textproduct: Caribou

WHAT HAS CHANGED

No significant changes to ongoing forecast.

KEY MESSAGES

1) Wildfire smoke will remain over the area today leading to milky skies, in areas not overrun by high clouds. Small chance in smoke mixing down toward the surface on Thursday afternoon over the north.

2) Increasing heat and humidity today through late week, with a chance of thunderstorms Thursday and Friday.

DISCUSSION

KEY MESSAGE 1...Wildfire smoke will remain over the area today leading to milky skies, in areas not overrun by high clouds. Small chance in smoke mixing down toward the surface on Thursday afternoon over the north.

KEY MESSAGE 1 DESCRIPTION... Wildfires across Western Quebec will continue to be trapped over the area today per the latest HRRR smoke guidance. A milky appearance to the sky will be present across the north and west this morning and should be able to be seen over southern areas this afternoon as low- mid clouds move east and out of the area. Fortunately the smoke will remain aloft today, but there are some indications that it may begin to mix down tomorrow afternoon with pre-frontal trough moving through the north per 00z HRRR and RRFS.

KEY MESSAGE 2...Increasing heat and humidity today through late week, with a chance of thunderstorms Thursday and Friday.

KEY MESSAGE 2 DESCRIPTION... Temperatures will climb to above normal today with highs in the mid- upper 80s across the north this afternoon. Southern areas will be able to reach into the low-mid 80s but will be delayed in warming with low clouds and fog expected early this morning. Mostly sunny skies expected across the north this morning (albeit a little smokey) with skies becoming mostly sunny this afternoon over Downeast as low pressure moves east.

A pre-frontal trough will be approaching the area tonight from Canada with dewpoints rising into the 60s ahead of it. Expect an area of showers to move into the north and west during the evening with the main energy forcing heading twd the Maritimes shortly after midnight, with a break in the showers overnight into the late morning hours. By this time, the trough should be over central areas with showers re-developing over the Central Highlands as next piece of upper level energy moves in. Given marginal instability present along the trough, cannot rule out thunderstorms by mid-late afternoon.

It looks like the greater threat of storms on Friday, will be from Bangor to the coast. It's possible the front will move through fast enough to where any storms are south of the area Friday. Cannot rule out a strong storm for Thursday or Friday, however the bigger threat looks to be locally heavy rainfall out of any storm that develops.

AVIATION /06Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/

Through 12z...VFR Aroostook terminals. Cannot rule out IFR vsbys and cigs at BHB between 08z-11z with BGR experiencing IFR cigs after 08z. Light and variable, near calm winds.

Today...VFR. Light winds becoming S 5kts in the afternoon.

Tonight...Mainly VFR, though cannot rule out patchy coastal fog at BHB. S winds 5kts or less.

Thursday...VFR/MVFR possible in showers and possible -tsra. W winds 5-10kts.

Thursday Night-Friday...VFR/MVFR in showers and tstms. W winds 5kts becoming NW 5-15kts Friday morning.

Friday Night-Saturday...VFR. NW wind 5-10 kts, gusts to 20 kt.

Saturday Night-Sunday...VFR. N-NW winds around 5kt.

MARINE

Visibilities reduced in patchy fog this morning. Seas will remain below 5ft over all waters, with wind gusts remaining below 25kts all waters through Thursday. Showers and possibly a thunderstorm over the waters Thursday night into Friday. Winds/seas below SCA conditions this weekend with just some passing clouds.

CAR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

ME...None. MARINE...None.