Climatological Report (Annual)
Issued by NWS Portland, ME

Home | Current Version | Previous Version | Text Only | Print | Product List | Glossary On
Versions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 
000
CXUS51 KGYX 031740
CLAPWM

PORTLAND CLIMATE DATA FOR THE YEAR 2012
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
1240 PM EST THU JAN 3 2013

PORTLAND MAINE TIED FOR THE WARMEST YEAR ON RECORD AT THE
PORTLAND JETPORT.

...STATISTICS...

HERE ARE SOME OF THE CLIMATOLOGICAL STATISTICS AND A
DISCUSSION OF THE WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE PAST YEAR.

TEMPERATURE DATA       YEAR 2012        NORMAL          DEPARTURE

AVG. MONTHLY             49.2           46.5             PLUS 2.7
AVG. MAXIMUM             58.1           55.8             PLUS 2.3
AVG. MINIMUM             40.3           37.2             PLUS 3.1

NUMBER OF DAYS:        YEAR 2012        NORMAL

MAXIMUM 90 OR ABOVE        4              3.8            PLUS 0.2
MAXIMUM 32 OR BELOW       26             39.8            MINUS 13.8
MINIMUM 32 OR BELOW      139            142.2            MINUS 3.2
MINIMUM 0 OR BELOW         3              6.9            MINUS 3.9

HIGHEST TEMPERATURE... 93 ON JUNE 20TH
LOWEST TEMPERATURE...  MINUS 4 ON JANUARY 16TH
COLDEST HIGH...        13 ON JANUARY 15TH
WARMEST LOW....        70 ON AUGUST 5TH

WARMEST DAY...  JUNE 20TH AND JULY 14TH WITH AN AVERAGE OF 78 DEGREES
COLDEST DAY...  JANUARY 15TH WITH AN AVERAGE OF 6 DEGREES

                        YEAR 2012       NORMAL          DEPARTURE

HEATING DEGREE DAYS      6165           7106            MINUS 941
COOLING DEGREE DAYS       492            360            PLUS 132

HEATING AND COOLING DEGREE DAYS LISTED ARE FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR.
THE HEATING DEGREE DAY SEASON NORMALLY RUNS FROM JULY 1ST THROUGH
JUNE 30TH...WHILE THE COOLING DEGREE SEASON NORMALLY RUNS FROM
JANUARY 1ST THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST.

PRECIPITATION           54.47           47.25           PLUS 7.22
SNOWFALL                62.9            61.9            PLUS 1.0

GREATEST PRECIPITATION IN 24 HOURS... 5.31 INCHES ON JUNE 2ND & 3RD
GREATEST SNOWFALL IN 24 HOURS...   13.0 INCHES ON MARCH 1ST
GREATEST SNOW DEPTH ON GROUND...   12 INCHES ON DECEMBER 30TH

THE FOLLOWING DATA IS FOR A CALENDAR DAY /MIDNIGHT TO MIDNIGHT/...

NUMBER OF DAYS WITH PRECIPITATION OF        NORMAL      DEPARTURE
 .01 INCH OR MORE              141          130.8       PLUS 10.2
 .10 INCH OR MORE               81           79.5       PLUS 1.5
 .50 INCH OR MORE               35           30.1       PLUS 4.9
1.00 INCH OR MORE               12           11.5       PLUS 0.5

NUMBER OF DAYS WITH SNOWFALL OF             NORMAL      DEPARTURE
1 WHOLE INCH OR MORE            12          15.9        MINUS 3.9
3 WHOLE INCHES OR MORE           6           9.0        MINUS 3.0
6 WHOLE INCHES OR MORE           4           3.6        PLUS 0.4

NUMBER OF DAYS WITH THUNDERSTORMS...15      17.6        MINUS 2.6
NUMBER OF DAYS WITH HEAVY FOG...    39      48.6        MINUS 9.6
   (VISIBILITY 1/4 MILE OR LESS)


