Climatological Report (Annual)
Issued by NWS Portland, ME

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000
CXUS51 KGYX 111007
CLAPWM

PWMCLAPWM 000
TTAA00 GYX 032139

CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
438 PM EST TUE JAN 03 2023

...................................

...THE PORTLAND ME CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE YEAR OF 2022...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD: 1991 TO 2020
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD: 1941 TO 2022 (FOR TEMPERATURES)
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD: 1871 TO 2022 (FOR PRECIPITATION)
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD: 1882 TO 2022 (FOR SNOWFALL)

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART   LAST YEAR`S
                VALUE   DATE(S)   VALUE   FROM     VALUE DATE(S)
                                          NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH            103   08/02/1975
 LOW             -39   02/16/1943
HIGHEST           96   08/07         93       3       97  06/28
LOWEST            -7   01/31        -10       3       -1  02/12
AVG. MAXIMUM    57.6               56.4     1.2     57.6
AVG. MINIMUM    38.8               38.6     0.2     40.1
MEAN            48.2               47.5     0.7     48.8
DAYS MAX >= 90     7                5.1     1.9        7
DAYS MAX <= 32    39               40.7    -1.7       32
DAYS MIN <= 32   130              144.1   -14.1      130
DAYS MIN <= 0      7                6.7     0.3        1

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
 MAXIMUM       66.45   2005
 MINIMUM       25.27   1941
TOTALS         46.66              48.12   -1.46    44.92
DAILY AVG.      0.13               0.13   -0.00     0.12
DAYS >= .01      118              131.4   -13.4      133
DAYS >= .10       70               80.0   -10.0       82
DAYS >= .50       30               30.9    -0.9       31
DAYS >= 1.00      16               11.9     4.1       12
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL   3.27   10/13 TO 10/14

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
 TOTAL         150.1   1956
TOTALS          36.6               68.7   -32.1     33.4
SINCE 7/1        4.7               17.1   -12.4     12.2
SNOWDEPTH AVG.     1
DAYS >= TRACE     36               28.6     7.4       46
DAYS >= 1.0        5               16.4   -11.4       13
GREATEST
 SNOW DEPTH       11   01/30
 24 HR TOTAL    13.2   01/29

DEGREE DAYS
HEATING TOTAL   6544               6795    -251     6281
 SINCE 7/1      2252               2451    -199     2206
COOLING TOTAL    542                447      95      521

FREEZE DATES
RECORD
 EARLIEST     09/14/1963
 LATEST       05/31/1961
EARLIEST                        10/09
LATEST                          05/09
................................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              7.7
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    41/360    DATE  12/23
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    65/150    DATE  12/23

SKY COVER
AVERAGE SKY COVER        0.50

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     69

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM             18     HEAVY RAIN                25
RAIN                     51     LIGHT RAIN               121
FREEZING RAIN             1     LT FREEZING RAIN           2
HEAVY SNOW                3     SNOW                       5
LIGHT SNOW               34     FOG                      145
FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE    33     HAZE                      15

-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.

&&

COLD WEATHER WAS ABLE TO TAKE HOLD OVER NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND DURING
JANUARY AS A RIDGE IN THE JET STREAM DEVELOPED OVER WESTERN NORTH
AMERICA WITH A DOWNSTREAM TROUGH CENTERED OVER THE GREAT LAKES. THIS
PATTERN ALLOWED FOR SEVERAL INTRUSIONS OF ARCTIC AIR INTO NEW
ENGLAND AS WELL AS A STORM TRACK ALIGNED NEAR THE EAST COAST. THE
COMBINATION OF COLD AIR AND COASTAL STORM TRACK SET THE STAGE FOR
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL EVENT OF THE YEAR ON JANUARY 29TH WHEN
A POWERFUL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM DEVELOPED OFF THE MID ATLANTIC
COASTLINE AND TRACKED SOUTHEAST OF CAPE COD. THIS STORM BROUGHT
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS TO THE PORTLAND AREA WITH THE PEAK WIND GUST
REACHING 59 MPH AND A TOTAL OF 13.2 INCHES OF SNOW. THE SNOW FROM
THE BLIZZARD SETTLED TO A SNOW DEPTH OF 11 INCHES, WHICH WOULD BE
THE GREATEST SNOW DEPTH OF THE YEAR. A VERY COLD AIR MASS MOVED INTO
NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND BEHIND THE BLIZZARD, AND WITH THE FRESH
SNOWPACK THE LOW TEMPERATURE DROPPED TO -7 DEGREES ON JANUARY 31ST,
WHICH WOULD BE THE COLDEST TEMPERATURE OF THE YEAR. ANOTHER
IMPACTFUL WINTER STORM TO AFFECT NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND UNFOLDED ON
FEBRUARY 3RD TO 4TH WHEN A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY REMAINED DRAPED
THROUGH SOUTHERN MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE WITH WAVES OF LOW PRESSURE
TRACKING ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. THE PORTLAND AREA WAS ON THE
WARM SIDE OF THIS FRONTAL BOUNDARY THROUGH MUCH OF THIS EVENT, WHICH
RESULTED IN SLEET BEING THE DOMINANT PRECIPITATION TYPE WHILE ACROSS
THE FOOTHILLS AND MOUNTAINS UPWARDS OF 18 INCHES OF SNOW FELL.
THROUGHOUT THE REST OF FEBRUARY AND ALL OF MARCH WINTER WEATHER WAS
HARD TO COME BY WITH THE LAST OF THE WINTER SNOWPACK MELTING OUT ON
MARCH 8TH.

