May 2026 Monthly Narrative for Northern and Eastern Maine

...MAY 2026 CLIMATE NARRATIVE FOR NORTHERN/EASTERN MAINE...

May Trends:

Caribou:
- Snowfall was 0.8 inches below normal. No snow fell in May 2026.
- Mean maximum temperatures were 1.9 degrees below average.
- Mean minimum temperatures were 2.4 degrees below average. A daily
record low was reached on May 23rd at Caribou, measuring 30 degrees.
The old record was 31 degrees in 2007.
- Average temperatures were 2.2 degrees below average. Another
daily minimum record was tied on May 30th, when the station recorded
32 degrees, tied with 1967.
- Precipitation was 1.58 inches above average. This was the 10th
wettest May on record, recording 5.04 inches of rainfall. A daily
record for precipitation was broken May 7th, when 1.3 inches of rain
fell. The previous record was 1.03 inches in 2017. There was another
daily maximum rainfall record broken on May 27th, as 1.25 inches of
rain fell, beating the previous record of 1.17 inches in 1947.

Bangor:
- Snowfall was average. No snow typically falls in Bangor in May,
and no snow fell in May 2026.
- Mean maximum temperatures were 0.4 degrees below average. There
was a daily high temperature record tied in Bangor on May 19th,
recording 89 degrees. It ties with the previous record in 1962.
There was another daily high temperature record broken on May 20th,
recording 87 degrees. The previous record was 86 degrees in 1996.
- Mean minimum temperatures were around 1.2 degrees below average.
- Average temperatures were around 0.8 degrees below average.
- Precipitation was 0.63 inches below average. However, a daily
record for rainfall was broken on May 20th, when 1.26 inches of rain
fell, compared to the 1.02 inches of rain in 1949.

Millinocket:
- Mean maximum temperatures were 0.7 degrees below average.
- Mean minimum temperatures were 1.3 degrees below average.
- Average temperatures were 1 degree below average.
- Precipitation was 0.58 inches above average.

Houlton:
- Mean maximum temperatures were 0.5 degrees below average.
- Mean minimum temperatures were 1.7 degrees below average.
- Average temperatures were 1.1 degrees below average.
- Precipitation was 0.6 inches above average.

Weather Events:
- There was one severe thunderstorm warning on May 5th. The storm
moved through the North Woods region during the afternoon.
- Frost/freeze program began in May, and most of the Downeast
region began receiving frost headlines by May 11st. The program
expanded to the Central Highlands, Upper Penobscot Valley, and
southern to eastern Aroostook by May 21st. The North Woods was
included in the program June 1st. 4 frost advisories were issued in
May, and 1 freeze warning was issued.- The ongoing drought improved
slightly in May. By the end of April, portions of northern, central,
and southern Aroostook, northern and central Penobscot, northern
Hancock, and northern and central Washington all improved to
abnormally dry (D0) conditions. Western Aroostook, northern
Somerset, northern and central Piscataquis, most of southern
Penobscot, coastal Hancock and Washington counties were in moderate
(D1) drought. Southern Piscataquis and western Penobscot were in
severe drought (D2). By the beginning of May, the majority of
interior and coastal Hancock county, along with central Washington
county, improved to Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions. By May 12th,
central and southern Aroostook, portions of northern Penobscot, and
northern Washington counties, improved to no drought. By May 19th,
most of central Washington improved to no drought conditions.

Climate Outlook:
- Temperatures: For May, Climate Prediction Center (CPC) is
forecasting above normal temperatures in northern and eastern Maine.
For the season ahead, the outlook shows temperatures could also lean
above climatological normal.
- Precipitation: For May, CPC is forecasting below normal
precipitation in western and northern Maine, with no strong signals
for central and Downeast Maine. For the season ahead, outlook shows
a chance for above normal precipitation throughout northern and
eastern Maine.
- ENSO: Per CPC, ENSO-neutral conditions are present, with an El
Nino Watch in effect. El Nino has a 82% chance of developing in May-
July, persisting through the end of the year.

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ASB