Maine weather: surf from Gert, the weekend, and the eclipse

High pressure continues to move into the region for Thursday. A warm front in conjunction with low pressure arrives Friday night. A cold front sweeps through Saturday night. High pressure returns on Sunday, lasting into the middle part of next week.

High Surf Advisory for MidCoast and DownEast

As Gert exits 500 miles to the east, the shorelines will be dealing with swells and rip currents through Thursday. While the southwest coast is not under advisory, it would be wise to check with lifeguards and/or beach attendants on swimming safety. Rip currents from these tropical systems should be taken seriously. If viewing the surf from the shoreline, respect the ocean and give the waves plenty of room.

Thursday – High pressure settles in

A classic Maine summer day is on tap, featuring mainly sunny skies and breezy conditions over the north, mountains, and eastern areas. The breeze diminishes in the afternoon. High clouds may filter into southern areas in the late afternoon.

Highs for the day range from the upper 60s in the high peaks and Crown to the low 80s in the Captial District southward.

Wind appears light over southern areas from the northwest at 5-15 mph. For the mountains, north and eastern areas, northwest wind ranges from 10-20 mph with gusts to 25 mph, settling by late afternoon.

Thursday Night – High clouds overspread

Most of the state will enjoy a nice sunset before high clouds take over the state in the wee hours of Friday morning.

Overnight lows fall to the upper 40s in northern areas to around 60° along the southwest shores. Light wind.

Friday – Clouds build, showers arrive afternoon west

While clouds thicken from southwest to northeast, the bulk of the day stays dry. Showers and possibly a rumble of thunder arrive in afternoon / early evening over western and southern areas. If your grilling dinner eastern and northern areas, enjoy it.

Highs for the day range in the 70s for most of the state, with the mercury tipping 80° around Bangor.

South/southeast wind gradually increases during the day to 5-15 mph, and could become gusty along the shorelines and western mountains by evening.

Friday night – Showers overspread the state

Rain reaches the far north and far eastern areas by late evening. Rain tapers to showers for western and southern areas by dawn.

Overnight lows fall into the mid-50s north and west, mid 60’s south and east.

Wind from the southeast at 5-15 mph shifts southwest over western and southern areas by morning. Gusts could reach 25 mph along the shorelines overnight.

Extended outlook – Steady improvement

Saturday certainly won’t be a washout, but scattered showers and possible thunderstorms are likely Saturday afternoon into the night.

For Sunday, southern and eastern areas appear dry. A spot shower is possible for the mountains and north as a weak trough works through, with any activity appearing brief. Sun increases for all in the afternoon, making for a nice evening statewide to wrap up the weekend.

Warm weather arrives for Monday, with comfortable humidity.

Eclipse update – Best viewing conditions coast

While this GFS graphic indicates relatively clear skies near the peak of the eclipse, I can’t rule out some fair weather clouds popping up over interior areas. Northern areas still concern me for some high clouds in association with a storm that impacts Labrador. At this point the coast appears to be the best bet for a clear view.

This is a 60% eclipse here in Maine. It begins around 1:30 PM, peaks around 2:45 PM, then clears around 3:50 PM.

Remember to use protective eyeware, and refrain from looking at the eclipse directly.

For more information on how to safely view the eclipse, please check the NOAA Eclipse 2017 website. Be aware of knock off viewing glasses that do not meet ISO 12312-2 international safety standards. You can get more detailed information from WGME Chief Meteorologist Charlie Lopresti’s blog Check in with Charlie for more eclipse details.

-Mike Haggett

For official forecast information: please check in with National Weather Service Gray for Western & Southern Maine and National Weather Service Caribou for Eastern & Northern Maine.

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Special thanks to Tropical Tidbits and Pivotal Weather for their written permission to use their graphics in this post. Use of WeatherTAP images used within their written permitted terms of media use policy. Additional forecast information supplied by the National Weather Service, WeatherBELL Analytics and AccuWeather Professional.

Always Stay Weather Aware!

Mike Haggett

About Mike Haggett

As a Mainer for nearly five decades, Mike understands all too well the ever changing weather forecasts and surprises given the location and geography of the state. Spending much of his time as child outdoors fishing in all four seasons, keeping track of the weather was a must for personal safety. Living firsthand through the impacts of weather through many types of storms and phenomena, the idea came to mind for him to analyze it closer in 2011.