Sunny outlook remains for Monday eclipse in Maine

By Leela Stockley, Bangor Daily News Staff

Despite a nor’easter that knocked down trees and powerlines this week, Monday’s forecast is looking clear for eclipse viewing. 

The total solar eclipse will reach totality in Maine around 3:30 p.m. on Monday afternoon, and so far there isn’t a storm or a cloud in sight. Maine remains one of the best places to view the eclipse, with cloud cover expected in much of the path the eclipse will follow across the country. 

The extended weekend forecast for Maine is predicting high temperatures in the mid- to high 50s, very little breeze and a less than five percent chance of precipitation on Monday, according to the National Weather Service. 

Some precipitation is expected through Saturday evening, but will likely peter out by Sunday morning. Forecasters expect some snow in northern Maine that will turn to rain by Saturday afternoon, with a snowy mix falling over Down East Maine. But warm surface temperatures mean that the expected half-inch of precipitation won’t stick around for long. 

Sunday will likely produce mostly-sunny skies, with inland temperatures reaching the mid-40s in northern Maine, while the Down East region will see highs in the low 40s. 

Southern Maine can expect some northerly winds on Sunday, but winds are expected to break up lingering cloud cover resulting in highs in the mid 40s throughout the region. 

Heading into Monday, meteorologists are expecting clear skies, light winds and highs in the upper 50s across southern Maine.

Although we’ll see warmer temperatures on Monday, the eclipse event can lower air temperatures by up to 10 degrees, so bring warm clothes to your viewing location. 

Anyone traveling for the eclipse is reminded that lingering precipitation from Thursday’s storm will result in melting snow, which will create muddy conditions. Camp roads, rural roads and roads damaged by earlier storms will see the most impacts by snowpack melt, and open fields or unpaved parking lots will likely require boots or other sturdy footwear to navigate. 

The days after the eclipse will see warmer temperatures in the upper 40s to low 50s and mostly-sunny skies persist at least through Wednesday.