ARCTIC COLD ARRIVES TONIGHT{/strong}

Highs Thursday will be fairly mild, in the lower 30s with partly cloudy skies. Winds will also be fairly light. A powerful arctic cold front moves through Maine Thursday night. It will be feeling more like the north pole than Maine by the time you wake up on Friday.

FRIDAY COLD{/strong}:

Friday, temperatures will start out in the single digits, and fall all through the day. Wind chills will also get progressively colder- starting out between -10 to -25 in the morning, dropping to -20 to -40 by the evening. This could lead to frostbite in minutes- you’ll want to stay inside or at least be completely bundled up if you do have to venture outside.

FRIDAY NIGHT{/strong}:

Some of the coldest temperatures seen in years in parts of Maine are in store Friday night. Actual air temperatures will drop to -15 to -25 across the state. Winds will also remain very gusty. Friday night is when we will see the coldest feels-like temperatures, in the range of -35 to -55 degrees.

SATURDAY{/strong}: After a start well below zero, highs will remain in the single digits all afternoon. Winds will be breezy, and wind chills will remain well below zero all day.

By Saturday evening, temperatures will begin to gradually rise. The arctic blast is over by Sunday, and after a cold start in the single digits both above and below zero, high should reach the middle and even upper 30s by the afternoon. We may see a 50 to 60 degree temperature range in many towns just this weekend. Next week looks quiet and mild. Highs will be in the 30s and 40s, with our next rain and snow chance Tuesday into Wednesday of next week.

Meteorologist Christian Bridges

THURSDAY: {/strong} Sun and clouds. Highs in the low 30s. W to SW winds 10 to 15 MPH.

THURSDAY NIGHT: {/strong}Strong arctic front moves through late. Greatest chance for a squall will be hills and mountains. Temperatures in the 20s through midnight. Temps start to plummet by daybreak. Becoming windy.

FRIDAY: {/strong} Cold and windy. Afternoon temperatures -5 to 5.

INTERESTING NOTEWORTHY COLD TEMP STATS FOR PORTLAND FEBRUARY 4TH AND 5TH{/strong}

Record Cold High Temperature February 4th: 9 degrees 1948{/li}
Record Low Temperature February 4th: -19 degrees 1971{/li}
Record Low Temperature February 5th: -13 degrees 1978{/li}
Last time temperature was colder than -10 degrees: January 6th 2018{/li}
Last time Wind Chills colder than -35 degrees: January 4th 1981
{/li}
All time record cold wind chill -41 degrees Jan 19th 1971{/li}{/ul}

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