May 2016 Climate Summary for Northern and Eastern Maine

...Climate summary for May 2016 for northern and eastern Maine...

Overall, may 2016 finished with above average temperatures and below average precipitation across northern and eastern Maine. Monthly temperatures averaged from 2 to 5 degrees above the 30-year average.  The greatest departures from average were across the Downeast region.  Precipitation was more variable, and ranged from 50 to 90 percent of the 30-year average.

At Caribou, the average temperature of 53.9 degrees was 2.4 degrees above average. It ranked as the 14th warmest may on record.   At Bangor, the average temperature of 58.2 degrees was 4.5 degrees above average.   It was the warmest May at Bangor since 1998, and ranked as the 9th warmest may on record.

A total of 2.96 inches of rain (and melted snow) was observed at Caribou, which was 37 hundredths (0.37") of an inch below average.   At Bangor, a total of 2.01 inches of rain was observed, which was 1.63 inches below average. A trace of snow as observed. It was the driest may since 2010.

The most significant event of the month was a 4.5 inch snowfall on May 16th at Caribou. It was the greatest snowfall ever observed so late in the season.  Snowfall ranged from 4 to 7 inches across northeast Aroostook County, and was heavy enough to stick on many roads. The high temperature of 40 degrees was the lowest high temperature ever observed on May 16th, and broke the previous record of 42 degrees in 1957. It was the 2nd lowest high temperature ever observed during the second half of May behind only May 22, 1990 when the high was 37 degrees.

The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for June indicates that there are no strong climate signals that would point toward an unusually warm and cool month. There is an increased likelihood of above average precipitation.

During the month of June the average high at Caribou (Bangor) climbs from 68 (70) degrees on the 1st to 74 (78) degrees by the end of the month. The average low rises from 45 (48) on the 1st to 53 (56) by the end of the month.  The average rainfall at Caribou is 3.48 inches, and the average rainfall at Bangor is 3.76 inches. The summer solstice this year is on June 20th at 6:34 pm EDT.