A MILD END TO WINTER WAS FOLLOWED BY NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES
THROUGH APRIL WITH A RELATIVE ACTIVE PATTERN BRINGING SEVERAL BOUTS
OF RAIN. THE ACTIVE PATTERN IN APRIL GAVE WAY TO A WARM AND DRY
PATTERN IN MAY. BEFORE THE WARM PATTERN SET IN THE LAST FREEZE OF
THE SPRING SEASON OCCURRED ON MAY 9TH WHEN THE LOW TEMPERATURE
DROPPED TO 31 DEGREES AND WAS ALMOST TWO WEEKS LATER THAN THE NORMAL
LAST FREEZE OF APRIL 26TH. THEREAFTER WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS
DOMINATED THROUGH THE MONTH OF MAY WITH THE FIRST 70 DEGREE DAY
OCCURRING ON MAY 12TH. THE LACK OF LATE WINTER AND SPRING SNOW ALONG
WITH A DRY PATTERN IN MAY LED TO LITTLE IN THE WAY OF THE
TRADITIONAL MUD SEASON WITH DROUGHT CONDITIONS ONCE AGAIN DEVELOPING
IN NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND FOR THE THIRD SPRING IN A ROW.

THE SUMMER SEASON STARTED OFF COOLER THAN NORMAL WITH A PERIOD OF
BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES EARLY IN JUNE. ANOTHER PERIOD OF COOL
CONDITIONS ARRIVED DURING THE THIRD WEEK OF JUNE WHEN AN ANOMALOUS
UPPER LOW SETTLED OVER NEW ENGLAND WITH MEASURABLE SNOWFALL OCCURING
ON MT WASHINGTON ON JUNE 19TH. JUNE WAS ALSO DRY IN THE PORTLAND
AREA WITH DROUGHT CONDITIONS EXPANDING AND INTENSIFYING ACROSS
NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND. TEMPERATURES THEN TRENDED WELL ABOVE NORMAL
THROUGH JULY WHILE PRECIPITATION CONTINUED TO RUN BELOW NORMAL FOR
THE THIRD MONTH IN A ROW. THE DOMINANT WEATHER FEATURE WAS A TROUGH
OF LOW PRESSURE OVER EASTERN CANADA THAT OFTEN FAVORED DRY CANADIAN
HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEMS TO MOVE OVER NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND. THIS MADE
FOR VERY WARM AND SUNNY DAYS LEADING TO THE ABOVE NORMAL
TEMPERATURES BEING DRIVEN BY DAY TIME HIGHS. THE TREND IN ABOVE
NORMAL TEMPERATURES CONTINUED INTO AUGUST. FROM AUGUST 5TH TO THE
7TH THE LOW TEMPERATURE DID NOT DROP BELOW 70 DEGREES AND FROM
AUGUST 7TH TO THE 9TH THE HIGH TEMPERATURE ECLIPSED THE 90 DEGREE
MARK FOR THREE DAYS IN A ROW MAKING THIS THE HOTTEST STRETCH OF THE
SUMMER. VERY WARM CONDITIONS CONTINUED DURING THE SECOND HALF OF
AUGUST AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE DEVELOPED OVER THE WESTERN
ATLANTIC. THIS RIDGE WAS IN A FAVORABLE POSITION TO ADVECT ATLANTIC
MOISTURE INTO NEW ENGLAND LEADING TO VERY HUMID CONDITIONS IN
ADDITION TO THE ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES. THE INCREASE IN HUMIDITY
LED TO MULTIPLE HEAVY RAIN EVENTS, WHICH ALLOWED AUGUST
PRECIPITATION TO FINISH ABOVE NORMAL AND WAS THE FIRST MONTH SINCE
APRIL WITH ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION.

