The first snowstorm of the season always triggers a wide variety of emotions. Skiers and winter sports enthusiasts are excited, drivers may experience a level of anxiety, and as a forecaster, I certainly want to get the forecast right.
The homeowner side of me was running around Friday being sure the driveway stakes were in place, the final oak leaves were cleaned up, the snowblower started and the shovel that broke sometime last March was replaced.
Saturday’s storm is not going to be a blockbuster.
However, some areas could end up pushing over half a foot of snow by the time it’s over, and that’s a noteworthy amount for the initial storm of the season.
Snow will start across the area Saturday morning, but the heaviest will accumulate between roughly 2 and 10 p.m.
The heaviest snow will most likely fall east of Rockland. Predicting the axis of the heaviest snow is more difficult, but you should be aware of the higher total chances.
Most areas will stay just under 6 inches of snow during this storm. Dave Epstein
The images below show how one model believes the snow will accumulate.
Some things to notice are the little maximum of accumulation south of Portland, as well as the expectation that the snow – at least the heaviest – stays out of the mountains. This is because the storm system will pass offshore east of Nantucket and into the Gulf of Maine, keeping the heaviest precipitation in eastern areas.
Snow will accumulate Saturday afternoon and evening across much of Maine.
There’s not going to be any major wind or coastal flooding with this particular nor’easter.
In case you are wondering, yes, this is related to the system that brought all that snow to the South on Friday. Some areas there saw record-breaking snow for the time of year and the first snows of significance in many years or decades.
Moisture streams northward along the east coast Saturday morning. (COD Weather)
If you’re cleaning up the snow late this evening, be aware there could be some lighter snow showers after midnight. These won’t amount to more than an inch or so, but if you’ve already shoveled the driveway or you’re someone that plows roads and parking lots, you might have to clean things up a bit Sunday morning.
The back edge of the precipitation will be moving into southern Maine before dawn Sunday. COD Weather
You may have heard about another possible storm for Tuesday. Right now it’s not a sure bet we will see a big storm. There will be a low pressure area but it may not become strong until it’s past our area. It does bear watching, however. What that storm will do is pull in the coldest air of the winter so far.
Temperatures at the end of the week will not reach freezing during the day and be in the single digits and teens at night.
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