2019 Year In Review For Northern And Eastern Maine
..2019 YEARLY CLIMATE NARRATIVE FOR NORTHERN AND EASTERN MAINE...
In Caribou, the average temperature in 2019 was 39.6 degrees (F) which made it the coldest year of the decade, and the coldest year since 2009. It was the only year in the decade with an average temperature below 40 degrees (F). The average temperature was 2 tenths of a degree (F) below the 30-year average. A total of 41.54 inches of rain (and melted snow) was observed, which was 3.01 inches above the 30-year average. A total of 154.5 inches of snow was observed for the calendar year (which differs from a seasonal total), and this was the most since 2008 and was 42.7 inches above average.
In Bangor, the average temperature in 2019 was 44 degrees (F), which was the 2nd coldest year of the decade behind 2015. It was 7 tenths of a degree (F) below average. A total of 52 inches of rain (and melted snow) was observed, which was 10.38 inches above average, and the wettest year since 2005. A total of 74.9 inches of snow was observed, which was 6.6 inches above average.
In Houlton, the average temperature in 2019 was 39.2 degrees (F), which made it the coldest year of the decade and the coldest year since 2004. A total of 39.04 inches of rain (and melted snow) was observed.
In Millinocket, the average temperature in 2019 was 41.9 degrees (F) which made it the coldest year of the decade and the coldest year since 2007. The average temperature was 4 tenths of a degree below average. A total of 43.58 inches of rain (and melted snow) was observed. It was the wettest year since 2010, and the total precipitation was 61 hundreths of an inch above average.
Month by month:
Temperatures in January were not far from average across the region. The big story was the record snowfall in caribou. A total of 59.8 inches of snow fell, which smashed the old January record of 44.5 inches in 1994. It was just one tenth of an inch shy of the all-time snowiest month in December 1972. 5.64 inches of liquid
precipitation (rain and melted snow) was observed, which was the most on record. A major winter storm on the 20th produced 1 to 2 feet of snow across the region and was followed by significant blowing and drifting snow across central and northern portions of the region with snow drifts several feet deep across portions of
U.S. Route 1 in Aroostook County.
February featured temperatures that were slightly below average. The lowest temperatures of the meteorological winter occurred on the morning of the 28th with lows of 32 below at Estcourt Station and Big Black River. Snowfall was above average and it was the 11th snowiest February on record in Caribou. Strong wind late in the
month following a snow storm on the 24th into the 25th produced significant blowing and drifting snow for the nearly 2 days with snow drifts over 10 feet deep in spots with many roads closed in Aroostook County.
Temperatures in March were a bit below average and snowfall was below average. The snow depth peaked out at 45 inches on the morning of the 7th in Caribou. The biggest event of the month was a storm on the 4th that produced a foot or more of snow across central and coastal Washington county, but amounts dropped off to the north and west of Washington County.
The average monthly temperature for April was near to slightly below average across the region. It was a very wet month and ranked as the 3rd wettest on record in caribou with 4.84 inches of rain and melted snow, and the 9th wettest in Bangor. Snowfall was also above average across the region. The most significant snowfall events all occurred during the first 10 days of the month. Through the end of the month there was a seasonal total of 165.4 inches of snow in Caribou which was the 3rd snowiest on record.
May was a cooler than average month across the region with temperatures averaging from 2 to 4 degree below average. In fact, Houlton observed the coolest May since 1974. Frost and even freezing temperatures were observed deep into the month with a freeze on the morning of the 28th in caribou. Precipitation was variable across the region, but most areas observed above average precipitation. The last snow flurries of the season were observed in Caribou on the 15th.
Temperatures in June were near to slightly below average. There were very few very warm days with most areas only experiencing 2 or 3 days with highs in the low 80s. The last significant frost/freeze of the season was on the 1st across northern and central areas. Rainfall was above average across much of the region, but was a bit below average across the far north.
July was a warm and humid month and temperatures ranged from 2 to 3.5 degrees above average. It was the 8th warmest July on record in Caribou, and in Bangor it tied with 1975 as the 7th warmest on record. There were 3 days with a high of 90 of above in Caribou, the most in July since 1989. Five days observed a high of 90 or above in Bangor, the most in July since 1997. Precipitation was much more variable across the region and was mostly above average Downeast and the western Saint John Valley and below average across the remainder of the region.
