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

Images Courtesy Brian Brettschneider, Alaska State Climatologist

923
CXUS51 KCAR 081607
CLSCAR

CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME
1207 PM EDT MON JUN 08 2026

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

...THE CARIBOU ME CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE SEASON, FROM
3/1/2026 TO 5/31/2026...

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 05/22/1977
LOW -28 03/02/2001
HIGHEST 84 05/20 MM MM 86 05/14
LOWEST -12 03/02 MM MM -9 03/03
AVG. MAXIMUM 47.9 48.3 -0.4 49.8
AVG. MINIMUM 28.2 28.8 -0.6 30.3
MEAN 38.0 38.6 -0.6 40.1
DAYS MAX >= 90 0 0.2 -0.2 0
DAYS MAX <= 32 16 14.1 1.9 9
DAYS MIN <= 32 54 53.7 0.3 46
DAYS MIN <= 0 5 4.2 0.8 4

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
MAXIMUM 14.29 2005
MINIMUM 4.11 1965
TOTALS 13.00 9.22 3.78 12.97
DAILY AVG. 0.14 0.10 0.04 0.14
DAYS >= .01 39 40.3 -1.3 50
DAYS >= .10 25 22.6 2.4 29
DAYS >= .50 8 5.9 2.1 7
DAYS >= 1.00 3 0.8 2.2 2
GREATEST
24 HR. TOTAL 1.98 1.80 05/17 TO 05/18

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
TOTAL 65.1 1961
TOTALS 17.1 30.5 -13.4 31.1
SINCE 7/1 86.4 118.2 -31.8 MM
SNOWDEPTH AVG. 2 3
DAYS >= 1.0 7 7.9 -0.9 9
GREATEST
SNOW DEPTH 11 03/04 18 03/02
03/05
03/06
24 HR TOTAL MM MM

DEGREE DAYS
HEATING TOTAL 2457 2438 19 2278
SINCE 7/1 8907 8901 6 MM
COOLING TOTAL 0 6 -6 5
SINCE 1/1 0 6 -6 MM
................................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED 8.0
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION 32/170 DATE 03/17
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION 50/180 DATE 03/17

SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT) MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER 0.58
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR 23
NUMBER OF DAYS PC 33
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY 36

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT) 66

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM 4 MIXED PRECIP 1
HEAVY RAIN 9 RAIN 15
LIGHT RAIN 45 FREEZING RAIN 3
LT FREEZING RAIN 5 HAIL 0
HEAVY SNOW 1 SNOW 4
LIGHT SNOW 32 SLEET 2
FOG 39 FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE 6
HAZE 4

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

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

SPRING 2026 TRENDS:

CARIBOU:
- SNOWFALL WAS 13.4 INCHES BELOW AVERAGE. THIS WAS THE 14TH LEAST SNOWY SPRING ON RECORD
FOR CARIBOU, ONLY RECORDING 17.1 INCHES OF SNOW BETWEEN MARCH AND MAY.
- MEAN MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES WERE 0.4 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL.
- MEAN MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WERE 0.6 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. A DAILY RECORD LOW WAS
REACHED ON MAY 23RD AT CARIBOU, MEASURING 30 DEGREES. THE OLD RECORD WAS 31 DEGREES IN 2007.
ANOTHER DAILY MINIMUM RECORD WAS TIED ON MAY 30TH, WHEN THE STATION RECORDED 32 DEGREES, TIED
WITH 1967.
- AVERAGE TEMPERATURES WERE 0.6 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL.
- PRECIPITATION WAS 3.78 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL. THIS WAS THE 3RD WETTEST SPRING ON RECORD FOR
CARIBOU, BEHIND 2005 AND 1983, RESPECTIVELY. 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 9.2 INCHES BELOW AVERAGE. THIS WAS THE 19TH LEAST SNOWY SPRING ON RECORD
FOR BANGOR.
- MEAN MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES WERE AROUND NORMAL. THERE WAS A DAILY HIGH TEMPERATURE
RECORD TIED IN BANGOR ON MAY 19TH, RECORDING 89 DEGREES. THERE WAS A DAILY HIGH
TEMPERATURE RECORD BROKEN ON MAY 20TH, RECORDING 87 DEGREES. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS
86 DEGREES IN 1996.
- MEAN MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WERE AROUND NORMAL. THAT SAID, THIS SPRING TIED THE 11TH
HIGHEST MINIMUM TEMPERATURE (59 DEGREES) ON RECORD, ON MAY 20TH.
- AVERAGE TEMPERATURES WERE AROUND NORMAL. THAT SAID, THIS SPRING TIED THE 7TH MAXIMUM
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE (73 DEGREES) ON RECORD, ON MAY 20TH.
- PRECIPITATION WAS 0.4 INCHES BELOW NORMAL. THAT SAID, 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 AROUND NORMAL.
- MEAN MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WERE 1 DEGREE ABOVE NORMAL.
- AVERAGE TEMPERATURES WERE 0.6 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.
- PRECIPITATION WAS 1.63 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL. THIS WAS THE 11TH WETTEST SPRING ON RECORD
FOR MILLINOCKET.

