Sunday, January 03, 2016

December 2015 Climate Summary for Northern and Eastern Maine

...Climate Summary for December 2015...
...Warmest on record for Bangor, Houlton, and Caribou...


December 2015 was the warmest on record at Caribou, Houlton, and Bangor. Temperatures across northern and eastern maine averaged
Near 10 degrees above the 30 year average.  Precipitation was more variable across the region, but in most areas ranged from 100 to
150 percent of average, with the highest departures from average from Millinocket north to the Saint John Valley.

At Caribou, the average temperature of 28.5 degrees was 10.3 degrees above the 30-year average.  It ranked as the warmest December
on record, and surpassed 2001 by 2 degrees. There were only 3 days the entire month with below average temperatures (1st, 28th & 29th). Temperatures were above to at times well above average the remainder of the month.  In fact, temperatures this past December at Caribou were more typical of Portland, Maine.

At Bangor, the average temperature of 34 degrees was 9.4 degrees above the 30-year average.  It ranked as the warmest December on record, and surpassed 1953 by 1.7 degrees.  There were only 2 days the entire month with below average temperatures (1st & 29th).Temperatures were above to at times well above average the
Remainder of  the month.  Temperatures this past december at Bangor Were moretypical of Boston, Massachusetts.

At Houlton, the average temperature of 29.7 degrees was 10.3 degrees above the 30-year average.  It ranked as the warmest December on record, and surpassed 1996 by 2 degrees.
The temperature never dropped below zero this past December at Caribou, with a low of zero on both the 28th and 29th. Although this is not all that unsual, there are on average 2 nights during the month of December when the temperature drops below zero. There were a total of 18 days with a high above freezing, which was

The most since 1996.  At Bangor, there were 27 days with a high above freezing, the most since 1952.

By far the most significant weather story of the month was the persistently above, and at times well above average temperatures. Remarkably, despite the well above average temperatures snowfall was also above average across far northern Maine.  At Caribou, a total of 27.8 inches of snow was observed, which was 4.9
Inches aboveaverage.  At Bangor, a total of 11.1 inches of snow was observed,which was 3.3 inches below average.

The outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for the month Of January calls for an increased likelihood of above normal temperatures across western Maine, with no strong climate signals that  would point toward above or below normal temperatures across eastern Maine. There are no strong climate signals that would point toward an unusually wet (snowy) or dry Month.

The average temperatures bottom out during the month of January. At Caribou, the average high temperature bottoms out between the 18th and 20th of the month at 19 degrees.  The average low temperaturebottoms out at 1 above from the 12th through the end of the month. At Bangor, the average temperatures bottom out at 27
degrees betweenthe 9th and 27th of the month. The average low temperatures bottomout at 6 degrees from the 12th through 27th.

January is on average the snowiest month of the year. The average snowfall at Caribou during the month of January is 25.2 inches, and at Bangor is 19.2 inches. Daylight slowly increases the month withan increase of nearly an hour of usable daylight during the month.