Another very dry day is on tap today with high fire danger and a bit of a breeze. The air continues to void of much of the moisture and with the sunshine this produces an elevated danger of brush fires.  There are specific criteria for red flag warnings (highest fire danger) and although those won’t likely be met in Maine, they will be in southern New England.

High pressure brings weather which is typically calm and tranquil. It’s hard to get much, if any, precipitation in these patterns, but depending on the position of the high, it can be cool or warm.

As the high moves off the coast, a return flow on the back side of it will change the wind from the cool north and east direction to a warmer southerly one. This means temperatures into the mid-60s to lower 70s for Thursday and Friday.

In order to move from one air mass to another, a cold front must pass.  This front is the focal point for the chance for some Friday evening and overnight showers, but they won’t be very heavy.

I don’t expect much precipitation with these showers.  The map below shows total precipitation, including any melted snow, through Tuesday morning. Notice most areas stay under half an inch of rainfall.

After the frontal showers another seasonable air mass will come in for the weekend with highs back in the 50s. There will be plenty of sunshine. Next week could be quite chilly for a couple of days. There is even the chance of a period of cold rain or wet snow (over the interior) Tuesday night or Wednesday. This would be unusual, but not unprecedented. Snow has occurred into May across all of Maine.

This is why it’s way too early to put in certain warm weather plants and or to put away the warm jacket for those chilly April mornings.

The second forecast map I want to show you predicts whether temperatures will be below or above average.  This map clearly indicates a cool regime across the northern tier of the United States. You can really get a feeling for where the jet stream, which often divides air masses, will be positioned. Think of the upper winds as blocking the warm and cold air from moving north or south.

I put the upper flow on the map in a black line. Remember, weather generally moves west to east. Eventually the jet stream will head into Canada for the summer and we will warm up. However, with a cold Atlantic Ocean to our east, this part of the country is sometimes the last to really feel like spring until it’s almost summer.