Santa’s going to get quite a soaking on Christmas Eve, according to the National Weather Service in Caribou.
He might need some big blue tarps to keep presents dry as he makes deliveries Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.
“There’s going to be a steady, soaking rain with possibly heavy winds at times while Santa is in transit,” meteorologist Tony Mignon said Sunday. “It’s going to be winding down Christmas morning.”
The wind is expected to gust up to 30 miles per hour along the coast, but temperatures will be rising into the mid-50s along the coast and into the mid-40s in Aroostook County.
The combination of heavy rain along with possible snow melt and warm temperatures creates the potential for flooding, according to the forecast posted on the weather service’s website.
The anticipated strong winds may cause downed trees and power outages especially downeast, the forecast said. Large waves could cause minor coastal flooding around the time of high tide.
The National Weather Service office in Gray predicted similar weather in southern Maine, with a cold front expected to move in Friday and return temperatures throughout the state to normal.
Light snow and flurries were expected to turn to rain Tuesday in the southern part of the state, according to an online forecast.