Spring 2016 Climate Summary for Nothern & Eastern Maine

...Spring 2016 seasonal climate summary for northern and eastern Maine...

Meteorological spring (March 1st through May 31st) of 2016 ended
with slightly below average temperatures across northern Maine,
and near to slightly above average temperatures across the
Downeast region. Temperatures across the region averaged within
1.5 degrees of the 30-year average. Precipitation ranged from 100
to 125 percent of normal from Houlton north to the Saint John
Valley, and from 75 to 100 percent of normal across most of the
remainder of the region. There were areas along and near the coast
where precipitation ranged from only 50 to 75 percent of normal.

March 2016 featured near to slightly below average temperatures
across far northern Maine, with above average temperatures across
the remainder of the region.  It was the 6th wettest March on record
at Caribou and snowfall was well above average in far northern
Maine, and well below average to the south of the Katahdin Region.
By the end of the month, there was no snow cover observed from
Bangor down to the coast, but 20 to 30 inches of snow remained on
the ground in the Saint John Valley and north woods.

Temperatures in April averaged from 2 to 4 degrees below average,
and precipitation ranged from 50 to 90 percent of normal, with
most of it falling during the first two weeks of the month. The
second half of the month was unusually dry with 18 consecutive
days with no measurable precipitation at Caribou from the 13th
through the 30th. The last ten days of the month all had lows of
32 degrees or lower at Caribou including two nights with lows in
the teens on the 28th and 29th. By the end of the month, the only
remaining snow was in parts of the saint John Valley and Allagash.

Temperatures in May averaged from 2 to 5 degrees above normal,
with the greatest departures from average across the Downeast
region. Precipitation ranged from 50 to 90 percent of normal
across the region. The most significant event was a late season
snowfall in northeast Aroostook County that produced 4 to 7 inches
of snow on the 16th, and caused roads to become snow covered. The
4.5 inches of snow that was observed at Caribou was the greatest
snowfall ever observed so late in the season. The high of only 40
degrees on the 16th at Caribou was the 2nd lowest high temperature
ever observed so late in the season.

The last freezing temperature of the spring season at Bangor was
observed on April 30th, which was about a week earlier than the
average date. At Caribou, the last freezing temperature was
observed on May 16th, which is just one day later than the 30-year
average. At Houlton, the last freezing temperature was observed on
May 18th, which is about 10 days earlier than average.

There were 8 days in the month of May with a high temperature of
80 degrees or warmer at Bangor, which was the most ever on record
for the month of May.