CARIBOU, Maine – The coldest air of the fall season has settled over northern and eastern Maine, bringing widespread freezing temperatures by early Friday morning. The National Weather Service in Caribou reports the region will see its first hard freeze of the season tonight, with readings dropping into the 20s across Aroostook County and parts of Penobscot and Piscataquis Counties.
According to the NWS Caribou office, today will remain chilly and breezy, with highs only reaching the upper 40s north and mid-50s south. Skies will stay mostly clear tonight, allowing temperatures to plummet — ideal conditions for frost and freeze formation. Residents are urged to protect any remaining outdoor plants and bring pets indoors.
The agency noted that conditions will remain mainly dry through Sunday, though an isolated shower could drift through far northern Maine. Travelers along I-95 and U.S. 1 should expect cold, breezy conditions Friday morning before moderating slightly into the weekend. Offshore, seas could build to around 10 feet Monday and Tuesday as a storm system passes south of the region.
Utility companies and local emergency managers advise checking home heating systems and insulating exposed pipes ahead of the cold stretch. While this freeze marks the transition toward the deeper fall season, forecasters expect temperatures to slowly rebound by early next week.
