October 2026 Monthly Narrative for Northern and Eastern Maine

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

Month Trends:

Caribou:
- Mean maximum temperatures were 1.0 degree above average.
- Mean minimum temperatures were 4.4 degrees below average. This
 October had the 7th coldest mean minimum monthly temperatures on
 record.
- Average temperatures were 1.7 degrees below average.
- Precipitation was 1.41 inches below average.
- Snowfall was 1.1 inches below average.

Bangor:
- Mean maximum temperatures were 1.2 degrees above average.
- Mean minimum temperatures were around 3.9 degrees below average.
- Average temperatures were around 1.3 degrees below average.
- Precipitation was 2.48 inches below average.

Millinocket:
- Mean maximum temperatures were 1.1 degrees above average.
- Mean minimum temperatures were 3.2 degrees below normal. This
 October, the record for the 7th coldest monthly max low
 temperatures was tied, at 47 degrees.
- Average temperatures were 1.0 degree below average.
- Precipitation was 2.48 inches below average.

Houlton:
- Mean maximum temperatures were 1.4 degrees above average.
- Mean minimum temperatures were 4.5 degrees below average. This
 October, the record for the 5th coldest monthly max low
 temperatures was tied, at 45 degrees. The record for the 4th
 coldest monthly average low temperatures in October was reached,
 at 29.5 degrees.
- Average temperatures were 1.6 degrees below average.
- Precipitation was 2.04 inches below average.

Weather Events:
- The frost/freeze program began in May, with northern zones
 ending in September. The program ended on October 1st for the
 Bangor region. The rest of the Downeast region ended on October
 11th. There were 3 frost advisories issued in October.
- The first snowflakes of the season fell on October 13th, in
 far northern Aroostook.
- On October 5th, there were some sub-severe thunderstorms that
 moved through northern and eastern Maine that produced some pea-
 to- penny sized hail.
- There was 1 wind advisory issued in October. The highest wind
 gusts was recorded in Saint Agatha, at 54mph.
- The ongoing drought deteriorated throughout October. By the end
 of September, coastal Hancock county was in Extreme Drought (D3).
 Central Hancock and southwestern Penobscot counties were in
 Severe Drought (D2). The rest of Aroostook, northern Somerset,
 Piscataquis, central and northern Penobscot, northern Hancock,
 and Washington counties were all in Moderate Drought(D1). By
 October 6th, Severe Drought (D2) had expanded into northern/eastern
 Aroostook, northern Somerset, northern/central Piscataquis, and
 northern Penobscot counties. On October 27th, Severe Drought (D2)
 expanded south into southern Piscataquis county. The state
 maintained these conditions through the end of the month.

Climate Outlook:
- Temperatures: For November, Climate Prediction Center (CPC) is
 predicting temperatures leaning above normal for northern and
 eastern Maine. For the season ahead, the outlook shows
 temperatures could be likely above climatological normal.
- Precipitation: For November, CPC does not see strong signals
 for anomalous precipitation for northern and eastern Maine. For
 the season ahead, the outlook shows precipitation along the
 Downeast region leaning above normal.
- ENSO: Per CPC, El Nino conditions are present, with an El Nino
 Advisory in effect. El Nino has an above 83 percent chance of
 becoming a strong-to-very strong event in the northern hemisphere
 2026-2027 fall/winter.

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ASB