Sunday. There could
be just enough cold air in place for some of this to fall as
snow across the interior and mtns with some mixed wintry
precipitation also possible. Cooler conditions are then possible
behind this system for early next week.

Previously...
Overview: Northern New England will be positioned between
ridging off the Southeast Coast and a trough digging south
through central Canada going into this weekend. Surface high
pressure likely keeps the area mostly dry Friday through Friday
night. The digging trough will result in a baroclinic zone
developing west of New England through the lower Ohio Valley.
Waves of low pressure will track along this baroclinic zone
bringing bouts of precipitation Saturday through Monday. Thermal
profiles will support snow/wintry mix to start across northern
areas late Saturday with temperatures rising above freezing
everywhere Sunday leading to mainly rain. Colder air will work
into the region as the baroclinic zone shifts southeast Sunday
night into Monday. This will bring chances for snow across the
north late Sunday night into Monday.

Impacts: Snow to a wintry mix could bring slick travel across
northern areas late Saturday through Saturday night.

Details: A cold front will be moving offshore Thursday night
while the core of the cold air will remain north of the forecast
area. This will allow for mild conditions Friday with highs
ranging from the mid 40s north to mid 60s across southern NH and
mostly fair skies. High pressure will crest over the region
Friday night allowing for temperatures to drop into the 20s to
low 30s.

A wave of low pressure will approach from the eastern Great
Lakes Saturday with precipitation likely overspreading the area
Saturday afternoon. Ensembles indicate that this will be an over
running precipitation event with at least areas from the White
Mountains to points east and north seeing a period of snow to a
wintry mix Saturday night. Have stuck to rain and snow wording
in the forecast with the inherent uncertainty of mixed
precipitation at this time range. The synoptic setup does not
favor cold air damming and given the time of year temperatures
are favored to climb well above freezing Sunday. The going
forecast calls for precipitation to be mainly rain across the
area by day break Sunday.

Chances for rain will continue through the day Sunday into
Sunday night. The trough off low pressure over central Canada
will start to swing into the Northeast Sunday night into Monday.
This will allow for enough cold air to work into the region for
precipitation to change to snow in the mountains and north.
Although, by this time the best moisture will be shifting south
of the area resulting in light QPF. Troughing lingers over the
Northeast through the middle of next week.

&&

.AVIATION /12Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
Short Term...VFR conditions prevail through the day today. IFR
to LIFR then spreads from west to east through the evening hours
as snow arrives. Snow transitions to sleet and freezing rain at
most terminals, with a change to rain occuring first to MHT and
PSM. A gradual change to rain is expected from south to north
through the late overnight hours as IFR to LIFR conditions
continue. Rain then comes to end from west to east Thursday
morning. MVFR to VFR are likely across New Hampshire terminals
by Thursday afternoon, while Maine terminals hold onto low
ceilings most of the day. Improving conditions are then expected
Thursday evening.

Long Term...Mainly VFR Friday into Saturday morning. Waves of
low pressure brings a brief period of a wintry mix late Saturday
changing to rain Saturday night with rain continuing through
Sunday. Periods of IFR to LIFR will be possible late Saturday
through Sunday.

&&

.MARINE...
Short Term...Lingering SCA conditions subside by early
afternoon, with a shift to southerly winds late in the day as
high pressure moves east of the waters. Low pressure then tracks
through the Great Lakes on Thursday. SCA conditions are likely
by late tonight with south- southeasterly flow, and continue
through Thursday as winds gradually shift to southwesterly.

Long Term...Winds shift out of the west Thursday night with
gusts to 25 kts until Friday morning. High pressure builds over
the waters Friday with winds and seas likely dropping below SCA
thresholds by Friday afternoon. Waves of low pressure will track
across New England this weekend with winds and seas approaching
SCA thresholds by Sunday.

&&

.GYX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ME...Winter Weather Advisory from 8 PM this evening to noon EDT
     Thursday for MEZ007>009-012>014.
     Winter Weather Advisory from 8 PM this evening to 10 AM EDT
     Thursday for MEZ018>022-033.
NH...Winter Weather Advisory from 8 PM this evening to noon EDT
     Thursday for NHZ001-002-004.
     Winter Weather Advisory from 8 PM this evening to 10 AM EDT
     Thursday for NHZ003-005>011-015.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 2 PM EDT this afternoon for ANZ150-
     152.
     Small Craft Advisory until noon EDT today for ANZ154.

&&

$$


NEAR TERM...Clair
SHORT TERM...Clair
LONG TERM...Schroeter/Tubbs