967  
FXUS61 KGYX 312327  
AFDGYX  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME  
727 PM EDT TUE MAR 31 2026  
   
WHAT HAS CHANGED
 
 
AS OF 720 PM, WE CONTINUE TO WATCH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS  
ACROSS UPSTATE NY THAT CONTINUE TO MOVE EASTWARD. THERE SEVERE  
STUFF WILL WEAKEN AND REMAIN TO OUR SOUTH AS BACKDOOR FRONT HAS  
PUSHED SOUTHWARD INTO EXTREME SW NH. HOWEVER, SOUTHERN AND  
CENTRAL NH ARE LIKELY IN FOR PERIODS OF HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND A  
FEW THUNDERSTORMS LATER THIS EVENING WITH SUFFICIENT ELEVATED  
INSTABILITY IN PLACE. OTHERWISE, DRIZZLE AND FOG IS EXPECTED.  
NO CHANGES TO TO THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR TONIGHT IN THE  
FAR NORTH WHERE SOME SNOW AND ICE IS EXPECTED.  
 
PREVIOUSLY...  
 
QPF AND ICE AMOUNTS HAVE COME DOWN SLIGHTLY FOR THIS EVENING,  
BUT IT IS STILL ENOUGH TO MAKE FOR SLIPPERY TRAVEL SO WINTER  
WEATHER ADVISORIES REMAIN UNCHANGED. QPF AND CHANCE OF THUNDER HAS  
INCREASED SLIGHTLY THIS EVENING IN THE SOUTH AS SOME HEAVIER  
SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED.  
 
POPS HAVE BEEN DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY FOR WEDNESDAY AS THE FRONT  
CLEARS EARLY AND IT ENDS UP BEING A MOSTLY DRY DAY.  
 

 
   
KEY MESSAGES
 
 
1. SLIPPERY TRAVEL POSSIBLE WITH MIXED PRECIPITATION ARRIVING  
TONIGHT IN THE WESTERN MAINE MOUNTAINS. WINTER WEATHER  
ADVISORIES REMAIN IN EFFECT. HEAVIER RAIN, AND POSSIBLY A RUMBLE  
OF THUNDER, WILL ACCOMPANY THIS SECOND ROUND OF PRECIPITATION  
FOR SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND SOUTHWESTERN MAINE.  
 
2. RAIN TAPERS OFF WEDNESDAY AS A FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVES SOUTH  
OF THE AREA MAKING FOR A DRIER DAY. WARMER TEMPERATURES BRIEFLY  
MAKE IT BACK INTO THE REGION AS WELL.  
 
3. LOW PRESSURE BRINGS ANOTHER CHANCE FOR A WINTRY MIX THURSDAY  
INTO EARLY FRIDAY OVER PORTIONS THE AREA. THERE IS HIGHER  
CONFIDENCE FROM FOOTHILLS NORTHWARD SEEING A WINTRY MIX WITH  
LESS CERTAINTY TO THE SOUTH.  
 
4. ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES LIKELY FOR MOST OF THE AREA FRIDAY  
INTO THE WEEKEND WITH WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION LIKELY GOING  
INTO SUNDAY. MOSTLY RAIN IS EXPECTED.  
 

 
   
DISCUSSION
 
 
KEY MESSAGE 1 DESCRIPTION...  
THE CURRENT LULL IN STEADY PRECIPITATION THIS AFTERNOON WILL  
COME TO AN END THIS EVENING AS A SECOND ROUND ENTERS THE REGION.  
PWATS HAVE BEEN JUICY WITH 0.82" ON THE 12Z GYX SOUNDING, AND  
SPC MESOANALYSIS CURRENTLY SHOWING ONE INCH AMOUNTS ACROSS  
SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND FAR WESTERN MAINE. THIS IS GOING TO  
BE THE AREA THAT IS GOING TO SEE SOME HEAVIER RAIN AND SOME  
RUMBLES OF THUNDER. THERE WAS ENOUGH INSTABILITY THIS MORNING  
FOR A FEW LIGHTNING STRIKES IN SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND  
MODELS SHOW MUCAPE A LITTLE GREATER THIS EVENING WITH VALUES  
500-800 J/KG. THE OVERNIGHT RUNS OF THE HRRR WERE A LITTLE  
BULLISH IN MY OPINION ON THE THUNDERSTORM THREAT FOR AN AREA  
THAT ISN'T GOING TO SEE MUCH IF ANY CLEARING, BUT THIS MORNINGS  
RUNS HAVE LOOKED MORE REASONABLE. THIS INSTABILITY WILL BE  
MOSTLY ELEVATED, SO NO STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE STRONG. THE  
RAIN HAS BEEN, AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE, FAST MOVING SO IMPACTFUL  
FLOODING IS NOT A CONCERN, BUT NUISANCE LOW LAND FLOODING AND  
PONDING ON ROADS IS LIKELY TO OCCUR IN HEAVIER SHOWERS. HEAVY  
RAIN ALSO APPEARS LIKELY IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH THIS SECOND  
ROUND, AND THIS RUNOFF COMBINED WITH 0.75" TO AN INCH OF  
SNOWMELT RUNOFF MAY LEAD TO SOME MODEST RIVER RISES IN THE MORE  
SENSITIVE RIVERS, BUT FLOODING IS NOT A HIGH CONCERN HERE  
EITHER.  
 
