October 2017 Climate Outlook

                                 ...A STATISTICAL PREVIEW OF CARIBOU'S OCTOBER WEATHER...

The most rapid downward slope of daily maximum temperatures occurs during the month of October with the average high falling from 59 degrees on the 1st to 45 degrees by months end.  The average low temperature falls from 39 degrees on the 1st to 30F by months end.

The warmest temperature ever observed during the month of October was 82 degrees on October 9, 2011.  The coldest temperature ever observed in October was 14 degrees on October 22, 1940 and again on October 19, 1972.

Snow is possible at any time during the month of October, but is rare during the first half of the month, and becomes a much more likely event mid to late month. The snowiest October was in 1963 when a total of 12.1 inches of snow fell during the last 3 days of the month.  The deepest snow on the ground was also in 1963 with a snow depth of 9 inches on the 30th and 31st.   

Since 1940 a trace of snow has been observed in Caribou in all but 6 years.  Measurable snowfall (one tenth of an inch of greater) has been observed 64 percent of the time.  The largest calendar day snowfall was 9.4 inches on October 29, 1963. 

Tropical systems or the remains of tropical systems occasionally can affect the area with heavy rainfall.  The likelihood of a tropical or ex-tropical system diminishes during the course of the month.

Thunderstorms are not unheard of in October, but are not a frequent occurnce with less than one thunderstorm day (0.7) observed during the month. 

OCTOBER: CARIBOU’S TOP 5 WARMEST (AVERAGE TEMPERATURES):

48.8 DEGREES 1947

48.4 1968

47.8 1995

47.6 2007

47.5 1963

OCTOBER: CARIBOU’S TOP 5 COLDEST (AVERAGE TEMPERATURES):

38.3 DEGREES 1972

38.7 1940

39.1 1976

39.1 2009

39.2 1974

OCTOBER: CARIBOU’S TOP 5 WETTEST

8.73 INCHES 1990

7.38 2005

6.58 2003

6.35 1970

6.28 1981

OCTOBER: CARIBOU’S TOP 5 DRIEST

0.63 INCHES 1955

0.88 1994

0.90 1947

1.15 1974

1.31 1997

…OCTOBER STATISTICS…

….TEMPERATURES (1981-2010 NORMALS)

AVERAGE HIGH……………………….....................................52.0

AVERAGE LOW………...........................................................34.6

MONTHLY AVERAGE…………………………………………..43.3

…PRECIPITATION…

MONTHLY AVERAGE………………………………………….....3.53 INCHES

AVERAGE DAYS WITH MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION…..13 (13.1)

LARGEST CALENDAR DAY RAINFALL………………………..4.05 INCHES, OCTOBER 3, 1970

AVERAGE SNOWFALL…………………………………………..1.7 INCHES

MOST SNOWFALL………………………………………………..12.1 INCHES, 1963

…MISCELLANEOUS OCTOBER AVERAGES…

NORMAL HEATING DEGREE DAYS………………………..…673

NORMAL COOLING DEGREE DAYS……………………….…0

MEAN WIND SPEED……………………………………………..8.1 MPH

AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS W/THUNDERSTORMS….....0.7

AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS W/DENSE FOG…………..…2 (1.9)

MEAN NUMBER OF CLOUDY DAYS………………………….18

…SUNRISE AND SUNSET…

OCTOBER 1^ST…………………………………………………6:31 AM/6:11 PM

OCTOBER 31^ST ……………………………………………….7:13 AM/5:17 PM

LOSS OF DAYLIGHT…………………………………………1 HOUR AND 36 MINUTES

The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for October calls for an increased likelihood of above average temperatures across northern and eastern Maine.  Thre are no strong climate signals that would point toward an unusually wet or dry month.