THE RELATIVELY WET PATTERN CONTINUED INTO THE FALL SEASON WITH ABOVE
NORMAL PRECIPITATION IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, AND NOVEMBER. THE MIDDLE
OF OCTOBER WAS PARTICULARLY ACTIVE WITH THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL OF THE
YEAR OCCURING OCTOBER 13TH INTO THE 14TH WHEN 3.27 INCHES OF RAIN
FELL. ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM CROSSED THE AREA OCTOBER 17TH AND 18TH
BRINGING AN ADDITIONAL 2.76 INCHES OF RAIN. THE FIRST FREEZE OF THE
FALL OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 9TH WHEN THE LOW TEMPERATURE REACHED 32
DEGREES AND WAS 6 DAYS EARLIER THAN THE NORMAL FIRST FREEZE OF
OCTOBER 15TH. A PERIOD OF EXCEPTIONAL WARMTH SET IN DURING THE FIRST
12 DAYS OF NOVEMBER WHEN THE HIGH TEMPERATURE ECLIPSED THE 70 DEGREE
MARK THREE TIMES AND A NEW ALL TIME RECORD HIGH FOR THE MONTH OF
NOVEMBER OCCURRING ON NOVEMBER 5TH WHEN THE HIGH REACHED 75 DEGREES.
MUCH COOLER WEATHER SET IN DURING THE SECOND HALF OF NOVEMBER WITH
THE FIRST SNOWFALL OCCURRING NOVEMBER 15TH WHEN A TRACE OF SNOW WAS
RECORDED. THE FIRST MEASURABLE SNOWFALL OCCURRED ON DECEMBER 11TH
WHEN 0.3 INCHES FELL. A SLOW MOVING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TRACKED
ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND INTO THE GULF OF MAINE DECEMBER 16TH AND
17TH THAT BROUGHT A MIX OF RAIN AND HEAVY WET SNOW TO THE PORTLAND
AREA WITH A STORM TOTAL SNOW OF 4.2 INCHES. FURTHER INLAND THIS
SYSTEM BROUGHT SIGNIFICANT WET SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THAT RESULTED IN
POWER OUTAGES WITH THE MOUNTAINS RECEIVING UPWARDS OF TWO FEET OF
SNOW. THE LAST SIGNIFICANT WEATHER MAKER OF THE YEAR OCCURRED ON
DECEMBER 22ND AND 23RD WHEN A POWERFUL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM DEEPENED
OVER THE GREAT LAKES AND TRACKED INTO QUEBEC. THIS SYSTEM BROUGHT
DAMAGING SOUTH TO SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS WITH THE PEAK GUST AT PORTLAND
TOPPING OUT AT 65 MPH. THESE VERY STRONG ONSHORE WINDS COINCIDED
WITH A PERIOD OF HIGH ASTRONOMICAL TIDES, WHICH BROUGHT SIGNIFICANT
COASTAL FLOODING AND THE 4TH HIGHEST TIDE ON RECORD AT PORTLAND AT
13.72 FEET.

THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR THE YEAR WAS 48.2, WHICH WAS 0.7 DEGREES
ABOVE NORMAL AND THE 8TH WARMEST YEAR ON RECORD. THE WARMEST YEAR ON
RECORD WAS IN 2020 WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS 49.4 DEGREES.
THE COLDEST WAS 43.3 DEGREES IN 1962. THE FOLLOWING TABLE LISTS THE
AVERAGE TEMPERATURES FOR EACH MONTH OF 2022 INCLUDING DEPARTURES
FROM NORMAL.