Temperatures in August were close to average across the region. Unusual for August there were no 90 degree days, even at Millinocket or Bangor. Rainfall was below average in the far north and well above average Downeast. It was the 2nd wettest august on record in Bangor with 7.54 inches, which was 2nd only to 2011 when 8.32 inches was observed. 3.11 inches of rain fell in Bangor on the 8th, which was the 2nd greatest august daily rainfall on record behind only
August 19, 1965, when 3.67 inches was observed.
September featured temperatures that were a bit below average ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 degree below average. The first widespread frost/freezes of the fall season were observed on the mornings of the 18th and 19th. Rainfall ranged from 70 to 110 percent of average, but with local areas of up to 150 percent of average across
far eastern areas. Peripheral rain and wind from Hurricane Dorian mostly affected Washington county on the 7th with up to 3 inches of rain.
October was a milder than average month with temperatures 1.5 to 2.5 degrees above average. Widespread freezes finished the growing season for east central and Downeast areas on the mornings of the 5th and 6th. Precipitation was above average and ranged from 110 to 150 percent of average. A dusting of snow occurred mostly across central and northern areas on the 4th and again on the 26th/27th. Two wind storms affected the region on the 16th and 31st and resulted in scattered to numerous power outages. The storm on the 16th mainly affected Downeast areas with 45,000 customers without power.
November was much colder than average with temperatures ranging from 3 to 4 degrees below average. Ironically the month began with a high of 68 degree in Caribou, which tied the all-time monthly record high last set on November 1, 1956. There was a cold snap mid month that produced the earliest sub-zero temperature on record in Caribou on the 17th. Precipitation was near to above average with above average snowfall from Bangor north. The first major winter storm affected
the region on the 12th with up to a foot of snow in the Saint John Valley, and with 4 to 8 inches for most areas from Millinocket north.
December was a warmer than average month with temperatures ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 degrees above average. No extremely cold arctic air masses were observed. Precipitation ranged from 70 to 105 percent of normal. Significant rain events were observed on the 10th-11th and again the 14th-15th. Snowfall was below average across the north and near to slightly above average Downeast.
In Caribou, the average temperature in 2019 was 39.6 degrees (F) which made it the coldest year of the decade, and the coldest year since 2009. It was the only year in the decade with an average temperature below 40 degrees (F). The average temperature was 2 tenths of a degree (F) below the 30-year average. A total of 41.54 inches of rain (and melted snow) was observed, which was 3.01 inches above the 30-year average. A total of 154.5 inches of snow was observed for the calendar year (which differs from a seasonal total), and this was the most since 2008 and was 42.7 inches above average.
In Bangor, the average temperature in 2019 was 44 degrees (F), which was the 2nd coldest year of the decade behind 2015. It was 7 tenths of a degree (F) below average. A total of 52 inches of rain (and melted snow) was observed, which was 10.38 inches above average, and the wettest year since 2005. A total of 74.9 inches of snow was observed, which was 6.6 inches above average.
In Houlton, the average temperature in 2019 was 39.2 degrees (F), which made it the coldest year of the decade and the coldest year since 2004. A total of 39.04 inches of rain (and melted snow) was observed.
In Millinocket, the average temperature in 2019 was 41.9 degrees (F) which made it the coldest year of the decade and the coldest year since 2007. The average temperature was 4 tenths of a degree below average. A total of 43.58 inches of rain (and melted snow) was observed. It was the wettest year since 2010, and the total precipitation was 61 hundreths of an inch above average.
Month by month:
Temperatures in January were not far from average across the region. The big story was the record snowfall in caribou. A total of 59.8 inches of snow fell, which smashed the old January record of 44.5 inches in 1994. It was just one tenth of an inch shy of the all-time snowiest month in December 1972. 5.64 inches of liquid
precipitation (rain and melted snow) was observed, which was the most on record. A major winter storm on the 20th produced 1 to 2 feet of snow across the region and was followed by significant blowing and drifting snow across central and northern portions of the region with snow drifts several feet deep across portions of
U.S. Route 1 in Aroostook County.
