Temperatures in Maine will start climbing on Thursday, setting the stage for thunderstorms to roll through the state on Friday.
The past few days of milder temperatures and sunny skies will be interrupted in the upcoming 48 hours as a cold front moves northeast, pushing high temperatures and increased humidity ahead of it, according to forecasters with the National Weather Service.
Looking at Thursday, skies will be partly cloudy across much of northern Maine, with temperatures in the 80s.
Northeastern Maine regions can expect daytime highs in the low 80s, with higher temperatures throughout the Penobscot Valley and a low chance of scattered showers through the evening. Down East Maine can expect daytime highs in the upper 70s on Thursday.
Southern and western Maine will see daytime temperatures reach the upper 80s and low 90s, although coastal highs will be closer to the high 70s and low 80s. Skies will be sunny, and no overnight showers are expected at this time.
Activity really picks up on Friday, with scattered thunderstorms expected to bring heavy rain and high wind gusts at times. At this point, the majority of the storm activity is expected to be throughout southwestern Maine, the western mountain regions and the greater Piscataquis and Penobscot Valley regions.
Temperatures aren’t expected to be much higher than on Thursday throughout Aroostook, Penobscot and Washington counties, but a higher dew point will increase humidity and make conditions feel hotter than the actual air temperatures that will hover in the mid 80s. The daytime air temperature high in Bangor is expected to reach 87 degrees, while temperatures near Millinocket will hover around 83 degrees.
Eastern coastal temperatures will vary, with mid 80s expected near Bar Harbor and high 70s expected near Eastport. These areas currently have a low potential for heavy thunderstorms, but showers are expected.
Heading southwest, daytime temperatures will range anywhere from the high 70s near Jackman to the low 90s in the Lewiston-Auburn region. Forecasters expect heavy thunderstorms that will bring heavy rain and wind gusts up to 25 miles per hour throughout inland and coastal regions south of Bangor.
Storms will peter out through the evening, making way for seasonally temperate highs and clear skies on Saturday and partially cloudy skies Sunday.
