April 2021 Climate Summary for Northern and Eastern Maine

...April Climate Narrative for Northern and Eastern Maine...

April 2021 will be remembered for significantly above normal

temperatures, near normal precipitation, and near normal

snowfall.

Temperatures averaged from 3 to 5 degrees above average for the

region as a whole. All climate stations finished the month within

the top 5 warmest, with Houlton, Caribou, Millinocket, and Bangor

experiencing their 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, and 5th warmest Aprils of

record:

Location       2021 Avg Temp         Record Warmest and Year

Houlton            42.4°F                 44.7°F    2010

Caribou            43.2°F                 44.9°F    2010

Millinocket        44.7°F               46.9°F    2010

Bangor             46.7°F                 49.5°F    1949

The month opened on a chilly note for the first four days, but

quickly transitioned to about a week and a half of consistently

well above normal days with a few daily record high temperatures

as a dry blocking pattern for the region took hold. Afterwards,

daily temperatures for the rest of the month were closer to

average with alternating cool and mild days.

Total precipitation for the month ranged from 80 to 120 percent of

average with noteworthy events on the 1st, 4th-5th, 16th-17th,

and 29th-30th. Snowfall ranged from below average across Downeast

areas to near to above average for central and northern areas.

Noteworthy snowfalls occurred on the 4th-5th and the 21st-22nd

with localized heavy snow totals upwards to 10 inches over the

high terrain of central, northwest, and far northern areas.

Snowpack, especially for the first half of the month was well

below average for central and northern areas, mostly sublimated

and melted from the end of March. This resulted in an early break

up of river ice with the arrival of warm weather after the 5th,

with little or no ice jam flooding.