February featured temperatures that were slightly below average. The lowest temperatures of the meteorological winter occurred on the morning of the 28th with lows of 32 below at Estcourt Station and Big Black River. Snowfall was above average and it was the 11th snowiest February on record in Caribou. Strong wind late in the
month following a snow storm on the 24th into the 25th produced significant blowing and drifting snow for the nearly 2 days with snow drifts over 10 feet deep in spots with many roads closed in Aroostook County.
Temperatures in March were a bit below average and snowfall was below average. The snow depth peaked out at 45 inches on the morning of the 7th in Caribou. The biggest event of the month was a storm on the 4th that produced a foot or more of snow across central and coastal Washington county, but amounts dropped off to the north and west of Washington County.
The average monthly temperature for April was near to slightly below average across the region. It was a very wet month and ranked as the 3rd wettest on record in caribou with 4.84 inches of rain and melted snow, and the 9th wettest in Bangor. Snowfall was also above average across the region. The most significant snowfall events all occurred during the first 10 days of the month. Through the end of the month there was a seasonal total of 165.4 inches of snow in Caribou which was the 3rd snowiest on record.
May was a cooler than average month across the region with temperatures averaging from 2 to 4 degree below average. In fact, Houlton observed the coolest May since 1974. Frost and even freezing temperatures were observed deep into the month with a freeze on the morning of the 28th in caribou. Precipitation was variable across the region, but most areas observed above average precipitation. The last snow flurries of the season were observed in Caribou on the 15th.
Temperatures in June were near to slightly below average. There were very few very warm days with most areas only experiencing 2 or 3 days with highs in the low 80s. The last significant frost/freeze of the season was on the 1st across northern and central areas. Rainfall was above average across much of the region, but was a bit below average across the far north.
July was a warm and humid month and temperatures ranged from 2 to 3.5 degrees above average. It was the 8th warmest July on record in Caribou, and in Bangor it tied with 1975 as the 7th warmest on record. There were 3 days with a high of 90 of above in Caribou, the most in July since 1989. Five days observed a high of 90 or above in Bangor, the most in July since 1997. Precipitation was much more variable across the region and was mostly above average Downeast and the western Saint John Valley and below average across the remainder of the region.
Temperatures in August were close to average across the region. Unusual for August there were no 90 degree days, even at Millinocket or Bangor. Rainfall was below average in the far north and well above average Downeast. It was the 2nd wettest august on record in Bangor with 7.54 inches, which was 2nd only to 2011 when 8.32 inches was observed. 3.11 inches of rain fell in Bangor on the 8th, which was the 2nd greatest august daily rainfall on record behind only
August 19, 1965, when 3.67 inches was observed.
September featured temperatures that were a bit below average ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 degree below average. The first widespread frost/freezes of the fall season were observed on the mornings of the 18th and 19th. Rainfall ranged from 70 to 110 percent of average, but with local areas of up to 150 percent of average across
far eastern areas. Peripheral rain and wind from Hurricane Dorian mostly affected Washington county on the 7th with up to 3 inches of rain.
October was a milder than average month with temperatures 1.5 to 2.5 degrees above average. Widespread freezes finished the growing season for east central and Downeast areas on the mornings of the 5th and 6th. Precipitation was above average and ranged from 110 to 150 percent of average. A dusting of snow occurred mostly across central and northern areas on the 4th and again on the 26th/27th. Two wind storms affected the region on the 16th and 31st and resulted in scattered to numerous power outages. The storm on the 16th mainly affected Downeast areas with 45,000 customers without power.
November was much colder than average with temperatures ranging from 3 to 4 degrees below average. Ironically the month began with a high of 68 degree in Caribou, which tied the all-time monthly record high last set on November 1, 1956. There was a cold snap mid month that produced the earliest sub-zero temperature on record in Caribou on the 17th. Precipitation was near to above average with above average snowfall from Bangor north. The first major winter storm affected
the region on the 12th with up to a foot of snow in the Saint John Valley, and with 4 to 8 inches for most areas from Millinocket north.
December was a warmer than average month with temperatures ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 degrees above average. No extremely cold arctic air masses were observed. Precipitation ranged from 70 to 105 percent of normal. Significant rain events were observed on the 10th-11th and again the 14th-15th. Snowfall was below average across the north and near to slightly above average Downeast.
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