...PORTLAND MAINE 2012 MONTHLY TEMPERATURE DATA...
(RANK: 1ST = WARMEST, 72ND = COLDEST)
                                        DEPARTURE
MONTH   AVG HIGH   AVG LOW   MEAN TEMP  FROM NORMAL  RANK
JAN     35.4       18.4      26.9        PLUS 4.6    8TH (TIED)
FEB     39.8       21.3      30.6        PLUS 5.1    5TH
MAR     50.5       31.8      41.2        PLUS 7.7    1ST
APR     57.9       36.0     47.0        PLUS 3.0    2ND (TIED)
MAY     64.5       48.7      56.6        PLUS 2.7    4TH
JUN     71.2       55.3      63.3       MINUS 0.1    29TH (TIED)
JUL     81.1       61.5      71.3        PLUS 2.2    11TH
AUG     79.8       61.8      70.8        PLUS 2.8    5TH
SEP     69.0       50.8      59.9       MINUS 0.2    27TH (TIED)
OCT     61.3       44.4      52.9        PLUS 4.1    3RD
NOV     46.7       29.3      38.0       MINUS 1.4    44TH (TIED)
DEC     39.8       24.1      32.0        PLUS 3.2    10TH (TIED)

YEAR    58.1       40.3      49.2        PLUS 2.7    1ST (TIED)

...PORTLAND MAINE 2012 MONTHLY PRECIPITATION DATA...
(RANK: 1ST = WETTEST, 142ND = DRIEST)

MONTH   PRECIPITATION   DEPARTURE
                        FROM NORMAL     RANK
JAN     4.29            PLUS 0.91       51ST
FEB     1.47            MINUS 1.78      131ST
MAR     2.05            MINUS 2.19      117TH
APR     4.84            PLUS 0.52       36TH
MAY     5.91            PLUS 1.90       17TH
JUN     8.63            PLUS 4.84       5TH
JUL     4.31            PLUS 0.70       27TH (TIED)
AUG     6.21            PLUS 3.07       8TH
SEP     3.80            PLUS 0.11       47TH
OCT     3.64            MINUS 1.23      56TH
NOV     1.02            MINUS 3.91      136TH
DEC     8.30            PLUS 4.28       4TH

YEAR   54.47            PLUS 7.22       17TH

...PORTLAND MAINE 2012 MONTHLY SNOWFALL DATA...
(RANK: 1 = SNOWIEST, 131ST = LEAST SNOWIEST JAN. THROUGH JUNE
                     132ND = LEAST SNOWIEST JULY THROUGH DEC.)

                  DEPARTURE
MONTH   SNOWFALL  FROM NORMAL      RANK
JAN     18.7      MINUS 0.5        55TH (TIED)
FEB      2.3      MINUS 9.8        125TH
MAR     14.2      PLUS 1.5         42ND
APR    TRACE      MINUS 2.8        93RD (TIED)
MAY      0.0      NORMAL           23RD (TIED)
JUN      0.0      NORMAL           -----
JUL      0.0      NORMAL           -----
AUG      0.0      NORMAL           -----
SEP      0.0      NORMAL           -----
OCT      0.0      MINUS TRACE      50TH (TIED)
NOV      2.9      PLUS 1.0         46TH (TIED)
DEC     24.8      PLUS 11.6        16TH

YEAR    62.9      PLUS 1.0         -----

NOTE...SNOWFALL FOR THE YEAR IS GIVEN FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR.
NORMALLY SNOWFALL TOTALS AND RANKINGS ARE GIVEN FOR THE SEASON
...FROM JULY 1ST THROUGH JUNE 30TH.

STRONGEST WIND GUST...  63 MPH ON OCTOBER 29TH (HURRICANE SANDY)

...DISCUSSION...

PORTLAND MAINE TIED AS THE WARMEST YEAR ON RECORD. THE AVERAGE
TEMPERATURE FOR 2012 WAS 49.2 DEGREES...TYING 2010 AS THE ALL TIME
WARMEST YEAR AT THE PORTLAND JETPORT. THIS WAS ALSO 2.7 DEGREES
WARMER THAN NORMAL.

THE WARM YEAR WAS HIGHLIGHTED BY A VERY WARM SPRING IN PORTLAND.
WITH AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 48.3 DEGREES FROM MARCH THROUGH MAY
PORTLAND RECORDED ITS SECOND WARMEST METEOROLOGICAL SPRING SINCE
RECORDS BEGAN AT THE PORTLAND JETPORT. THIS FELL SHORT OF THE
WARMEST SPRING OF 48.9 DEGREES SET JUST TWO YEARS AGO IN 2010
AND WAS 4.5 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.

HERE IS A LIST OF THE WARMEST SPRINGS ON RECORD AT PORTLAND...