HOULTON:
- MEAN MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES WERE 0.8 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.- MEAN MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WERE 1.1 DEGREE ABOVE NORMAL. HOULTON RECORDED ITS 11TH
HIGHEST MINIMUM TEMPERATURE (50 DEGREES) DURING THE SPRING, ON MAY 20TH.
- AVERAGE TEMPERATURES WERE 0.9 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.
- PRECIPITATION WAS 0.91 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL.

WEATHER EVENTS:
- THERE WERE A FEW LINGERING SNOW STORMS THIS SPRING SEASON. 2 WINTER STORM WARNINGS
WERE ISSUED, 1 IN MARCH, AND 1 IN APRIL. BOTH WERE MIXED PRECIPITATION EVENTS.
- THERE WERE 8 WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES, 6 IN MARCH AND 2 IN APRIL.
- THERE WAS 1 COLD WEATHER ADVISORY IN MARCH. THE COLDEST RECORDED WIND CHILL WAS -28F
AT FRENCHVILLE AIRPORT.
- 1 FLOOD WARNING IN MARCH FOR AN ICE JAM ON PISCATAQUIS RIVER. FLOOD WARNING LATER
REPLACED WITH A FLOOD ADVISORY. 2 OTHER FLOOD ADVISORIES WERE ISSUED FOR ICE JAMS - 1
ALONG THE PLEASANT RIVER, AND 1 ALONG THE MEDUSEKEAG RIVER. SPRING ICE OUT FOR ALL RIVERS
BY THE END OF APRIL.
- SNOWPACK DETERIORATED DURING THE SPRING, COMPLETELY MELTING OFF DOWNEAST BY MARCH,
AND APRIL IN THE NORTH.
- THERE WAS 1 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING ON MAY 5TH, IN WESTERN AROOSTOOK, NORTHEAST
SOMERSET, AND NORTHERN PISCATAQUIS COUNTIES.
- 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.

DROUGHT:
- IN MARCH, DROUGHT BEGAN AS SEVERE DROUGHT (D2) IN WESTERN AROOSTOOK, NORTHERN
SOMERSET, NORTHERN PISCATAQUIS, SOUTHERN PENOBSCOT, AND CENTRAL/SOUTHERN HANCOCK
COUNTIES. MODERATE DROUGHT (D1) ELSEWHERE IN NORTHERN AND EASTERN MAINE. CONDITIONS
IMPROVED SLIGHTLY IN MID-TO-LATE APRIL, AS PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST, 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 DROUGHT (D1). SOUTHERN PISCATAQUIS
AND WESTERN PENOBSCOT WERE IN SEVERE DROUGHT (D2). IN MAY, CONTINUED IMPROVEMENTS
OCCURRED AS THE MAJORITY OF INTERIOR AND COASTAL HANCOCK COUNTY, ALONG WITH CENTRAL AND
PORTIONS OF COASTAL 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. SOUTHERN PISCATAQUIS AND EASTERNPENOBSCOT IMPROVED TO MODERATE DROUGHT (D1). BY MAY 19TH, MOST OF CENTRAL WASHINGTON
WAS REMOVED FROM DROUGHT.

CLIMATE OUTLOOK:
- TEMPERATURES: FOR SUMMER (JUNE, JULY, AUGUST), CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER (CPC) IS
FORECASTING ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES IN NORTHERN AND EASTERN MAINE.
- PRECIPITATION: FOR SUMMER, IS FORECASTING ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION IN 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.

$$

ASB