St. John Valley weather, Feb.8-14, 2023

3-day Outlook: Wednesday, Feb. 8-Friday, Feb. 10

A cold front will cross the region today producing a chance for some snow showers along and just ahead of it. However, little moisture is associated with the boundary, so no significant accumulations are expected. Gusty northwest winds are expected this afternoon and evening as a ridge of high pressure builds into the Valley.

Clouds increase Thursday as high pressure moves east and a new low pressure tracks towards the area from the Ohio Valley into Québec. NWS Caribou’s area forecast discussion notes that the “[p]arent surface low likely to be just north of Montreal by Friday morning with triple point near Downeast. Occlusion will be moving through the region in the morning with most of the precipitation in the form of snow toward the St. John Valley. Storm total snow accumulations around 3-5 inches over the St. John Valley.”

Gusty southeast winds will be associated with this system followed by a cold front and winds shifting to the northwest Friday night. The pressure gradient between the departing low and incoming high pressure will keeps northwest winds brisk Friday night into Saturday.

Daily Summary

Today: Scattered snow showers, mainly before 1 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 28. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 4. Wind chill values as low as minus 8. Northwest wind 6 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

Thursday: Increasing clouds, with a high near 25. Wind chill values as low as minus 6. West wind around 6 mph becoming north in the afternoon.

Thursday night: Snow, mainly after 10 p.m. Low around 19. East wind 6 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

Friday: Snow, mainly before 3pm, then a chance of snow showers after 4 p.m. High near 35. Southeast wind 8 to 13 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Friday night: A chance of snow showers, mainly before 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 13. Northwest wind 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

4- to 7-day Outlook: Saturday, Feb. 11-Tuesday, Feb. 14 

High pressure will build across the Valley Saturday with partly sunny skies becoming mostly clear Saturday night. Partly cloudy skies are expected Sunday as a low pressure system moves by to the north in Canada. A frontal boundary looks to stall out over the area Monday with partly sunny to partly cloudy skies across the region.  Low pressure tracking to the north in Canada is expected to pull a triple point across Maine Tuesday with skies becoming mostly cloudy by the afternoon with a slight chance for snow showers for the SJV.

Daily Summary

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 21. Northwest wind 15 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph.

Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 6.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 31.

Sunday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 11.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 31.

Monday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 19.

Tuesday: A slight chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 37. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

8- to 14-day Trends: Wednesday, Feb. 15-Tuesday, Feb. 21

Above normal temperatures / Above normal precipitation

Note: Computer model precision diminishes the further into the week the forecast projects. Check the Fiddlehead Focus for weather updates with more current information.

The Week Ahead is the work of UMFK Professor Joseph E. Becker based on personal weather station data, various computer forecast models, and information that the National Weather Service, NOAA, and other weather resources provide.