RANK       AVERAGE TEMP.     YEAR
 1         48.9 DEGREES      2010
 2         48.3 DEGREES      2012   <===
 3         47.0 DEGREES      1991
 4         46.4 DEGREES      1998
 5         45.4 DEGREES      1981
 6         45.1 DEGREES      1942
 7         45.0 DEGREES      1945
           45.0 DEGREES      1999
 9         44.9 DEGREES      1986
           44.9 DEGREES      2006
           44.9 DEGREES      2009
COLDEST    37.9 DEGREES      1956
NORMAL     43.8 DEGREES      1981-2010

IT`S NOT SURPRISING THAT PORTLAND HAD SUCH A WARM SPRING
CONSIDERING THE FOREST CITY ENJOYED THE WARMEST MARCH ON
RECORD FOLLOWED BY THE 2ND WARMEST APRIL AND 4TH WARMEST
MAY.

MARCH HAD AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 41.2 DEGREES WHICH
WAS AN ASTOUNDING 7.7 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.

PORTLAND FOLLOWED THE EXCEPTIONALLY WARM SPRING WITH A VERY
WARM SUMMER IN 2012 WITH AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 68.5 DEGREES.
THIS WAS 1.6 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL AND TIED 1973 AND 1991 AS THE
4TH WARMEST IN THE PAST 72 YEARS OF TEMPERATURE RECORDS AT THE
PORTLAND JETPORT.

HERE IS A LIST OF THE WARMEST SUMMERS IN PORTLAND...

RANK     TEMPERATURE        DATE
 1       68.7 DEGREES       1988
         68.7 DEGREES       2010
 3       68.6 DEGREES       1999
 4       68.5 DEGREES       1973
         68.5 DEGREES       1991
         68.5 DEGREES       2012  <===
 7       68.3 DEGREES       1994
 8       68.2 DEGREES       1949
 9       68.1 DEGREES       2005
10       68.0 DEGREES       1952
         68.0 DEGREES       2006
COLDEST  63.7 DEGREES       1954, 1962 & 1964
NORMAL   66.9 DEGREES       1981-2010

TEMPERATURE RECORDS BEGAN AT THE PORTLAND JETPORT IN
NOVEMBER OF 1940.

TEMPERATURES FOR THE YEAR RANGED FROM A LOW OF 4 BELOW ZERO ON
JANUARY 16TH TO A HIGH OF 93 DEGREES ON JUNE 20TH. THERE WERE FOUR
DAYS WITH HIGHS OF 90 OR WARMER AND JUST THREE DAYS WITH LOWS OF
ZERO OR COLDER.

ONE OF THE MAIN WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR PORTLAND THIS PAST YEAR WAS
THE IMPACT OF SUPERSTORM HURRICANE SANDY IN LATE OCTOBER. THE
IMPACTS RANGED FROM HEAVY RAIN AND HIGH WINDS WITH DOWNED TREES
AND POWER OUTAGES TO BEACH EROSION AND ROUGH SURF DURING HIGH TIDE
ON THE 29TH AND 30TH.

PORTLAND HAD A PEAK WIND GUST OF 63 MPH ON OCTOBER 29TH AT 5:13 PM.
THIS IS NOT THE STRONGEST WIND EVER RECORDED IN THE FOREST CITY.
PORTLAND RECORDED A GUST OF 78 MPH ON THE EVENING OF FEBRUARY 25,
2010 BEFORE A POWER OUTAGE ENDED THE CHANCE OF RECORDING HIGHER
GUSTS FROM THAT EVENT.

HERE IS A LIST OF THE HIGHEST WIND GUSTS RECORDED IN PORTLAND MAINE...

RANK    WIND GUST   DATE                  REMARKS
 1      78 MPH      FEBRUARY 25, 2010     OCCURRED AT 1134 PM
 2      76 MPH      NOVEMBER 20, 1945
 3      76 MPH      MARCH 3, 1947
 4      76 MPH      SEPTEMBER 12, 1960    HURRICANE DONNA
 5      72 MPH      NOVEMBER 12, 1995
 6      70 MPH      SEPTEMBER 27, 1985    HURRICANE GLORIA
 7      69 MPH      AUGUST 31, 1954       HURRICANE CAROL
 8      63 MPH      OCTOBER 29, 2012      HURRICANE SANDY
 9      61 MPH      AUGUST 19, 1991       HURRICANE BOB
10      60 MPH      SEPTEMBER 11, 1954    HURRICANE EDNA

PORTLAND RECORDED ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION IN 2012. WITH
54.47 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION PORTLAND HAD ITS 17TH WETTEST
YEAR IN THE PAST 142 YEARS. THIS WAS 7.22 INCHES ABOVE THE
YEARLY NORMAL PRECIPITATION.

