250  
FXUS61 KGYX 182151  
AFDGYX  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME  
551 PM EDT THU JUN 18 2026  
   
WHAT HAS CHANGED
 
 
HAVE CANCELLED THE TORNADO WATCH AND THE FLOOD WATCH AS THE  
THREAT HAS ENDED. A LINE OF SHOWERS WITH EMBEDDED THUNDER WILL  
CONTINUE EAST THROUGH CENTRAL MAINE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF  
HOURS WITH SKIES ALREADY CLEARING TO THE WEST BEHIND THIS LINE.  
 

 
   
KEY MESSAGES
 
 
1. AN UNSEASONABLY STRONG STORM WILL CROSS THE REGION TODAY,  
WITH INCREASING CHANCES FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND LOCALIZED  
FLASH FLOODING THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.  
 
2. UNSETTLED PATTERN CONTINUES OVER THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT  
WEEK.  
 

 
   
DISCUSSION
 
 
KEY MESSAGE 1 DESCRIPTION...  
 
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS REMAIN LARGELY UNCHANGED FOR THE REMAINDER OF  
THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY THIS EVENING AS WE ARE CURRENTLY WATCHING  
A SQUALL LINE QUICKLY APPROACHING THE CONNECTIVE RIVER FROM THE  
WEST. THE ENVIRONMENT OUT AHEAD OF THIS LINE IS PACKING PLENTY  
OF WIND SHEAR WITH SPC MESOANALYSIS HAVING 50-60KT OF EFFECTIVE  
SHEAR ACROSS NH AND PARTS OF FAR WESTERN ME AND 0-1KM SRH  
EXCEEDING 300 M^2/S^2. THIS LEVEL OF SPEED AND DIRECTIONAL SHEAR  
IS MORE THAN SUFFICIENT FOR SEVERE WEATHER IN AREAS WHERE THERE  
IS ENOUGH INSTABILITY WITH THE PRIMARY HAZARD BEING DAMAGING  
WIND GUSTS ALONG WITH THE THREAT OF TORNADOES. THE TORNADO  
THREAT EXISTS BOTH WITHIN ANY DISCRETE CELLS THAN CAN DEVELOP  
OUT AHEAD OF THE LINE AS WELL AS WITHIN THE LINE.  
 
LOOPING BACK TO THE INSTABILITY, THE HIGHEST RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS  
WILL BE IN NH, ESPECIALLY ALONG THE CT RIVER VALLEY AND CENTRAL  
AND SOUTHERN NH WHERE MODEL CONSENSUS BRINGS IN ROUGHLY 500  
J/KG OF SURFACE-BASED CAPE. THERE MAY ALSO EVEN BE INSTANCES OF  
DAMAGING WINDS WITHIN CELLS WITH LITTLE TO NO LIGHTNING AS  
MOTION WILL BE FAST. THE THREAT EXTENDS EAST INTO FAR WESTERN  
ME, BUT SBCAPE THEN DROPS OFF PRETTY READILY WITH EASTWARD  
EXTENT WITH ONSHORE FLOW IN PLACE. THAT SAID, IT WON'T TAKE MUCH  
TO MIX DOWN THE STRONG WINDS FROM ALOFT, BUT IT'S POSSIBLE  
STORMS BECOME MORE ELEVATED IN NATURE AS THEY PROGRESS THROUGH  
WESTERN ME (ALTHOUGH STILL ENOUGH ELEVATED INSTABILITY FOR  
THUNDERSTORMS AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS).  
 
LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, IS THE THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING,  
ESPECIALLY IN AND AROUND THE WHITE MOUNTAINS EXTENDING INTO PARTS OF  
THE WESTERN ME MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS. THESE AREAS HAVE SEEN THE  
MOST RAIN OVER THE PAST WEEK, AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS COMBINED WITH  
RAIN FROM THIS MORNING WILL POSE A RISK OF FLASH FLOODING. SOME AREA  
RIVER RISES ARE ALSO EXPECTED WITH THE PEMI AT WOODSTOCK AND THE  
SWIFT RIVER AT ROXBURY POSSIBLY REACHING MINOR FLOOD STAGE.  
 
A FEW SHOWERS MAY STICK AROUND THROUGH THIS EVENING BEHIND THE  
PRIMARY LINE OF CONVECTION, BUT DRIER AIR AND SUBSIDENCE MOVING IN  
BEHIND THE FRONT KEEP THINGS DRY THE REST OF TONIGHT, WITH THE  
EXCEPTION OF A FEW UPSLOPE RAIN SHOWERS IN THE MOUNTAINS. WINDS  
COULD GET A BIT BREEZY OVERNIGHT WITH LOW TEMPS IN THE 50S.  
 
