Maine is dealing with persistent rainy and cloudy weather so far in the month of May.

Accuweather meteorologist Joe Lundberg says it’s coming from a weather pattern which is stuck in the region.

“This time of the year, the jet stream is trying to retreat to the north,” said Lundberg. “As it does, it leaves behind these pockets of cool air aloft. If you’re underneath one of them, you have a lot of clouds and you can expect some wet weather, and we’ve got one close enough to us that that’s what we’re enduring right now.”

Lundberg is predicting continued rain for the rest of the week, with some hope for drier conditions by next week.

April’s rainfall was slightly above average at 4.59 inches.

Lundberg says the pattern which brought the current weeks long run of wet weather could return in June.

“In June, the question is going to be precipitation?” Lundberg said. “Do we get stuck in another one of these patterns where disturbances come through and we get frequent showers and thunderstorms. That remains the million-dollar question. I’m a little nervous that’s a little better than we’d like in June.”

Lundberg is predicting drier conditions beginning next week through the early part of June with temperatures eventually rising into the 70s.