Maine’s Memorial Day weekend weather is looking just fine

Memorial Day weekend is expected to be mostly fair, with Saturday looking the driest.

Highs are likely to be in the high 50s and 60s across much of the state this weekend, according to the National Weather Service — a break from the recent, and in some cases record-breaking heat.

However, there is a chance of rain in the latter half, according to the weather service, and it may be best to pack that extra layer: Lows will likely dip into the 40s and even 30s in some areas.

Authorities are also reminding Mainers and Vacationlanders alike to take extra precautions out on Maine’s many bodies of water as air temperatures at this time of year are often far higher than water temperatures.

THE HIGHS

The weather service’s office in Gray projects high temperatures to hover in the 60s Friday and Saturday across the southern and central regions.

The Augusta, Fryeburg and Waterville areas can expect high temperatures in the mid-to-high 60s to kick off the weekend, the agency projected Wednesday, while the Portland and Lewiston areas can expect temperatures in the lower 60s.

High temperatures in much of the southern half of the state will dip to the low 60s and high 50s Sunday, the agency forecast.

“High pressure is coming down from Canada,” Jon Palmer, a meteorologist at the weather service’s office in Gray, explained on Wednesday. “It’s going to sit over the area through Sunday and even potentially into Monday.”

Meanwhile, high temperatures in northern and eastern Maine are projected to be in the high 50s or low 60s Saturday before taking a small dip on Sunday, according to the weather service’s office in Caribou.

THE LOWS

On the other side of that high-pressure system is rain, but the likelihood varies by location.

James Sinko, lead meteorologist at the weather service’s office in Caribou, said Wednesday that the Bangor, Downeast and Moosehead Lake regions can expect some showers Sunday afternoon, with more widespread showers in northern and eastern Maine on Monday.

As of Wednesday, the weather service in Gray projects that southern regions stand about a 40% to 50% chance of seeing rain Sunday, with significantly lower chances Monday.

Palmer warned that the timing all depends on when the high-pressure system departs, but any rain should be light regardless.

“It doesn’t look like we’ll have the heat to produce convective thunderstorms or anything like that,” he said.

Temperatures will cool off in the evenings and early mornings across Maine throughout the weekend. While the southern half of the state can expect low temperatures in the low 40s (with higher elevations a bit chillier), northern Maine is expecting lows in the 30s, according to the weather service.

WATER SAFETY

Sinko noted that Maine has already lost several people who were recreating on the water this season.

“A lot of water temperatures are generally in the 40s to 50s, and it only takes a couple of minutes to get hypothermia,” the meteorologist said. “You can succumb to your body shutting down in the water.”

That makes it an especially important time to wear a life preserver and make sure other safety equipment is readily available. The agency is conducting a joint effort with state authorities to warn the public of the hazards, Sink said.

“We want to emphasize cold water safety, and have people know everything they need to survive going into cold waters,” Sinko said.