You’ve seen the gray sky over Casco Bay lately, right? Honestly, if you live in Portland, you know that mid-January is basically the season of "wait and see." One minute it’s a mild slushy mess, and the next you’re digging out your heavy-duty Sorels because a cold front decided to park itself right over the Fore River.
Basically, the extended weather forecast for portland maine is looking like a wild ride for the rest of the month. We are currently sitting in a pattern where "normal" doesn't really exist.
The Deep Freeze is Moving In
If you were enjoying that slightly-above-freezing vibe this weekend, I've got some news. It’s about to get real. While today, Sunday, January 18, we’re seeing a high of 34°F with some cloudy skies, the "feels like" temperature is already hanging out at 18°F thanks to a southwest wind.
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But check this out: by Tuesday, January 20, the high is going to crater to 21°F, and it’s staying there.
Actually, it gets even crazier toward the end of the week. By next Saturday, January 24, we are looking at a high of only 17°F and a low that drops to -2°F. Yes, negative territory. If you haven't checked your furnace lately, now's the time.
Snow or Just More Slush?
We’ve had a Winter Weather Advisory active until recently, and the snow showers aren’t totally gone. Tonight, there’s a 40% chance of snow showers with a low of 24°F. Monday brings more light snow (about a 25% chance), but it’s the kind of nuisance snow that just makes the commute annoying.
Here is the thing most people miss: the humidity. It’s currently at 100%. That’s why the air feels like it’s biting right through your coat. Even when it’s not actively snowing, that moisture in the air makes the 23°F current temp feel way more aggressive than the number on the thermometer suggests.
The 10-Day Outlook at a Glance
I’m not a fan of those perfect little charts, so let’s just talk through the stretch.
- Monday (MLK Day): High of 30°F, light snow, and it starts getting breezy with west winds at 12 mph.
- Tuesday & Wednesday: The sun actually comes out Tuesday (finally!), but it’s a "fake" sun because it’ll be a high of 21°F. Wednesday bounces back to 31°F but brings more snow showers at night.
- The Big Dip (Jan 24-25): This is the window you need to watch. Highs of 17°F and 10°F. Sunday the 25th will be sunny, but with a high of 10°F, you aren't going to want to be outside for long.
- Monday, Jan 26: We might see a more significant snow event with a 35% chance and winds kicking up to 18 mph.
Why the Forecast Keeps Shifting
National Weather Service experts out of Gray have been tracking a pretty amplified pattern aloft. There’s a deep troughing situation over the eastern U.S. that’s basically an open door for Arctic air. Plus, La Niña is still hanging around, though it’s supposed to transition to "neutral" soon.
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According to the Climate Prediction Center, this transition makes the extended weather forecast for portland maine harder to pin down than usual. When the atmosphere is in flux, those "clipper" systems from Canada can speed up or slow down without much warning.
What You Should Actually Do
Don't just look at the high temp. Look at the wind.
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On January 26 and 27, we’re expecting northwest winds at 18 mph. Combined with a high of 12°F, that’s "exposed skin" danger territory.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check your tires now. With temperatures swinging from 37°F on Thursday down to 17°F on Saturday, the freeze-thaw cycle is going to turn side streets into ice rinks.
- Drip the faucets. When we hit that -2°F low on Saturday night, those older Portland pipes in the West End are going to be under serious pressure.
- Plan for Monday snow. If you’re traveling for the holiday, give yourself an extra 20 minutes. It’s light snow, but it’s enough to slick up the turns on I-295.
- Buy salt today. Don't wait until Friday when the hardware store on Congress is sold out and the ground is a sheet of glass.