June 2023 Climate Summary for Northern and Eastern Maine

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Public Information Statement

National Weather Service Caribou ME

513 AM EDT Mon Jul 3 2023

...Northern/Eastern Maine June 2023 Climate Monthly Summary...

June 2023 will be mostly remembered for cloudy, cool, and rainy

conditions for Northern/Eastern Maine.

The month overall finished with average temps of about 0.5 to 1,0

degrees below 1991-2020 30 year mean averages, except 1 to 2

degrees below average for Downeast areas. The warmest day of the

month, interestingly enough, occurred on the very first day

(a continuation of the warm spell from the end of May) with

highs of lower to mid 90s at all lower terrain locations inland

from the immediate coast, easily breaking record highs for the

date. This was immediately followed up by a very strong back door

cold front from Labrador Canada on the 2nd and very cool and

rainy weather over the area for the next week as an upper low

settled over the region. At Caribou, the 7 day period from the 3rd

through the 9th was the longest stretch of consecutive sub-60

degree high temps recorded in June, with the previous record 6

days in 1945 and 1977. Also the total of 9 sub-60 degree high

temps at Caribou this month was the second greatest recorded since

records began in 1939 with 10 the all time record set in 1977.

Another shorter cool and rainy period mostly affecting northern

areas occurred from the 16th-20th. Temperatures warmed

significantly afterwards across the region and were above normal

from the 22nd through 25th followed by near normal temps for the

remainder of the month.

Rainfall across the area was mostly above to well above monthly

averages ranging from 130 to locally 200+ percent of average,

except in the Caribou and Bar Harbor areas which received 85 to

100 percent of average. Interestingly, Caribou experienced 20 days

of measurable rainfall over the course of the month, but unlike

most other locations across the region, did not experience heavy

rainfall on any day. Significant to heavy rainfall fell at least

across portions of the region from the 3rd - 10th, 16th - 18th,

and the 24th - 29th resulting in the postponement and/or

cancellation of some outdoor events. A few Cooperative Observer

sites in Piscataquis county reported monthly total rainfall

exceeding 9 inches. The following table lists area climate sites

within the top 20 of rainiest Junes and corresponding wettest

Junes on record for reference:

Location Amount (inches) Ranking   Wettest Year  Amount

Millinocket       7.06    11th         1922      10.82

Houlton           6.07     6th         2012      11.51

Bangor            5.83     8th         2010       8.10

Another interesting feature of this month was the lack of severe

weather with no reports of hail size equal or greater than 1 inch

diameter or wind gusts (or equivalent damage) equal or greater

than 58 mph, marking only the 3rd June of this occurring along

with 2014 and 2019. Lastly, the monthly total evaporation of 3.88

inches as measured at the Caribou weather station was greatly

exceeded by rainfall this month at most locations, resulting in

muddy and soft grassy areas across the region along with some high

stream levels especially over central/western portions of the

region.

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VJN/CB