The good news Friday morning, is that the snow that Midcoast residents woke up to came and went in a flash. The bad news is that with snow arriving 51 days before the official start of winter, it’s setting up to be a very long one.

For those who spent the first days of November cleaning up downed limbs and trees, and haven’t yet gotten all the leaves raked up, this new snow is a bit of a bummer. But as we write this weather update at 11:15 a.m. Nov. 14, nearly all of last night’s snow has melted, with only the roofs of cars and houses, and yards still littered with white stuff here and there.

If you are one of those who still needs to store the deck chairs in the basement, and finish raking and bagging the back yard of crispy, rust-colored leaves, Mother Nature is giving you a window of opportunity Saturday. The forecast is for bright and sunny skies, with temperatures in the mid-30s. But that’s your next best window, because Sunday brings a 30 percent chance of rain, with a 30 percent chance of a mix of rain and snow Sunday night. Monday’s forecast is even worse, but it’s likely just rain, before the sun returns Tuesday.

The first day of winter, Dec. 21, may still be 38 days away counting today, but the way the weather is going this month, we need to kick our winter preparations into higher gear. So get to it, neighbors!

Editorial Director Holly S. Edwards can be reached at hollyedwards@penbaypilot.com or 706-6655.