THE WETTEST MONTH WAS JUNE WITH 8.63 INCHES OF RAIN WHICH WAS
4.84 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL AND THE 5TH WETTEST JUNE ON RECORD.
DECEMBER WAS THE SECOND WETTEST MONTH IN 2012 WITH 8.30 INCHES
OF PRECIPITATION. THIS WAS 4.28 INCHES ABOVE NORMAL AND RANKED
4TH ON THE LIST OF WETTEST DECEMBERS. THE VERY WET DECEMBER
CAME ON THE HEELS OF ONE OF THE DRIEST NOVEMBERS ON RECORD.
WITH JUST 1.02 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION, NOVEMBER 2012 WAS
3.91 INCHES BELOW NORMAL AND THE 7TH DRIEST ON RECORD.
PRECIPITATION RECORDS IN PORTLAND BEGAN IN 1871.

ONLY FOUR MONTHS HAD BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION IN 2012. THEY
WERE FEBRUARY, MARCH, OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER. ALL OTHER MONTHS
HAD ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION.

OVER FIVE INCHES /5.31 INCHES/ OF RAIN FELL ON JUNE 2ND AND 3RD.
THAT STORM PRODUCED THE MOST PRECIPITATION IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD
IN 2012.

OTHER NOTABLE 24 HOUR HEAVY PRECIPITATION EVENTS INCLUDED NEARLY
FOUR INCHES /3.90 INCHES/ ON APRIL 22ND AND 23RD, THREE AND A
HALF INCHES /3.52 INCHES/ ON DECEMBER 17TH AND 18TH AND EXACTLY
TWO AND A HALF INCHES ON AUGUST 10TH.

DESPITE BEING A WARM YEAR, 2012 HAD ABOVE NORMAL SNOWFALL.
THE 62.9 INCHES WAS EXACTLY ONE INCH ABOVE NORMAL. SNOWFALL
WAS MUCH BELOW NORMAL UNTIL TWO SNOWSTORMS HIT IN LATE
DECEMBER. TWO FEET OF SNOW /24.8 INCHES/ FELL IN DECEMBER
WHICH WAS NEARLY A FOOT /11.6 INCHES/ ABOVE NORMAL AND MADE
DECEMBER THE SNOWIEST MONTH IN 2012.

THE BIGGEST SNOWSTORM IN 2012 ACTUALLY OCCURRED ON MARCH
1ST WITH 13.0 INCHES OF SNOW. THE SECOND BIGGEST SNOWSTORM
DROPPED 11.6 INCHES OF SNOW ON DECEMBER 27TH. THE THIRD
BIGGEST SNOWSTORM WAS ON JANUARY 12TH WITH 8.0 INCHES OF SNOW.

FEBRUARY HAD A LACK OF SNOW WITH JUST 2.3 INCHES OF SNOW.
THIS WAS NEARLY TEN INCHES /9.8 INCHES/ BELOW NORMAL AND WAS
THE 7TH LEAST SNOWIEST FEBRUARY IN 132 YEARS.

...RECORDS...

HERE IS A LIST OF DAILY TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION RECORDS...
FROM MIDNIGHT TO MIDNIGHT...SET OR TIED DURING THE YEAR 2012...

