December 2014 Climate Summary for northern and eastern Maine

Northern and eastern Maine December climate narrative... ...A mild and wet month...

December 2014 featured well above average temperatures and
precipitation across northern and eastern Maine. Temperatures ranged
from 3 to 6 degrees above normal, and precipitation ranged from 130
to 200 percent of normal.

The month began cold with well below normal temperatures much of the
time from the 2nd through the 8th. Temperatures were then above
normal from the 9th through the 28th with the exception of only one
day.  The month ended on a cold note with well below normal
temperatures the last two days of the month. Record high
temperatures were either set or tied on Christmas Day.  The high of
48 degrees at Caribou tied the record set in 2003.  The high of 54
at Bangor broke the previous record of 51 set in 2003.

At Caribou, the average temperature of 22.3 degrees was 4.1 degrees
above the 1981-2010 normals.  It tied with 1950 as the 9th warmest
December on record.  Five of the top 10 warmest decembers have
occurred since 2000.

At Bangor, the average temperature of 28.9 degrees was 4.3 degrees
above normal.  It ranked as the 12th warmest December on
record, and was the warmest December since 2006.

There were a total of 7 nights when the temperature fell below zero
at Caribou, which is average for December. The temperature did not
fall below zero at Bangor. On average there are 2 nights during the
month of December when the temperature will fall below zero, but it
Is not all that uncommon to go through the entire month of December with no
sub-zero cold.

A total of 5.88 inches of rain (and melted snow) was observed at
Caribou. It was the 3rd wettest december on record behind only 1973
and 2005. A total of 27.1 inches of snow fell, which was 4.2 inches
above normal.

A total of 5.23 inches of rain (and melted snow) was observed at
Bangor.  It ranked as the 14th wettest december on record. Only 6.5
inches of snow was observed, which was 8.5 inches below normal. It
was the least snowy December since 2006.

At the start of the month the snow depth ranged from 3 to 10 inches
across northern and eastern Maine.  The only spots that had no snow
were along the immediate coast. By the end of the month, the snow
depth ranged from 5 to 10 inches across northern Maine with a few
spots likely over a foot in the Great North Woods. There was a
little or no snow on the ground across Down East Maine.

The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center (www.cpc.noaa.gov)
for January across our region indicates that there are no strong
climate signals that would point toward an unusually cold or mild
January, although the month will get off to a cold start during the
first third of the month. There are also no climate signals that
would point toward an unusually wet (snowy) or dry month. Average
high temperatures in January are near 20 degrees at Caribou and in
The upper 20 at Bangor.  Average low temperatures bottom out at zero
at Caribou and at 6 above at Bangor. January is on average the
snowiest month of year with an average monthly snowfall of 19.2
inches at Bangor, and 25.2 inches at Caribou. Nearly an hour of
daylight is gained during the month.

Winter Storm Frona Update One

Winter Storm Frona

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
344 PM EST SAT JAN 3 2015

...WINTER STORM TO AFFECT THE AREA THROUGH SUNDAY...

.LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK THROUGH THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES TONIGHT
WITH A WARM FRONT EXTENDING EASTWARD THROUGH NEW ENGLAND.
HEAVY SNOW WILL BEGIN FALLING ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND
SHIFT NORTH AND EAST ACROSS ALL OF NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND OVERNIGHT.

AS THE WARM FRONT PUSHES NORTHWARD... PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO
CHANGE TO SLEET AND THEN FREEZING RAIN. TEMPERATURES WILL RISE
ABOVE FREEZING ON SUNDAY... ALLOWING PRECIPITATION TO CHANGE TO
RAIN. THE HEAVIEST SNOW AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED IN NORTHERN AND
INTERIOR AREAS WHERE THE TRANSITION TO FREEZING RAIN OCCURS LATER.
ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF A TENTH TO A QUARTER OF AN INCH ARE EXPECTED
FOR MOST AREAS BEFORE PRECIPITATION CHANGES TO RAIN.

MEZ018>022-040445-
/O.CON.KGYX.WS.W.0001.150104T0000Z-150104T1800Z/
INTERIOR YORK-INTERIOR CUMBERLAND-ANDROSCOGGIN-KENNEBEC-
INTERIOR WALDO-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SANFORD...BERWICK...NORTH WINDHAM...
GORHAM...BRIDGTON...LEWISTON-AUBURN...LIVERMORE FALLS...AUGUSTA...
WATERVILLE...WINTERPORT...UNITY
344 PM EST SAT JAN 3 2015

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING
TO 1 PM EST SUNDAY...

* HAZARD TYPES...SNOW...SLEET...AND FREEZING RAIN.

* ACCUMULATIONS...SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 4 TO 8 INCHES...ALONG
  WITH AROUND A TENTH OF AN INCH OF ICE.

* TIMING...SNOW IS FORECAST TO QUICKLY OVERSPREAD WESTERN MAINE
  THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. SNOW WILL THEN MIX WITH AND CHANGE
  TO SLEET AND THEN FREEZING RAIN. BY SUNDAY MORNING TEMPERATURES
  WILL WARM ABOVE FREEZING AND ANY REMAINING PRECIPITATION WILL
  CHANGE TO RAIN.

* IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF SNOW...SLEET...AND FREEZING RAIN
  WILL CREATE HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION...WET SNOW
  AND GLAZE FROM FREEZING RAIN COULD LEAD TO DOWNED TREE LIMBS AND
  SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES.

