textproduct: Gray - Portland

SYNOPSIS

Cold and blustery conditions are expected today and tonight. The remainder of the week remains cold with a possible arctic front and snow shower activity Wednesday night. Cold temperatures and mountain snow shower activity lasts into the weekend.

NEAR TERM /TODAY AND TONIGHT/

Strong low pressure will become stacked in Quebec today which will allow cold air on gusty winds to dump southward into northern New England. Any steady light precip across eastern zones ends prior to daybreak today with on and off upslope snow showers continuing in the mountains today.

The main story will be the cold and wind. A wind advisory remains in effect for most of the region for today, albeit it a low-end one. The main reasoning behind it's issuance was that portions of the CWA have ice covered trees and sub-advisory gusts could easily cause power outages. This still remains valid but eventually the winds should shake a lot of the ice off, so overall impacts look to be on the low side for most (but not all). Added southern New Hampshire to the advisory as gusts could reach criteria, especially in the Monadnocks.

Other than wind, it'll be cold today right through tonight with plenty of clouds remaining. Wind chill values are expected to only be in the single digits midday today (sometimes as low as -10F in the mountains). Winds come down some tonight but windchill values will be below zero for most.

SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY/

Fair and warmer on Wednesday as winds shift to SWly allowing temperatures to rise to just below freezing on the coastal plain and southern NH. Clouds increase during the afternoon as a clipper develops to our west.

LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/

Wednesday night, a shortwave trough brings light snow to the northeast. Snow will move out of the area by Thursday morning with minimal impacts to the AM commute. Behind the system, an arctic airmass moves in, allowing for colder than normal and dry conditions to persist through early next week. Radiational cooling is likely Thursday night and may be the coldest night in this period, with most people getting below 0F or close to 0F Friday morning.

AVIATION /03Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/

Short Term...VFR conditions are expected today through Wednesday with gusty SFC winds today possibly causing some low level mechanical turbulence.

Long Term...A brief window of lower restrictions across the area is likely Wednesday night as light snow moves across the region. VFR expected after Thursday morning continuing through the weekend.

MARINE

Short Term...Gales remain in effect. Gale force gusts taper off Wednesday morning, but gusts greater than 25 kts and the elevated seas will remain.

Long Term...SCA level westerly winds persist Wednesday night and will continue through the upcoming weekend. Seas near 3-5ft Wednesday night and will slowly lower to 2-3ft by the end of the weekend.

GYX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

ME...Wind Advisory until 7 PM EST Tuesday for MEZ007>009-012-013- 018-019-023-024-033. NH...Wind Advisory until 7 PM EST Tuesday for NHZ001>015. MARINE...Gale Warning until 7 AM EST Wednesday for ANZ150-152-154. Gale Warning until 1 AM EST Wednesday for ANZ151-153.