Extremely cold temperatures are still in the forecast as an arctic blast sweeps through on Friday and into Saturday morning.
Freezing temperatures and windy conditions will drop the wind chill into negative numbers. A wind chill could drop temperatures down to nearly negative 40 degrees throughout northern Aroostook County, throughout the Allagash region, and into northern Somerset County. Communities as far south as Medway could also experience extreme wind chills, according to an extreme weather watch issued by the National Weather Service’s Caribou office on Wednesday afternoon.
Cold temperatures will also sweep through western Maine, with forecasters expecting central Somerset, northern Franklin and northern Oxford counties to see wind chills between negative 20 degrees and negative 40 degrees, Gray NWS forecasters expected as of 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Conditions will increase the likelihood that outdoor activity could cause hypothermia or frostbite to set in quickly. In negative 40 degree weather, frostbite and hypothermia can set in after just 10 minutes.
The arctic blast moving in late during the week will bring the coldest air temperatures seen so far this season, forecasters have said. Heading into the weekend after bitter cold on Friday night into Saturday morning, daytime temperatures are expected to stay in the single digits into Monday morning. Some winds will persist, dropping the wind chill into the negative teens in some areas, especially overnight.
As far as precipitation goes, a covering of 1 to 3 inches of snow is expected to hit the easternmost regions, especially near New Brunswick. Brief squalls continue through Thursday and Friday in the central highlands, far eastern and northern Maine and the North Woods region. Blowing snow could impair visibility and cause difficulty traveling.
Looking to the southern regions of the state, wind chills in the negative 20s and 30s will sweep through the region Friday night into Saturday morning, although Rangeley and Jackman are expected to feel the brunt of the wind chills. The Rangeley and Jackman regions may see wind chills drop to the negative 40 to negative 35 range.
Heading into the rest of the weekend south central Maine can expect to see overnight temperatures in the negative 15 to negative 5 degree range, although temperatures will remain significantly colder in the Rangeley and Jackman regions.
If you plan to be outside anytime in the near future, make sure to dress appropriately to avoid serious injury from the cold, and don’t forget your furry friends.
If you do use alternate or supplementary heat sources, such as electric or propane space heaters or a generator, make sure that you have ample ventilation, have checked that the device has not been damaged and that you do not operate it near flammable objects or near objects that may melt.
Those who do not have permanent housing and others in need can find information on the nearest warming center at the Maine Emergency Management website.
Extreme cold may impact powerlines; in the event of a power outage, make sure to do what you can to keep your home and family warm and safe. Check the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for tips on staying warm and other resources for how to handle a power outage.