* WINDS...EAST 5 TO 10 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 20 MPH.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE UPPER 20S.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW...
SLEET...AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL
VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

&&
$$
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME
428 PM EST SAT JAN 3 2015

...A WINTER STORM WILL AFFECT THE REGION TONIGHT AND SUNDAY...

.LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK NORTHWEST OF THE REGION LATE TONIGHT
THROUGH SUNDAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING A WINTRY MIXTURE OF
PRECIPITATION TO THE REGION TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY.

MEZ001>006-010-040600-
/O.EXT.KCAR.WW.Y.0001.150104T0300Z-150105T0000Z/
NORTHWEST AROOSTOOK-NORTHEAST AROOSTOOK-NORTHERN SOMERSET-
NORTHERN PISCATAQUIS-NORTHERN PENOBSCOT-SOUTHEAST AROOSTOOK-
CENTRAL PISCATAQUIS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALLAGASH...CLAYTON LAKE...MADAWASKA...
FORT KENT...FRENCHVILLE...PRESQUE ISLE...CARIBOU...VAN BUREN...
MARS HILL...BAKER LAKE...BILLY-JACK DEPOT...BAXTER ST PARK...
CHAMBERLAIN LAKE...CHURCHILL DAM...MOUNT KATAHDIN...MILLINOCKET...
EAST MILLINOCKET...PATTEN...MEDWAY...HOULTON...HODGDON...
SHERMAN...SMYRNA MILLS...GREENVILLE...MONSON...BLANCHARD
428 PM EST SAT JAN 3 2015

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING
TO 7 PM EST SUNDAY...

* LOCATIONS...NORTHERN MAINE.

* HAZARD TYPES...SNOW...CHANGING TO SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN.

* ACCUMULATIONS...SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 4 TO 8 INCHES...ALONG
  WITH AROUND A TENTH OF AN INCH OF ICE.

* TIMING...LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

* IMPACTS...A MIXTURE OF SNOW...SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN WILL
  RESULT IN HAZARDOUS ROAD CONDITIONS LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
  SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

* WINDS...SOUTHEAST 5 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 20 MPH.

* TEMPERATURES...SINGLE DIGITS ABOVE ZERO THIS EVENING...THEN
  RISING INTO THE MID 20S TO LOWER 30S ON SUNDAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW...SLEET...OR
FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.

&&
$$

3:55 PM AST Saturday 03 January 2015
Rainfall warning in effect for:

• Halifax Metro and Halifax County West

Rain, heavy at times is expected. The frozen ground has a reduced ability to absorb this rainfall.

Rain will develop near noon Sunday and spread northward throughout the day. Rainfall amounts of 20 to 30 millimetres are expected with locally higher amounts of 40 mm near Digby and Annapolis counties. Prior to the rain, snow will develop near midnight over Southwestern Nova Scotia and spread northeastward overnight reaching Cape Breton by Sunday morning. The snow will change through ice pellets and freezing rain and then to rain. Snowfall amounts of 10 centimetres can be expected by Sunday afternoon for most areas.
Localized flooding in low-lying areas is possible. Don't approach washouts near rivers, creeks and culverts.

Rainfall Warnings are issued when significant rainfall is expected.

Environment Canada meteorologists will update alerts as required. Stay up to date with Weatheradio or your local media. Email reports of severe weather to weatherASPC@ec.gc.ca or call 1-877-815-9900. You may tweet reports using the hashtag #NSStorm.

3:45 PM AST Saturday 03 January 2015
Winter storm warning in effect for:

• Edmundston and Madawaska County

Hazardous winter conditions are expected.

Snow will develop across New Brunswick overnight. Snowfall accumulations near 15 centimetres are expected over Madawaska county and Restigouche county prior to a changeover to ice pellets expected to occur on Sunday afternoon. Ice pellets will then change to periods of freezing rain on Sunday evening before tapering off after midnight.
Consider postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve. Prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions. Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become icy and slippery. Poor weather conditions may contribute to transportation delays. For information on emergency plans and kits go to http://www.getprepared.gc.ca/

Winter Storm Warnings are issued when multiple types of severe winter weather are expected to occur together.

Environment Canada meteorologists will update alerts as required. Stay up to date with Weatheradio or your local media. Email reports of severe weather to weatherASPC@ec.gc.ca or call 1-877-815-9900. You may tweet reports using the hashtag #NBStorm.

3:29 PM AST Saturday 03 January 2015
Freezing rain warning in effect for:

• Fredericton and Southern York County

Freezing rain is expected or occurring.

Snow will develop across New Brunswick overnight and will change over to ice pellets near noon Sunday and then to freezing rain on Sunday afternoon. Freezing rain will change to rain over most areas on Sunday evening although some central regions could see the freezing rain persisting a few hours longer. Snowfall accumulations of 10 to possibly 15 centimetres can be expected prior to the changeover.
Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become icy and slippery. Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions. Poor weather conditions may contribute to transportation delays. Utility outages may occur.

Freezing Rain Warnings are issued when rain falling in sub-zero temperatures creates ice build-up and icy surfaces.

Environment Canada meteorologists will update alerts as required. Stay up to date with Weatheradio or your local media. Email reports of severe weather to weatherASPC@ec.gc.ca or call 1-877-815-9900. You may tweet reports using the hashtag #NBStorm.