AVERAGE TEMPERATURES BY MONTH IN 2022
MONTH      MAXIMUM       MINIMUM      AVERAGE      NOTES
JANUARY    30.1 (-2.3)   11.0 (-4.6)  20.6 (-3.4)
FEBRUARY   37.3 (+2.3)   18.1 (+0.8)  27.7 (+1.5)
MARCH      45.0 (+2.7)   26.4 (+0.4)  35.7 (+1.6)
APRIL      53.9 (+0.1)   36.0 (+0.6)  44.9 (+0.3)
MAY        65.1 (+0.9)   46.3 (+0.8)  55.7 (+0.8)
JUNE       72.1 (-1.5)   53.7 (-1.3)  62.9 (-1.4)
JULY       83.3 (+3.8)   61.1 (-0.1)  72.2 (+1.8)  5TH WARMEST
AUGUST     81.6 (+2.9)   62.6 (+2.9)  72.1 (+2.9)  2ND WARMEST
SEPTEMBER  69.5 (-1.6)   51.0 (-1.1)  60.3 (-1.3)
OCTOBER    60.6 (+1.1)   41.5 (+0.5)  51.0 (+0.7)
NOVEMBER   52.7 (+4.3)   33.6 (+1.9)  43.2 (+3.2)  3RD WARMEST
DECEMBER   39.5 (+1.2)   24.4 (+2.0)  31.9 (+1.6)
ANNUAL     57.6 (+1.2)   38.8 (+0.2)  48.2 (+0.7)  8TH WARMEST

THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 48.2 WAS THE 8TH WARMEST ON RECORD FOR
PORTLAND. THE FOLLOWING TABLE LISTS THE WARMEST AVERAGE ANNUAL
TEMPERATURES AT PORTLAND.

WARMEST ANNUAL AVERAGE TEMPERATURE (SINCE 1941).
RANK  AVE   YEAR
1     49.4  2020
2     49.2  2012
      49.2  2010
4     48.8  2021
5     48.5  2006
6     48.4  2016
7     48.3  1998
8     48.2  2022  <===
9     48.1  1990
10    48.0  1999

THE GROWING SEASON, AS DEFINED AS THE LONGEST CONSECUTIVE DAYS ABOVE
FREEZING, LASTED FOR 153 DAYS IN 2022 FROM MAY 09 THROUGH OCTOBER
09. THIS IS 17 DAYS SHORTER THAN THE NORMAL OF 170 DAYS. THE
SHORTEST WAS ONLY 110 DAYS IN 1961. THE LONGEST GROWING SEASON WAS
197 DAYS IN 2014.

A TOTAL OF 46.66 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION FELL, WHICH WAS 1.46 INCHES
BELOW NORMAL. THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION FELL ON OCTOBER 13TH AND
14TH WHEN AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE CROSSED THE AREA BRINGING 3.27
INCHES OF RAINFALL. THE DRIEST YEAR ON RECORD WAS IN 1941 WHEN ONLY
25.27 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION WAS RECORDED. THE WETTEST WAS IN 2005
WITH 66.45 INCHES MEASURED. THE FOLLOWING TABLE LISTS THE
PRECIPITATION AND SNOWFALL AMOUNTS FOR EACH MONTH OF 2022 INCLUDING
DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL.

MONTHLY PRECIPITATION AND SNOWFALL TOTALS FOR 2022
MONTH      PRECIPITATION   SNOWFALL      NOTES
JANUARY    2.73  (-0.77)   19.6  (+1.0)
FEBRUARY   3.97  (+0.43)    9.3  (-7.3)
MARCH      3.06  (-1.02)    3.0 (-10.6)
APRIL      5.00  (+0.59)    0.0  (-2.8)
MAY        1.12  (-2.55)      0          10TH DRIEST
JUNE       2.62  (-1.53)      0
JULY       1.28  (-2.15)      0
AUGUST     5.63  (+2.06)      0
SEPTEMBER  4.20  (+0.43)      0
OCTOBER    7.83  (+2.58)      0  (-0.2)  8TH WETTEST
NOVEMBER   5.24  (+0.99)      T  (-2.3)
DECEMBER   3.98  (-0.52)    4.7  (-9.9)
ANNUAL     46.66 (-1.46)   36.6 (-32.1)  7TH LEAST SNOWY

DAYS WITH AT LEAST 1.00 INCH OF PRECIPITATION IN 2022
DAY             PRECIPITATION
JANUARY 17      1.04
FEBRUARY 4      1.59
APRIL 8         2.11
AUGUST 22       2.19
AUGUST 26       1.52
AUGUST 31       1.15
SEPTEMBER 19    1.15
SEPTEMBER 22    1.07
OCTOBER 14      2.79
OCTOBER 17      1.27
OCTOBER 18      1.49
NOVEMBER 11     1.11
NOVEMBER 16     1.29
DECEMBER 7      1.01
DECEMBER 16     1.20
DECEMBER 23     1.07

