Growing up I had a weather radio on which I would listen to the National Weather Service’s forecast incessantly. I remember this one storm in Portland, when it was 13 below zero when I got up in the morning and the forecast was for snow to change to rain later that same day. I couldn’t imagine how the temperature could rise over 40F in just a few short hours, but indeed, later that afternoon, when the snow started mixing with sleet and then eventually turned to rain I realized just how much influence the relatively warm ocean has on our weather. That storm was one of those that helped solidify my awe of New England weather.

Today, snow is back in the forecast and will overspread the area this evening just after sunset. While it wasn’t below zero anywhere last night, our temperatures will be going from the teens earlier this morning into the 40s tomorrow.

Since roads are cold, the snow will quickly stick and make driving hazardous. The start time for the snow is between 6PM and 9PM with southern York County seeing the snow first and the Augusta-Waterville area later in the evening. The snow will make it to the Canadian border by midnight.

The snow will fall at a heavy pace this evening and at times could accumulate over 1 or 2 inches per hour.

Snowfall totals will not be very big when the storm is over. The map below puts most areas under 6 inches of snow. Those of you living along the coastline will see the least amount of snow with areas west of the the Maine Turnpike back to the New Hampshire border seeing more. Ski country will pick up from 4-8 inches of new snow before a change to sleet and freezing rain.

In greater Portland, I expect the snow to change to sleet between about 12AM and 4AM Sunday then transition to plain rain afterwards. There will be a period of freezing rain over the interior. The most likely areas to see any significant accumulation of freezing rain will be the western areas of Cumberland, York and Oxford County and west of the Lewiston-Augusta-Waterville area.

I’ll be nowcasting on Twitter this evening. Please follow me there.

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The maps below give an idea where freezing rain might be an issue. An area needs to see at least a quarter inch of ice before major problems start to occur and we call it an ice storm. I don’t see this happening in tonight’s situation. There could be some scattered power issues, but I am not expecting a major ice event.
When you awake Sunday morning it may or may not be raining, but it will be cloudy.

The map below is from the the Gray office of the National Weather Service.

Temperatures will have warmed above freezing along the coastal plain, but still be in the upper 20s to around freezing inland. During the day the mild air will move west and all areas should be above freezing by about noon.

I don’t expect any issues with a flash freeze Sunday night when the colder air arrives. The reason is wind will help dry the roads so as to remove the chances of ice. However, if there is slush left on your driveway or walkway after the rain ends Sunday it’s a good idea to remove it because it will freeze solid Monday night.

Drier and colder weather arrives for Monday, but it’s the end of the week when the arctic air really takes hold and we see the coldest air of the winter so far and perhaps of the entire winter at all.

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