THE NORTHERN MAINE MOUNTAINS SAW SOME SNOW THIS MORNING, BUT  
NOW THESE LOCATIONS HAVE WARMED TO FREEZING OR JUST BELOW  
FREEZING WITH TEMPERATURES CONTINUING TO WARM ALOFT. QPF HAS  
COME DOWN A BIT IN THE NORTH FOR THIS EVENING WITH THIS MORNINGS  
SUITE OF MODEL RUNS, BUT LIGHT ICING OF A TENTH TO TWO TENTHS  
OF AN INCH IS STILL ANTICIPATED WITH A WINTRY MIX, SO NO CHANGES  
TO THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WAS MADE. BE PREPARED SO  
POTENTIALLY SLICK TRAVEL IN THIS AREA OVERNIGHT.  
 
KEY MESSAGE 2 DESCRIPTION...  
SHOWERS LINGER ON THE COAST AND IN THE MOUNTAINS EARLY  
WEDNESDAY, BUT HI-RES MODELS HAVE COME INTO AGREEMENT ON A DRIER  
DAY AS A WHOLE WITH THE FRONT CLEARING EARLY AND STALLING  
FURTHER TO OUR SOUTH. CLOUDS WILL REMAIN ABUNDANT WITH 500MB  
TROUGHING, BUT AT THE SURFACE WE WILL BEGIN TO SEE SOME HEIGHT  
RISES AS STRONG HIGH PRESSURE BEGINS TO MAKE ITS APPROACH FROM  
THE NORTH WEST. WEAK SOUTHWEST FLOW IS PRESENT DURING THE  
MORNING AND AFTERNOON WHICH IS GOING TO ALLOW SOME WARMER  
TEMPERATURES IN THE AREA AT LEAST SOUTH OF THE MOUNTAINS.  
SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND FAR SOUTHWESTERN MAINE HAVE THE BEST  
CHANCE OF SEEING A RETURN OF UPPER 50S AND LOW 60S. THE  
REMAINDER OF SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL MAINE MAY ONLY TOP OUT IN THE  
UPPER 40S AND LOW 50S, AND THEN LOCATIONS NORTH OF THE MOUNTAINS  
WILL BE THE FIRST TO SEE THE FLIP TO NORTHERLY FLOW AND LIKELY  
END UP IN THE UPPER 30S AND LOW 40S. NORTHERLY FLOW PREVAILS  
AREAWIDE THROUGH THE NIGHT DROPPING TEMPERATURES INTO THE UPPER  
20S AND LOW 30S SOUTH OF THE MOUNTAINS, AND INTO THE LOW TO  
MID-20S ACROSS THE NORTH.  
 
KEY MESSAGE 3 DESCRIPTION...  
MID-LEVEL WARM FRONT LIFTS BACK NORTHWARD THROUGH THE AREA  
THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT WITH QUESTION TO HOW FAR NORTH THE  
SURFACE FRONT MAKES IT. THE EXPECTATION IS TO REMAIN GENERALLY  
COOL AND CLOUDY (NORTHERN AREAS MAY BE LESS CLOUDY EARLY IN THE  
DAY), AND INTERESTINGLY THE CAD SIGNAL IS NOT QUITE AS STRONG AS  
LOOKED EARLIER WITH A SLIGHT VEERING OF THE LOW-LEVEL WINDS, SO  
THE SURFACE BOUNDARY MAY END UP GETTING A LITTLE FARTHER NORTH  
WITH SLIGHTLY WARMER TEMPS AS A RESULT. ISENTROPIC LIFT WILL  
ALLOW PRECIP TO DEVELOP THURSDAY MORNING IN THE AFTERNOON WITH A  
MIXED BAG POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA. HIGHEST CONFIDENCE WOULD BE  
FOR LIGHT WINTRY PRECIP NORTH OF THE FOOTHILLS WHERE SURFACE  
TEMPS REMAIN COLDER WITH FZRA/IP BOTH POSSIBLE AS TEMPS ALOFT  
WARM. TO THE SOUTH, IT'S STILL POSSIBLE, BUT THE POTENTIAL LOOKS  
TO BE A LOWER WITH SURFACE TEMPS COMING IN SLIGHTLY MILDER.  
 
