Spring (Mar-May) 2024: Warm and Generally Wet

Spring (Mar-May) 2024: Warm and Generally Wet

Images Courtesy Brian Brettschneider, Alaska State Climatologist

047
CXUS51 KCAR 051933
CLSCAR

CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME
333 PM EDT SAT SEP 05 2026

...................................

...THE CARIBOU ME CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE SEASON, FROM
6/1/2026 TO 8/31/2026...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD: 1991 TO 2020
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD: 1939 TO 2026

WEATHER OBSERVED NORMAL DEPART LAST YEAR`S
VALUE DATE(S) VALUE FROM VALUE DATE(S)
NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
HIGH 96 06/29/1944
LOW 30 06/07/1958
HIGHEST 91 07/02 MM MM 94 08/11
08/12
08/13
LOWEST 38 06/01 MM MM 37 06/14
AVG. MAXIMUM 76.0 75.0 1.0 75.7
AVG. MINIMUM 54.2 53.7 0.5 53.5
MEAN 65.1 64.3 0.8 64.6
DAYS MAX >= 90 2 1.7 0.3 6
DAYS MAX <= 32 0 0.0 0.0 MM
DAYS MIN <= 32 0 0.1 -0.1 0
DAYS MIN <= 0 0 0.0 0.0 0

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
MAXIMUM 14.59 2023
MINIMUM 5.90 2020
TOTALS 12.30 11.73 0.57 10.24
DAILY AVG. 0.13 0.13 0.00 0.11
DAYS >= .01 38 41.2 -3.2 29
DAYS >= .10 27 23.7 3.3 19
DAYS >= .50 10 7.8 2.2 7
DAYS >= 1.00 3 2.1 0.9 3
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 1.26 0MM18 TO 06/19 1.SUMMER 2026 TRENDS:


SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
TOTAL T 2011
TOTALS 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
SINCE 7/1 0.0 0.0 0.0 MM
SNOWDEPTH AVG. 0 0
DAYS >= 1.0 0 0.0 0.0 0
GREATEST
SNOW DEPTH 0 0 MM
24 HR TOTAL MM MM

DEGREE DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 170 261 -91 256
SINCE 7/1 70 113 -43 MM
COOLING TOTAL 200 201 -1 247
SINCE 1/1 200 207 -7 MM
................................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED 5.6
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 26/180 DATE 07/21
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 40/320 DATE 07/03

SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.39
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 49
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 30
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 13

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 72

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM 12 MIXED PRECIP 1
HEAVY RAIN 22 RAIN 24
LIGHT RAIN 53 FREEZING RAIN 0
LT FREEZING RAIN 0 HAIL 0
HEAVY SNOW 0 SNOW 0
LIGHT SNOW 0 SLEET 0
FOG 43 FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE 4
HAZE 4

- INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
* INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.

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

SUMMER 2026 TRENDS:

CARIBOU:
- MEAN MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES WERE 1.0 DEGREE ABOVE NORMAL. CARIBOU RECORDED
ITS HIGHEST SEASONAL LOW MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE, AT 63 DEGREES. RECORDS GO BACK TO 1939.
- MEAN MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WERE AROUND NORMAL. THE HIGHEST SEASONAL MINIMUM
TEMPERATURE RECORD WAS TIED IN 1ST PLACE THIS YEAR, AT 71 DEGREES. IT TIED WITH 2024, 2018,
2014, 1975, AND 1970.
- AVERAGE TEMPERATURES WERE 0.8 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.
- PRECIPITATION WAS 0.57 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL.

BANGOR:
- MEAN MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES WERE 1.9 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.
- MEAN MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WERE 0.8 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.
- AVERAGE TEMPERATURES 1.4 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.
- PRECIPITATION WAS 4.65 INCHES BELOW NORMAL. INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THIS RESULTED IN A TIE
BETWEEN THIS YEAR AND 2025 FOR THE 4TH DRIEST SUMMER ON RECORD, AT 5.44 INCHES OF RAIN. BANGOR PRECIPITATION DATA FOR JUNE 12 - 15 WAS MISSING DUE TO A TECHNOLOGICAL ISSUE, SO A LOCAL WEATHER GAUGE WITHIN 5 MILES OF THE ASOS WAS UTILIZED FOR PRECIPITATION DATA ON THESE DAYS.

MILLINOCKET:
- MEAN MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES WERE 2.0 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.
- MEAN MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WERE 1.7 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.
- AVERAGE TEMPERATURES WERE 1.8 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.
- PRECIPITATION WAS 1.43 INCHES BELOW NORMAL.

HOULTON:
- MEAN MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES WERE 1.5 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.
- MEAN MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WERE 0.6 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.
- AVERAGE TEMPERATURES WERE 1.1 DEGREE ABOVE NORMAL.

