October 2016 Climate Summary for Northern and Eastern Maine

...OCTOBER 2016 NORTHERN AND EASTERN MAINE MONTHLY CLIMATE NARRATIVE...

 October 2016 featured above average temperatures and in most areas below average rainfall.   Temperatures ranged from 1.5 to 3.5 degrees above

average, with the largest departures across far northern Maine from Houlton north to the Saint John Valley. Rainfall ranged from 50 to 125 percent of

normal, with the least precipitation observed across southern Piscataquis county, with the only positive departures across parts of the Saint John Valley and North woods.

At Caribou, the average monthly temperature of 46.5 degrees was 3.2 degrees above average. It tied with 1946 and 2005 as the 12th warmest October

on record. At Bangor, the average temperature of 48.9 degrees was 1.7 degrees above average, and it did not rank in the top 20 warmest on record.

A total of 2.54 inches of rain was observed at Caribou, which was 99 Hundredths of an inch below average.  It tied with 2013 as the driest October at

Caribou since 2004.  At Bangor, a total of 3.20 Inches of rain was observed, which was 97 hundredths of an inch below average.

No measurable snow was observed at Caribou this past October, however, on the 24th and 25th a trace of snow was observed. On average, measurable

snowfall is observed in 2 out of 3 years during the month of October at Caribou.  No snow was observed at Bangor.  A weather system did bring 1 to 2

inches of snow to parts of central and southern Piscataquis county on the morning of the 28th.

The fall foliage peaked during the first week of October in the Saint John Valley, around the 10th of the month in the Caribou/Presque Isle area, and

toward the middle of the month along the Down East coast.  The peak was about a week later than average.

There were a total of 7 nights with a low temperature of 32 degrees or lower at Caribou, which is well below the average of 13 nights. At Bangor, there

were 4 nights with a low temperature of freezing or lower, which was well below the average of 9 nights.

The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for November calls for an increased likelihood of above average temperatures.  There are no strong

climate signals that would point toward an unusually wet (snowy) or dry month.

During the month of November the average high at Caribou (Bangor) starts at 45F (51F) and drops to 32F (40F) by the end of the month. The average

low falls from 30F (33F) on the 1st of the month to 18F (23F) by months end.  Average snowfall ranges from 2.3 inches at Bangor to 10.5 inches at Caribou.

Over the years, temperatures at caribou during the month of November have ranged from a high of 68F, on November 1, 1956 to a low of -8F, on

November 30, 1995.  The snowiest November was in 1974 with a total of 34.9 inches.  At Bangor, temperatures have ranged from a monthly low of -3F

on November 29, 1940 to a high of 75F on November 6, 1938.  The snowiest November was just 2 years ago when 32.1 Inches of snow was observed in

2014.  Over 1 1/2 hours of available daylight is lost during the month of November.