THE BIGGER PUSH OF MOISTURE COMES IN LATE THURSDAY THROUGH  
EARLY FRIDAY, WITH THE HIGHER AMOUNTS FOCUSED FROM THE FOOTHILLS  
NORTHWARD. POTENTIAL FOR WINTRY PRECIP REMAINS HIGHEST THE  
MOUNTAINS AND NORTHERN ZONES WITH LESS CERTAINTY WITH SOUTHWARD  
EXTENT.  
 
FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH THERE ARE SOME MODEL SOLUTION NOT SHOWING  
MUCH IN THE WAY OF QPF FOR SOUTHERN AREAS, SO THAT WILL ALSO  
HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT.  
 
KEY MESSAGE 4 DESCRIPTION...  
 
ANY PRECIPITATION EARLY FRIDAY WILL CONTINUE TO LIFT TO THE  
NORTH WITH MODELS SHOWING NOT MUCH ELSE IN THE WAY OF PRECIP THE  
REST OF THE DAY OTHER THAN A FEW SHOWERS AS THE COLD FRONT  
APPROACHES. SKIES STAY MOSTLY CLOUD IN THE MORNING, BUT NH AND  
MAYBE FAR WESTERN ME LOOK TO SEE SOME CLEARING BY THE AFTERNOON  
AS MIXING STARTS, WHICH WILL ALSO BRING IN SOME DOWN SOME GUSTY  
WINDS FROM ALOFT. THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ABLE TO REACH THE 60S  
FOR HIGHS. FARTHER EAST INTO WESTERN ME, THE MARINE LAYER MAY  
KEEP THINGS CLOUDIER AND COOLER, ESPECIALLY TOWARD THE KENNEBEC  
AND MIDCOAST REGIONS. THE FRONT CROSSES FRIDAY NIGHT WITH LITTLE  
IN THE WAY OF PRECIPITATION EXPECTED.  
 
ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES CONTINUE INTO THE WEEKEND, BUT  
PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL BE INCREASING, ESPECIALLY SUNDAY.  
FRIDAY'S COLD FRONT LIFTS BACK NORTH AS A WARM FRONT ON  
SATURDAY, AND THEN SUNDAY WILL HAVE INCREASING SOUTH TO  
SOUTHWEST FLOW AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. WARMEST  
TEMPERATURES WILL BE ACROSS SOUTHERN NH WITH 60S POSSIBLE EACH  
DAY, BUT WESTERN ME IS LESS CERTAIN, ESPECIALLY THE FARTHER EAST  
ONE GOES AS ANY ONSHORE COMPONENT WILL BRING THE MARINE LAYER  
IN TO KEEP THINGS COOLER. SOME SHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE SATURDAY,  
BUT THE HIGHER PRECIPITATION CHANCES LOOK TO COME SUNDAY AND  
SUNDAY NIGHT AS THE COLD FRONT DRAWS NEARER TO NORTHERN NEW  
ENGLAND. THE CLOUDS/PRECIP MAY ALSO KEEP TEMPS A BIT COOLER.  
PRECIPITATION TYPE WILL MOST LIKELY BE RAIN WITH THE EXCEPTION  
OF THE HIGHER PEAKS.  
 
THE COLD FRONT WILL LIKELY CROSS THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT OR  
MONDAY, SO MONDAY MAY OR MAY NOT BE DRY DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF  
THE FROPA. WITH AN EARLIER FROPA, MONDAY WOULD BE A COOLER AND  
BREEZY DAY WITH MAINLY JUST UPSLOPE SHOWERS. CONVERSELY, THE  
SLOWER SOLUTION WOULD BE CLOUDIER WITH HIGHER SHOWER CHANCES  
REMAINING FOR THE REST OF THE AREA. HIGH PRESSURE SHOULD THEN  
BRING DRIER CONDITIONS FOR AT LEAST SOME OF TUESDAY. THERE'S  
INDICATIONS THERE COULD BE INCREASING CHANCES FOR SHOWERS LATE  
IN THE DAY, BUT THESE MAY ALSO HOLD OFF UNTIL BEYOND THE  
FORECAST PERIOD.  
 