WEATHER EVENTS:
- CARIBOU ISSUED 5 FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS IN JUNE. THERE WERE 18 FLOOD ADVISORIES ISSUED
THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.
- THERE WERE 36 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS DURING THE SUMMER. 8 OF THESE WERE ISSUED
JULY 16TH, AND ANOTHER 8 WERE ISSUED AUGUST 28TH.
- THERE WERE 6 SPECIAL MARINE WARNINGS IN JULY, ALL ISSUED ON JULY 16TH. THE MOST NOTABLE
REPORT FROM THIS EVENT WAS A VIDEO OF A WATERSPOUT MOVING OVER GOULDSBORO BAY!
- CARIBOU ISSUED 4 HEAT ADVISORIES THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, BUT NO EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGS!
- AT CARIBOU, EVAPORATION AND SOIL TEMPERATURE ARE MEASURED IN THE WARM SEASON. IN JUNE,
JULY, AND AUGUST, WFO CARIBOU MEASURED 11.44 INCHES OF EVAPORATION IN THEIR
EVAPORATION TANK. THIS RESULTED IN A 0.86 INCH SURPLUS OF RAINFALL AT CARIBOU, SINCE 12.30
INCHES OF RAIN FELL THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

DROUGHT:
- DROUGHT IMPROVED IN JUNE, WITH ALL OF AROOSTOOK AND MOST OF CENTRAL WASHINGTON
IMPROVING OUT OF DROUGHT. FAR NORTHERN PISCATAQUIS, NORTH AND CENTRAL PENOBSCOT, MOST OF
NORTHERN AND COASTAL HANCOCK AND COASTAL WASHINGTON, WERE ABNORMALLY DRY (D0). BY THE
END OF JUNE, AROOSTOOK, PISCATAQUIS, NORTHERN SOMERSET, NORTHERN AND CENTRAL PENOBSCOT,
AND NORTHERN HANCOCK COUNTIES WERE OUT OF DROUGHT. SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT AND WESTERN
HANCOCK COUNTY WERE IN ABNORMALLY DRY (D0) CONDITIONS, WITH FAR SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT IN
MODERATE DROUGHT (D1) CONDITIONS.
- ON JULY 14TH, ABNORMALLY DRY (D0) CONDITIONS EXPANDED INTO SOUTHWESTERN WASHINGTON
COUNTY. WITH A CONTINUED LACK OF BENEFICIAL RAINFALL, D0 CONDITIONS EXPANDED NORTHWARDS.
SOUTHEASTERN PISCATAQUIS, CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT, CENTRAL AND NORTHERN HANCOCK,
ALL OF WASHINGTON, AND SOUTHERN AROOSTOOK ENTERED D0 DROUGHT BY JULY 28TH. FAR SOUTHERN
PENOBSCOT AND WESTERN HANCOCK ENTERED MODERATE DROUGHT (D1).
- ON AUGUST 11TH, THERE WAS A LOT OF DROUGHT EXPANSION, WITH D0 EXPANDING NORTH INTO
NORTHERN AND EASTERN AROOSTOOK, NORTHERN, CENTRAL, AND SOUTHERN PISCATAQUIS, NORTHERN
PENOBSCOT, AND COASTAL WASHINGTON. MODERATE DROUGHT (D1) EXPANDED TO SOUTHERN
AROOSTOOK, CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT, NORTHERN AND CENTRAL HANCOCK, AND NORTHERN
WASHINGTON. FAR SOUTHWESTERN HANCOCK CREEPED INTO SEVERE DROUGHT (D2). BY AUGUST
18TH, MODERATE DROUGHT (D1) CREPT INTO SOUTHERN, CENTRAL, AND NORTHWESTERN PISCATAQUIS,
PORTIONS OF NORTHERN AROOSTOOK. BY AUGUST 25TH, SEVERE DROUGHT (D2) EXPANDED MORE
INTO WESTERN HANCOCK COUNTY, AND UP TO SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT. MODERATE DROUGHT EXPANDED
FARTHER NORTH, INTO MOST OF NORTHERN PENOBSCOT, AND NORTHERN PISATAQUIS.
- AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES HAVE REPORTED AN INCREASED NEED FOR IRRIGATION THIS SUMMER, AND
INCREASED DRYNESS IN PLANTS.
- NORTHERN MAINE IS ROUGHLY 75-100 PERCENT OF NORMAL FOR PRECIPITATION, SO THE DROUGHT
DEGRADED SLOWER IN THE NORTH COMPARED TO CENTRAL AND EASTERN MAINE.

CLIMATE OUTLOOK:
- TEMPERATURES: FOR FALL (SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER), CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER
(CPC) IS FORECASTING ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES IN NORTHERN AND EASTERN MAINE.
- PRECIPITATION: FOR FALL, CPC IS FORECASTING BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION IN NORTHERN AND
EASTERN MAINE.
- ENSO: PER CPC, EL NINO CONDITIONS ARE PRESENT, WITH AN EL NINO ADVISORY IN EFFECT. EL
NINO CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN, WITH A 90 PERCENT CHANCE OF A VERY STRONG EVENT IN
FALL/WINTER 2026-2027.

$$

ASB