DATE   RECORD     PREVIOUS RECORD AND YEAR
JAN 24     44 - WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE  44 DEGREES IN 1953 /TIED/
FEB  6     48 - WARMEST HIGH TEMPERATURE     45 DEGREES IN 2005
MAR  1     13.0 - GREATEST SNOWFALL          9.3 INCHES IN 2005
MAR  8     60 - RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE      56 DEGREES IN 2010
MAR  8     48 - WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE  46 DEGREES IN 1995
MAR  9     55 - RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE      54 DEGREES IN 2000
MAR 13     42 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      37 DEGREES IN 1985
MAR 13     50 - WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE  50 DEGREES IN 1946 /TIED/
MAR 18     70 - RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE      68 DEGREES IN 2011
MAR 18     55 - WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE  54 DEGREES IN 2011
MAR 19     70 - RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE      56 DEGREES IN 1986 & 2010
MAR 19     42 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      40 DEGREES IN 1968 & 1991
MAR 19     56 - WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE  47 DEGREES IN 1986
MAR 20     37 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      37 DEGREES IN 1945 & 1975
                                                       /TIED/
MAR 21     79 - RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE      60 DEGREES IN 1946
MAR 21     46 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      38 DEGREES IN 1995
MAR 21     63 - WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE  46 DEGREES IN 1968, 1979
                                                           & 2003
MAR 22     82 - RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE      70 DEGREES IN 1948
MAR 22     48 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      37 DEGREES IN 1999
MAR 22     65 - WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE  53 DEGREES IN 1948
MAR 23     70 - RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE      66 DEGREES IN 1953
MAR 23     53 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      39 DEGREES IN 2010
MAR 23     62 - WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE  47 DEGREES IN 1953
MAR 24     42 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      40 DEGREES IN 1953
MAR 24     48 - WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE  48 DEGREES IN 1988 /TIED/
APR 16     50 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      45 DEGREES IN 1976
APR 16     62 - WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE  62 DEGREES IN 1976 /TIED/
APR 17     83 - RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE      80 DEGREES IN 2002
APR 17     49 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      49 DEGREES IN 2002 /TIED/
APR 17     66 - WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE  65 DEGREES IN 2002
APR 21     50 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      50 DEGREES IN 1957 /TIED/
APR 23     3.13 - GREATEST PRECIPITATION     1.53 INCHES IN 1921
APR 24     46 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      46 DEGREES IN 2008 /TIED/
MAY 15     52 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      52 DEGREES IN 1974 /TIED/
MAY 16     55 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      53 DEGREES IN 1974
MAY 23     59 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      57 DEGREES IN 1955 & 1977
MAY 26     62 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      61 DEGREES IN 1981
JUN  2     3.63 - GREATEST PRECIPITATION     2.65 INCHES IN 2001
JUN  2     3 - SMALLEST DAILY TEMP. RANGE    3 DEGREES IN 2001 /TIED/
JUN  3     2.37 - GREATEST PRECIPITATION     1.42 INCHES IN 2006
JUN  3     5 - SMALLEST DAILY TEMP. RANGE    5 DEGREES IN 1942 & 1980
                                                       /TIED/
JUN  4     54 - COLDEST HIGH TEMPERATURE     55 DEGREES IN 1975
JUN 20     93 - RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE      93 DEGREES IN 1941 & 1964
                                                       /TIED/
JUN 21     64 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      63 DEGREES IN 1972
JUN 30     65 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      65 DEGREES IN 1946, 1947 &
                                                       1999 /TIED/
OCT  4     57 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      56 DEGREES IN 2001
OCT  4     3  - SMALLEST DAILY TEMP. RANGE   4 DEGREES IN 1995
OCT 29     51 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      51 DEGREES IN 1953 /TIED/
OCT 30     58 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      51 DEGREES IN 1946
OCT 30     62 - WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE  58 DEGREES IN 1946, 1961
                                                       & 1994
NOV  8     2.2 - HIGHEST DAILY SNOWFALL      2.0 INCHES IN 1968
DEC  1     3 - SMALLEST DAILY TEMP. RANGE    4 DEGREES IN 1969
DEC  8     5 - SMALLEST DAILY TEMP. RANGE    6 DEGREES IN 1952 & 1971
DEC 16     4 - SMALLEST DAILY TEMP. RANGE    4 DEGREES IN 1948 & 1995
                                                                /TIED/
DEC 18     3.50 - GREATEST PRECIPITATION     1.75 INCHES IN 1888
DEC 19     36 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      36 DEGREES IN 1996 /TIED/
DEC 19     3 - SMALLEST DAILY TEMP. RANGE    4 DEGREES IN 1959
DEC 27     11.6 - GREATEST SNOWFALL          8.8 INCHES IN 1894

THERE WERE NO DAILY RECORDS SET OR TIED IN JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER
OF 2012.

MONTHLY RECORDS FOR PORTLAND SET OR TIED IN 2012...

DATE        RECORD                                PREVIOUS RECORD AND DATE
MARCH 23RD  53 - WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE          45 DEGREES ON MARCH 31ST
                                                     OF 1981, 1987 & 1998
MARCH       41.2 - WARMEST MONTHLY AVG TEMP       39.9 DEGREES IN 2010
MARCH       31.8 - WARMEST MONTHLY AVG LOW        31.4 DEGREES IN 2010
MAY         48.7 - WARMEST AVG MONTHLY LOW TEMP.  47.4 DEGREES IN 2011
OCTOBER     44.4 - WARMEST AVERAGE LOW TEMP.      44.4 DEGREES IN 2007

SEASONAL RECORDS FOR PORTLAND SET OR TIED IN 2012... NONE

ANNUAL RECORDS FOR PORTLAND SET OR TIED IN 2012...

DATE        NEW RECORD                             OLD RECORD
2012        49.2 - WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE     49.2 DEGREES IN 2010

$$

SJC
USA.gov is the U.S. government's official web portal to all federal, state and local government web resources and services.