THE UPPER-LEVEL LOW WILL SLOWLY MOVE EAST TOWARD THE CANADIAN  
MARITIMES DURING THE DAY FRIDAY. BROAD CYCLONIC FLOW AND EMBEDDED  
WAVES STEMMING FROM THIS LOW WILL PROVIDE ENOUGH LIFT TO GET SHOWERS  
AND A FEW STORMS GOING, MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON TO EARLY EVENING, AS  
DAYTIME INSTABILITY BUILDS. THIS WILL BE MAINLY IN AND AROUND THE  
MOUNTAINS, AND A FEW STORMS MAY CONTAIN SMALL HAIL.  
 
OTHERWISE, IT WILL BE A BREEZY AND PARTLY SUNNY DAY, ALTHOUGH THERE  
MAY BE PERIODS OF MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WITH STEEP LOW-LEVEL LAPSE  
RATES AND ENOUGH INSTABILITY ALOFT. THE STEEP LAPSE RATES AND GOOD  
MIXING WILL BRING DOWN STRONGER WINDS FROM ALOFT RESULTING IN A  
BREEZY DAY. BASED ON FORECAST SOUNDINGS, WIND GUSTS OF 25-35 MPH ARE  
LIKELY WITH UP TO 40 MPH POSSIBLE ON THE HIGHER END. HIGHS WILL BE  
MAINLY IN THE 70S TO LOW 80S SOUTH OF THE MOUNTAINS, EXCEPT A BIT  
COOLER IN THE MOUNTAINS.  
 
WINDS LIKELY REMAIN SOMEWHAT BREEZY INTO FRIDAY EVENING BUT ARE  
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO EASE OVERNIGHT. A FEW SHOWERS REMAIN  
POSSIBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH UPSLOPE FLOW, BUT WHATEVER ACTIVITY  
DEVELOPS DURING THE DAY IS EXPECTED TO FADE AROUND SUNSET. OVERNIGHT  
LOWS WILL BE MOSTLY IN THE 50S, EXCEPT SOME UPPER 40S ARE POSSIBLE  
IN THE MOUNTAINS.  
 
KEY MESSAGE 2 DESCRIPTION...  
 
ONE UPPER LOW WILL BE LIFTING NORTHEAST AWAY FROM THE AREA SATURDAY  
INTO SUNDAY WHILE ANOTHER UPPER LOW APPROACHES FROM SE CANADA LATE  
SUNDAY INTO MONDAY.  
 
SATURDAY WILL BE BREEZY WITH NW WINDS 15 TO 20 MPH GUSTING UP TO 30  
MPH. UPSLOPE NEAR BLOCKED FLOW WILL LEAD TO PLENTY OF CLOUDS AND  
SHOWERS ALONG AND NORTH OF THE MOUNTAINS WHILE SHOWER CHANCES  
DECREASE SOUTH OF THE MOUNTAINS WITH MORE IN THE WAY OF SUNSHINE.  
HIGHS WILL RANGE FROM THE LOW 60S NORTH TO NEAR 80F NEAR THE COAST  
WITH THE AID OF DOWNSLOPING WINDS. THE GRADIENT WILL SLACKEN OVER  
THE AREA SUNDAY ALLOWING FOR LIGHT WINDS TURNING ONSHORE IN THE  
AFTERNOON. A SURFACE TROUGH OVER THE AREA COMBINED WITH SB CAPE  
BUILDING TO 1000 J/KG WILL ALLOW FOR DIURNAL SHOWERS AND  
THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA SUNDAY. THE LACK OF  
SHEAR WILL LIKELY KEEP ANY STORMS SUB-SEVERE WHILE STEEP MID LEVEL  
LAPSE RATES AND LOW FREEZING LEVELS COULD ALLOW FOR SOME SMALL HAIL.  
 
