Wednesday side door cold front expected to send the heat wave packing

GRAY, Maine - In the past four weeks there have been just 12 days where the daily high temperature has been below 90 degrees, but if Northern Seacoast residents can wait till Wednesday, they'll get a shot of relief and a high of 75, according to a National Weather Service meteorologist.
"Beginning Wednesday we're going to get a side-door front that moves down from Quebec," said NWS Metorologist Jon Palmer, who explained that a side door front is one that moves north or south.
Palmer said Rochester not only broke its high for the day on Thursday, when it hit 100, but also Friday, Saturday and Sunday, when it was 95, 95 and 94, respectively. He noted that records have only been kept on Rochester since 2000.
He said of the 12 days since July that didn't hit 90 degrees, the lowest high was 84 and the other 11 were all in the mid- to high 80s.
"It's definitely been a significant stretch of hot weather," Potter added.
In fact every day this August has been 90 or over with the exception of Aug. 3 when the high was 89.
He said after Wednesday the cooler temps will prevail the rest of the week with highs from low 70s to mid-80s.
Palmer said there will be lots of potential beginning today for pop-up showers and thunderstorms but not much chance for a much-needed steady rain.
"You might get lucky and get half an inch, but most of the heavier rain will be in northern Maine and New Hampshire," he said.