Marine Weather and Tide Forecast for Saco, ME

NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM MONDAY MORNING/
615 PM Update...Clear skies continue across the area this evening except portions of the western ME mountains where stratocu hangs on. Very little change to the going forecast for the overnight hours as increasing clouds and flurries late still looks like a good forecast.

Previously...

A ridge of high pressure will crest over the area this evening before being suppressed south and east towards Monday morning.
Mostly clear skies across much of the area will allow temperatures to drop quickly this evening before clouds move in overnight. These clouds will be associated from a weak wave passing north of the area that will bring chances for scattered flurries. Lows will range from near 20F along the coast to 10F near the Canadian Border.

SHORT TERM /6 AM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/
A weak wave aloft will be pushing east of the area Monday morning with areas south of the mountains seeing some clearing skies. Another weak wave will approach late Monday that will bring more clouds and chances for snow showers in the mountains by late afternoon. Highs will range from the upper 20s north to upper 30s south.

Chances for snow showers will continue in the mountains Monday night. Blocked flow along the mountains will limit chances for snow showers south of the mountains with these areas seeing partly cloudy skies. Snow accumulations will be light with amounts around 1-2 inches in the higher terrain and generally less than inch in the northern valleys. Lows will generally be in the teens to low 20s.

LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/
The extended portion of the forecast begins with a sharp H5 trough digging across the Northeast on Tuesday. This system will trigger snow showers across the region. Have raised pops quite a bit for the Tuesday timeframe similar to WFO BTV as the system crosses through. Winds then increase and shift to the northwest Tuesday night bringing upslope conditions and snow showers to the northern mountains.

The relatively warm conditions on Tuesday will be replaced by cold, Canadian air on brisk northwesterly winds by Wednesday.
The latest Bufkit files suggest at least 25kt+ winds will mix down to the surface during this period. Temperatures will struggle to climb through the teens in the north to the 20s in the south. Have continued with high pops for the mountains during this period.

A moderating trend will begin on Thursday ahead of a cold front as it approaches from the west. This front will weaken substantially by the time it reaches New England. 12Z models and ensemble solutions suggest a ridge of high pressure will rebuild over the region by Friday. This follows with a large scale trough entering the Northeast with widespread precipitation over the weekend.

AVIATION /00Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/
Short Term...Mainly VFR tonight through Monday with cloud bases greater than 5kft. VFR likely continues south of the mountains Monday night while lowering cigs and scattered snow showers likely bringing at least MVFR to KHIE.

Long Term...VFR will dominate the period south of the mountains. At HIE, IFR/MVFR restrictions due to SHSN appear likely Tuesday and Tuesday night and again late Thursday/Thursday night.

MARINE
Short Term...Offshore winds shift SW Monday as high pressure sinks south of the waters. Winds and seas remain below SCA thresholds until late Monday night when west winds approach 25 kts over the southern waters.

Long Term...SCA conditions likely in the Tuesday night through Wednesday night given gusty northwest winds behind departing low pressure. Weak ridges of high pressure before and after this low will yield quiet conditions over the waters.

GYX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
ME...None.
NH...None.
MARINE...None.