St. John Valley Weather, March 22-28, 2023

3-Day Outlook: Wednesday, March 22-Friday, March 24

High pressure will bring mostly sunny skies to the Saint John Valley today with partly cloudy skies developing this afternoon. Low pressure over Minnesota today will track towards the southern James Bay region in Canada and pull an occluding front across the region tomorrow with a weak triple point low possibly forming as the front moves across the St. John Valley. 

Snow is expected to develop early Thursday morning and continue into the evening hours before tapering to snow showers Thursday night. Based on current forecast model estimates, snow is expected with total snow accumulations between 4 and 7 inches, so the National Weather Service in Caribou has issued a winter weather advisory from 6 a.m. Thursday, March 23, through 4 a.m. Friday, March 24. The greater snow accumulations will be across the Saint John Valley. Slippery road conditions are expected and the hazardous travel  conditions could impact the Thursday morning and evening commutes.

Friday, isolated snow showers linger into the afternoon with mostly cloudy skies and gusty northwest winds expected as high pressure gradually builds into the region from the Great Lakes/central Canada. Partly cloudy skies with breezy northwest winds are expected Friday night into Saturday morning.

Daily Summary

Today: Sunny, with a high near 31. Northwest wind around 9 mph.

Tonight: A chance of snow, mainly after 4am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 13. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

Thursday: Snow. High near 34. Southeast wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.

Thursday Night: Snow, mainly before 1 a.m., then a chance of snow showers after 2 a.m. Low around 26. South wind around 10 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

Friday: A slight chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 37. Northwest wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16. Northwest wind 7 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

4- to 7-Day Outlook: Saturday, March 25-Tuesday, March 28 

High pressure moves across the region Saturday with dry conditions, partly cloudy skies, and light winds. Clouds increase Saturday night as low pressure approaches tracks from the Ohio Valley into Canada to our west and a secondary low pressure forming in the Gulf of Maine. Snow is expected to develop Sunday morning and continue into the afternoon before tapering to snow showers that linger overnight. Preliminary estimates of 4 to 6 inches snowfall are possible from this system.

Isolated snow showers Monday morning give way to isolated rain showers in the afternoon as temperatures climb to the upper-30s/low 40s. Clouds increase Tuesday as another system affects the region; however, forecast model uncertainty is high a present. Currently, a chance for snow showers/snow is expected Tuesday possibly mixing with rain in the afternoon.

Daily Summary

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 38. Light and variable wind becoming east around 6 mph in the afternoon.

Saturday Night: A chance of snow, mainly after 11pm. Cloudy, with a low around 25. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent.

Sunday: Snow likely before 2 p.m., then snow showers likely after 2 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 36. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent.

Sunday Night: A chance of snow showers, mainly before 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent.

Monday: A slight chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

Monday Night: A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

Tuesday: A chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 39. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

8- to 14-day Trends: Tuesday, March 28 -Monday, April 3 

Below 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.