Change to the Frost/Freeze Program Dates and Areas

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME 611 AM EDT SAT AUG 31 2013

...CHANGE TO THE FROST...FREEZE PROGRAM DATES AND AREAS FOR NORTHERN AND EASTERN MAINE...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT CARIBOU IS CHANGING THE TIMING OF THE FROST...FREEZE HEADLINE PROGRAM FOR NORTHERN AND EASTERN MAINE TO BETTER FIT THE CLIMATOLOGICAL MEAN FIRST FALL AND LAST SPRING FREEZE FOR PORTIONS OF THE REGION.

IN THE PAST...WE OPERATED UNDER A TWO TIER...A NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN REGION SET OF DATES FOR MEAN FIRST FALL AND LAST SPRING FREEZE DATES. WE NOW PLAN ON OPERATING UNDER A THREE TIER...NORTHWEST...NORTHEAST-CENTRAL...AND DOWNEAST REGION SET OF DATES TO BETTER SERVICE THE WIDE RANGE OF CLIMATOLOGICAL DATES THAT FIRST AND LAST FREEZES OCCUR OVER NORTHERN AND EASTERN MAINE.

UNDER THE OLD TWO TIER SYSTEM WE ISSUED FROST ADVISORIES/FREEZE WARNINGS BETWEEN THE DATES OF MAY 18TH AND SEPTEMBER 20TH FOR THE NORTH...AND MAY 5TH AND OCTOBER 4TH FOR THE SOUTH REGION.

UNDER THE NEW THREE TIER SYSTEM...THIS CHANGES TO BETWEEN THE DATES OF JUNE 5TH TO SEPTEMBER 10TH FOR THE NORTHWEST...MAY 25TH TO SEPTEMBER 25TH FOR THE NORTHEAST AND CENTRAL REGIONS...AND MAY 15TH AND OCTOBER 10TH FOR THE DOWNEAST REGION.

A CLOSE EXAMINATION OF THE DATE RANGES BETWEEN THE OLD TWO TIER AND THE NEW THREE TIER SYSTEM REVEALS THAT THE FROST...FREEZE HEADLINE PROGRAM WILL BE SHORTER IN THE NORTHWEST WITH THE NEW THREE TIER SYSTEM...SINCE THIS AREA IS SUBJECT TO MUCH MORE FREQUENT EARLY FALL AND LATE SPRING FREEZES. IN BOTH THE THE NORTHEAST...CENTRAL AND DOWNEAST REGIONS...THE PROGRAM BEGINS AND ENDS ABOUT A WEEK TO 10 DAYS LATER THAN IN THE OLD TWO TIER SYSTEM...BETTER REFLECTING THE MEAN CLIMATOLOGICAL FREEZE DATES FOR THESE REGIONS AND THE TIMING OF AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS FOR OUR ENTIRE FORECAST AREA.