April 2021 Climate Summary

...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                  44.7    2010
Caribou            43.2                  44.9    2010
Millinocket        44.7                  46.9    2010
Bangor             46.7                  49.5    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.