There are only so many snowy, slippery, frigid and gloomy days in a row that a person can take.

Those deep in the winter blues may see a bit of relief Saturday, when temperatures are expected to creep above 40 degrees across southern and central Maine, according to the National Weather Service. Even some parts of northern Maine may hit 40.

But don’t be fooled: Sunday is likely to bring light snow ahead of a rapid freeze.

MAINE TEMPERATURES

An incoming cold front is responsible for both the warmup and the freeze, said Michael Clair, a meteorologist at the weather service’s Gray office, in a phone interview Friday.

“(The cold front) will be off to our west during the daytime Saturday, and that brings a lot of warm air up on a southerly wind,” he said. “That front moves through Saturday night and, behind it, there’s a fresh arctic air mass coming with much colder temperatures.”

The weather service is projecting temperatures to climb above 40 degrees across much of southern and central Maine on Saturday. That includes 43-degree highs in Augusta, Farmington, Lewiston and Portland.

The agency’s Caribou office expected temperatures to creep above 40 degrees in the Bangor and Down East regions; hover around 40 in the northern part of the state, and hit the high 30s in western areas.

On Sunday, things are expected to take a turn.

Temperatures will likely drop into the 20s and teens across the state, and to single digits and even below zero in some areas, according to the weather service.

By Monday morning, the coastline could experience temperatures close to zero — Portland is expected to see a low of 5 degrees. Lewiston and Waterville are expected to flatten out at 0 degrees, while communities farther inland, such as Farmington, Fryeburg and Rangeley, may see subzero temperatures, according to the weather service in Gray.

The weather service’s Caribou office said the Bangor area will reach a low of 0 degrees Sunday into Monday. Northern communities should see subzero readings, and temperatures could drop to 14 below in western Aroostook County.

The Caribou office also warned of windy conditions that could make temperatures feel even colder.

Monday afternoon may feel balmy in comparison, as temperatures climb back into the high teens and low 20s in southern and central parts of the state.

A DASH OF SNOW

Maine may also get an inch or two of snow Sunday morning.

The culprit is a low-pressure system riding the cold front, Clair said, which “could bring a few rounds of snow showers.”

“There’s still some question as to whether that will make it through our area,” Clair said Friday, depending on whether the system tracks farther south. “I think, either way it ends up being light, but it could be enough to coat roads.”

The Caribou office said there is a chance of rain early Saturday afternoon followed by some snow across northern Maine that night.

Looking further ahead, there is also a chance of precipitation midweek, but Clair emphasized it’s still a bit early to tell.

As of Friday, the meteorologist said, Tuesday night and Wednesday morning look like they could be “messy.”

“Maybe a mix of rain, snow and some other stuff in between,” Clair said. “A lot of that will depend on the storm’s track and how much cold air is still in place with our arctic air mass.”