SHORT WAVE RIDGING BRIEFLY BUILDS IN SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY  
MORNING AHEAD OF THE NEXT UPPER LOW FOR A DRYING TREND. AS THE UPPER  
LOW OVER SE CANADA APPROACHES ANOTHER SHORT WAVE WILL BE  
TRACKING THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY. MODELS DIVERGE ON WHETHER THE  
SHORT WAVE AND UPPER LOW CAN PHASE. A PHASED SOLUTION WOULD LEAD  
TO AN ORGANIZED AREA OF LOW PRESSURE BRINGING A SOAKING RAIN  
LATE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY MORNING WHILE AN UNPHASED SYSTEM WOULD  
BRING MORE IN THE WAY OF SHOWERS. THE LATEST NBM BRINGS POPS  
INTO THE 60-70 PERCENT RANGE MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY  
NIGHT, WHICH SEEMS REASONABLE GIVEN THE TIME RANGE. WHILE THERE  
WILL LIKELY BE SOME DRY PERIODS THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK  
THE OVERALL PATTERN WILL SUPPORT ACTIVE WEATHER WITH PERSISTENT  
TROUGHING NEAR THE GREAT LAKES THROUGH THE NORTHEAST.  
 

 
   
AVIATION /21Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/
 
 
THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY...IFR TO MVFR RESTRICTIONS REMAIN LIKELY THIS  
AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING WITH ONGOING SHRA AND TEMPO TSRA THAT  
COULD ALSO PRODUCE STRONG WINDS GUSTS. CONDITIONS LIKELY IMPROVE  
FAIRLY QUICKLY TO VFR FROM WEST TO EAST THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT  
BEHIND A COLD FRONT WITH THE LAST SITES TO IMPROVE BEING RKD AND  
AUG. HOWEVER, HIE MAY SEE A PERIOD OF MVFR CEILINGS. SOUTHWEST  
WINDS MAY ALSO GUST 20-25 KT. LLWS IS ALSO FORECAST THROUGH  
TONIGHT.  
 
FOR FRIDAY, PRIMARILY VFR, BUT SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED STORMS  
COULD PRODUCE BRIEF MVFR RESTRICTIONS WITH THE HIGHER POTENTIAL  
WILL BE AT HIE. OTHERWISE WESTERLY WIND GUSTS 25-30 KT ARE  
LIKELY WITH SOME GUSTS POSSIBLY EXCEEDING 35 KT.  
 
OUTLOOK:  
 
FRIDAY NIGHT: VFR EXPECTED. WINDS MAY REMAIN BREEZY EARLY ON BUT ARE  
EXPECTED TO EASE OVERNIGHT.  
 
SATURDAY: UPSLOPE CLOUDS AND SHOWERS WILL LIKELY BRING AT LEAST  
MVFR TO HIE WHILE MAINLY VFR PREVAILS ELSEWHERE. NW WINDS 15 KTS  
WILL GUST TO AROUND 25 KTS DURING THE MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON  
AND WILL DIMINISH SATURDAY EVENING.  
 
SUNDAY: MAINLY VFR WITH LIGHT WINDS TURNING ONSHORE IN THE  
AFTERNOON. LATE MORNING THROUGH AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND  
THUNDERSTORMS WILL BRING BRIEF RESTRICTIONS.  
 
MONDAY-TUESDAY: LOW PRESSURE MAY BRING MORE WIDESPREAD IFR AND  
RAIN SHOWERS.  
 

 
   
MARINE
 
 
GALES REMAIN LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING OVER THE WATERS  
WITH POTENTIAL FOR EVEN STRONGER GUSTS IN OFFSHORE-MOVING  
THUNDERSTORMS, ESPECIALLY FROM CASCO BAY SOUTHWARD. CONDITIONS THEN  
TURN TO SCA LEVELS TONIGHT AND FRIDAY AS WINDS TURN WEST TO  
SOUTHWESTERLY BEHIND A COLD FRONT. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO STAY BELOW  
SCA LEVELS FRIDAY NIGHT, BUT SEAS MAY REMAIN ABOVE 5 FT FOR PORTIONS  
OF THE WATERS.  
 
WNW WINDS WILL GUST TO 20 KTS SATURDAY WITH WAVE HEIGHTS RUNNING  
3-5 FEET. WINDS AND SEAS DIMINISH SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. AN  
AREA OF LOW PRESSURE MAY DEVELOP NEAR COASTAL NEW ENGLAND MONDAY  
BRINGING THE POTENTIAL FOR AT LEAST SCAS.  
 

 
   
GYX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
ME...NONE.  
NH...NONE.  
MARINE...GALE WARNING UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR ANZ150-152>154-  
180-182-184.  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM EDT FRIDAY FOR ANZ151.  
 

 
 

 
 
DISCUSSION...COMBS/SCHROETER  
 
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.

The Nexlab ME Page
The Nexlab NH Page Main Text Page