It hasn't been your typical winter in Maine. November brought us more snow than December and January has been an odd mix of stop and start storms that are more of annoyance than an actual event. One thing we have escaped from is the arctic air that made last winter so unbearable. That is set to change this weekend.

Starting Thursday night, Maine will plunge into a deep freeze that should last until Monday. The weekend will look the part of beautiful days filled with sunshine and blue sky but the real feel outside will leave you running back to the warmth of your house. Throughout the state, high temperatures will struggle to get above 20 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Once the sun goes down, the temps will follow with overnight lows expected to sit somewhere between 5 degrees and -5. Seriously.

Anytime we get temperatures this cold, it's important to remember to limit your outdoor exposure. If you're an outdoor enthusiast or work outside, wear extra layers and give yourself and your body, a chance to warm up more often than you would on a normal winter day.

The long-term forecast isn't promising for warm weather lovers either. It appears Maine could spend the rest of the month of January colder than average. Hang in there, spring will be here before you know it!

More From Q97.9