Weather
Northern Maine Weather Alert: Snow Could Make Roads Slick Friday Oct 16
Caribou, ME – A developing weather system is expected to bring widespread rain, accumulating snow in northern areas and potentially damaging wind gusts to northern and eastern Maine beginning Friday,
By Nolan Pierce · 2026-10-15T01:01:25.784Z
Caribou, ME – A developing weather system is expected to bring widespread rain, accumulating snow in northern areas and potentially damaging wind gusts to northern and eastern Maine beginning Friday, October 16, with hazardous travel conditions and isolated power outages possible into Saturday.
According to the National Weather Service NWS in Caribou, rain will spread across the region Friday morning and continue throughout the day, with most communities receiving between 0.5 and 1 inch of precipitation through Saturday evening.
Communities including Bangor, Ellsworth, Houlton, Presque Isle and Caribou are expected to experience periods of rain before colder air arrives Friday night.
Snow becomes a concern late Friday into Saturday morning , particularly across northern Aroostook County and the North Woods.
The NWS forecasts snowfall generally under 1 inch, although locations near the Canadian border could receive around an inch, with locally higher amounts possible.
Snow probabilities are highest around Madawaska at 74%, Saint Francis at 73% and Eagle Lake at 69%. Farther south, Caribou has a 41% probability of receiving more than one tenth of an inch of snow.
Forecasters warn that temperatures falling toward freezing Friday night could create slick road conditions, especially across higher elevations and northern communities.
By Saturday afternoon, strong winds are expected to become the primary concern.
Wind gusts could reach 40 mph , creating difficult driving conditions on exposed roadways and potentially causing isolated power outages.
Saturday temperatures are forecast to remain in the 30s, with wind chills dropping into the 20s across affected areas.
Residents should secure loose outdoor items, prepare for changing road conditions and keep electronic devices charged ahead of the strongest winds.
Drivers traveling through northern Maine Friday night and Saturday morning should use additional caution where snow develops.
Forecast conditions may change as the system approaches. Residents can monitor updates at weather.gov/car.