DAYS WITH AT LEAST 6 INCHES OF SNOWFALL IN 2022
DAYS            SNOWFALL
JANUARY 29      13.2

THE FOLLOWING DAILY RECORDS WERE SET OR TIED IN 2022...
DATE    RECORD                                PREVIOUS
JAN 29  13.2    -RECORD DAILY SNOWFALL        9.0 IN 1957
FEB 4   1.59    -GREATEST PRECIPITATION       1.42 IN 1911
FEB 12  54      -WARMEST HIGH TEMPERATURE     51 IN 1984
FEB 12  44      -WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE  42 IN 1999, 1998
FEB 17  42      -WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      39 IN 1981
FEB 23  66      -WARMEST HIGH TEMPERATURE     61 IN 1990
FEB 23  46      -WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE  46 IN 1990 (TIED)
FEB 23  41      -GREATEST TEMPERATURE RANGE   40 IN 1964
MAR 6   48      -WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE  46 IN 2004, 1974
MAR 7   37      -WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      37 IN 2009 (TIED)
APR 8   2.11    -GREATEST PRECIPITATION       1.09 IN 1899
APR 14  4       -SMALLEST TEMPERATURE RANGE   4 IN 1952 (TIED)
MAY 14  84      -WARMEST HIGH TEMPERATURE     81 IN 1961
MAY 14  58      -WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      56 IN 1979
MAY 14  71      -WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE  67 IN 1961
MAY 17  54      -WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      54 IN 1977 (TIED)
JUNE 3  5       -SMALLEST TEMPERATURE RANGE   5 IN 2012 (TIED)
AUG  7  96      -WARMEST HIGH TEMPERATURE     93 IN 2018, 2011
AUG  7  74      -WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      71 IN 2018
AUG  8  95      -WARMEST HIGH TEMPERATURE     95 IN 1949 (TIED)
AUG 19  90      -WARMEST HIGH TEMPERATURE     90 IN 2009, 1947 (TIED)
AUG 22  2.19    -GREATEST PRECIPITATION       1.85 IN 1885
AUG 24  66      -WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      66 IN 2020 (TIED)
AUG 30  68      -WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      68 IN 2005 (TIED)
OCT 14  2.79    -GREATEST PRECIPITATION       1.89 IN 1882
OCT 18  1.49    -GREATEST PRECIPITATION       1.46 IN 1981
OCT 24  4       -SMALLEST TEMPERATURE RANGE   4 IN 2021, 1972 (TIED)
OCT 26  57      -WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      52 IN 1991
NOV  5  55      -WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      55 IN 1961 (TIED)
NOV  5  75*     -WARMEST HIGH TEMPERATURE     71 IN 1944
NOV  5  65      -WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE  60 IN 1994
NOV  6  59**    -WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      53 IN 1985
NOV  6  64      -WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE  61 IN 2020
NOV 11  69      -WARMEST HIGH TEMPERATURE     69 IN 2020 (TIED)
NOV 11  61      -WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE  61 IN 2020 (TIED)
NOV 12  52      -WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      51 IN 1984
NOV 12  73      -WARMEST HIGH TEMPERATURE     65 IN 2020 AND 1982
NOV 12  63      -WARMEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE  56 IN 1984 AND 1982
DEC 7   46      -WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE      40 IN 1999
DEC 16  2       -SMALLEST TEMPERATURE RANGE   4 IN 2012, 1995, 1948
DEC 17  3       -SMALLEST TEMPERATURE RANGE   5 IN 2014

*THE RECORD HIGH OF 75 DEGREES ON THE 5TH WAS ALSO A NEW ALL TIME
RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER. THE PREVIOUS ALL
TIME RECORD HIGH WAS 74 DEGREES WHICH WAS MOST RECENTLY SET ON
NOVEMBER 7TH, 2020.

**THE RECORD WARM LOW OF 59 DEGREES ON THE 6TH WAS ALSO A NEW ALL
TIME RECORD WARM LOW TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER. THE
PREVIOUS ALL TIME RECORD WARM LOW TEMPERATURE WAS 57 DEGREES SET ON
NOVEMBER 4TH, 1982.

$$

DS/HAT
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