856 FXUS61 KCAR 260757 AFDCAR AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME 355 AM EDT WED SEP 26 2001 .SYNOPSIS...LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK FROM NORTHERN MAINE EAST INTO NEW BRUNSWICK TODAY PULLING A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA. THE LOW WILL CONTINUE INTO THE MARITIMES TONIGHT AND THURSDAY. A SECONDARY LOW COMING EAST FROM THE GREAT LAKES WILL APPROACH THE DOWNEAST COAST THURSDAY NIGHT... AND THEN PUSH OFFSHORE ON FRIDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FROM THE WEST. .DISCUSSION... DEEP UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE NEAR THE LAKES REGION PULLED VERY MOIST TROPICAL AIR ACROSS THE AREA ON TUESDAY. SECONDARY LOW PRESSURE FORMING NEAR NORTHERN MAINE HELPED TO SQUEEZE OUT A SATURATING RAINFALL TUESDAY NIGHT WITH 1.5 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN IN MANY PLACES. THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL FELL ACROSS NORTHERN PENOBSCOT AND WESTERN PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN AROOSTOOK COUNTIES WHERE UPWARDS OF 2.5 INCHES OF RAIN FELL OVERNIGHT. SMALL STREAMS MAY BE HIGH FOR A WHILE EARLY WEDNESDAY...BUT THE DRY CONDITIONS THAT PRECEDED THE RAIN WILL LIKELY ALLOW MOST OF THE RAINFALL TO BE ABSORBED. AS THE SURFACE LOW NEAR NORTHERN MAINE EXITS TO THE EAST TODAY DRYER AIR WILL COME IN ALOFT. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL KEEP SKIES MOSTLY CLOUDY IN THE NORTH WITH SOME BREAKS LIKELY TOWARD AFTERNOON. SOUTHERN AREAS... HOWEVER...SHOULD HAVE ENOUGH MIXING TO BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY. TONIGHT WILL BE PARTLY CLOUDY ACROSS THE AREA. SATURATED GROUND WILL ALLOW PATCHY FOG TO FORM IN SOME PLACES...MAINLY VALLEY AREAS. THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY THE ORIGINAL GREAT LAKES LOW FLATTEN AND SLIP EAST TOWARD THE MAINE COAST BRINGING A CHANCE FOR MORE RAIN. LIGHTER RAINFALL IS LIKELY WITH THIS LOW ALTHOUGH A BAND OF MODERATE RAINFALL SEEMS POSSIBLE NEAR THE DOWNEAST COAST. FRIDAY NIGHT THE COASTAL LOW WILL MOVE AWAY TO THE EAST AND A LARGE DRY DOME OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BEGIN TO BUILD IN. SOME RATHER CHILLY AIR WILL SLIP DOWN FROM THE NORTHEAST BEHIND THE DEPARTING STORM SYSTEM FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY. AS THE APPROACHING HIGH MIGRATES TOWARD THE MID ATLANTIC COAST ON SUNDAY MILDER AIR WILL BEGIN TO RETURN. SUNDAY MORNING WILL BEGIN FROSTY BUT THE AFTERNOON SHOULD TURN INTO A VERY PLEASANT EARLY AUTUMN DAY. COASTAL WATERS...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY TODAY FOR SEAS OF 3 TO 6 FT. .CAR...SCA. MCB