 
   
AVIATION /00Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/
 
 
THROUGH 18Z WEDNESDAY...RAIN PICKS UP AGAIN AROUND 00Z  
WEDNESDAY WHICH WILL MAINTAIN MVFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES  
THROUGH ABOUT 03Z WEDENSDAY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN THIS  
TIME PERIOD AS WELL, PARTICULARLY AT MHT AND PSM, BUT  
CONFIDENCE IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO INCLUDE IN THE TAFS AT THIS  
TIME. AFTER THIS CEILINGS WILL LOWER TO IFR WITH SOME IFR  
VISIBILITIES EXPECTED IN HEAVIER RAIN. RAIN BEGINS TO TAPER OFF  
AROUND 09Z WEDNESDAY BUT CONDITIONS WILL STAY IFR AS FOG FORMS.  
IMPROVEMENT WILL START AFTER 12Z WEDNESDAY WITH MOST TERMINALS  
VFR AFTER 15Z WEDNESDAY.  
 
OUTLOOK...  
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON: VFR CONDITIONS PREVAIL.  
 
WEDNESDAY NIGHT: TERMINALS MAY BEGIN TO SEE MVFR AS  
PRECIPITATION MOVES BACK INTO THE REGION.  
 
THURSDAY-THURSDAY NIGHT...LIFR TO IFR RESTRICTIONS AND  
WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION POSSIBLE. MOSTLY RAIN IS EXPECTED,  
EXCEPT A WINTRY MIX IS POSSIBLE AT HIE AND AUG.  
 
FRIDAY: LINGERING LOW CEILINGS, DRIZZLE, OR FOG POSSIBLE IN THE  
MORNING WITH GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT TO VFR, ESPECIALLY IN NH.  
IMPROVEMENT IS MORE QUESTIONABLE IN WESTERN ME WITH AUG AND RKD  
POSSIBLE HOLDING ON TO LOW CEILINGS ALL DAY.  
 
SATURDAY: VFR POSSIBLE EARLY IN THE DAY WITH RESTRICTIONS  
POSSIBLE LATER IN THE DAY. CONFIDENCE IS LOW.  
 
SATURDAY NIGHT-SUNDAY: INCREASING CHANCES FOR FOG, LOW  
CEILINGS, AND PRECIPITATION WITH IFR POSSIBLE AS A COLD FRONT  
APPROACHES. PRECIPITATION TYPE IS EXPECTED TO BE RAIN.  
 

 
   
MARINE
 
 
SCA CONDITIONS RETURN TONIGHT AS LOW PRESSURE MOVES OVER THE  
WATERS. THIS IS MAINLY FOR BUILDING WAVE HEIGHTS AS WIND GUSTS  
ARE EXPECTED TO GENERALLY STAY BELOW 25 KNOTS. NORTHWESTERLY  
WINDS FLIP TO SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS AS A FRONT CROSSES THE WATERS  
WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE FRONT THEN LIFTS BACK NORTH FLIPPING  
WINDS BACK NORTHEASTERLY FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  
 
THURSDAY-EARLY NEXT WEEK...EASTERLY FLOW THURSDAY WILL BECOME MORE  
SOUTHERLY THURSDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY FRIDAY AS A WARM FRONT LIFTS TO  
THE NORTH. SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW THEN LIKELY INCREASES TO SCA  
LEVELS ON FRIDAY AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THAT LOOKS TO CROSS THE  
WATERS FRIDAY NIGHT. ANOTHER COLD FRONT APPROACHES ON SUNDAY AS LOW  
PRESSURE TRACKS NORTH OF THE REGION. SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS AGAIN  
INCREASE TO SCA LEVELS, AND THERE MAY GUSTS TO GALE FORCE AHEAD OF  
THE FRONT. SCA CONDITIONS PROBABLY CONTINUE INTO MONDAY OR MONDAY  
NIGHT AS WINDS TURN WEST TO NORTHWEST BEHIND THE FRONT, BUT HIGH  
PRESSURE SHOULD BRING SUBSIDING WINDS AND SEAS BY TUESDAY.  
 

 
   
GYX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
 
 
ME...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM EDT WEDNESDAY FOR  
MEZ007>009.  
NH...NONE.  
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM EDT THURSDAY FOR ANZ150>152-  
154.  
 

 
 

 
 
DISCUSSION...BARON/COMBS/EKSTER  
AVIATION...  
MARINE...  
 
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