Quarterly Climate Impacts 

and Outlook

Gulf of Maine Region

September 2018

Gulf of Maine Signifcant Events – June–August 2018 

Regional Climate Overview – June–August 2018

Temperature

Summer Departure from Normal

Summer temperatures (averaged over 

June, July, and August) were near normal 

to 2°C (4°F) above normal. Caribou, ME, 

had its warmest summer on record. June

temperatures ranged from 4°C (7°F) below 

normal to 1°C (2°F) above normal. July

temperatures ranged from near normal to 4°C 

(7°F) above normal. August temperatures 

ranged from 1°C (2°F) to 4°C (7°F) above 

normal. While several locations had their 

warmest July and/or August on record, June 

was much colder than average. 

Summer Percent of Normal

Summer precipitation (accumulated 

from June–August) ranged from 50% 

to 150% of normal. June precipitation 

ranged from 50% to over 200% of 

normal. July precipitation ranged from 

less than 25% in the Maritimes to 

over 150% of normal in parts of New 

England. August precipitation ranged 

from less than 25% of normal in parts of 

Nova Scotia to 200% of normal in parts 

of New England.

Sea Surface Temperatures

Departure from Normal

Summer sea surface temperature anomalies 

were 1°C (2°F) to 3°C (5°F) above the 30-

year average over the region. These positive 

anomalies were strongest over the deeper 

central basin portions of the Gulf of Maine 

and off the shelf, south of Nova Scotia where 

temperatures approached 3°C (5°F) above 

normal. Ocean heat waves are becoming more 

common in the Gulf of Maine. On August 8, the 

sea surface temperatures measured were the 

second warmest ever observed there. 

Gulf of Maine Region Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook|Sept. 2018

htps://www.drought.gov/drought/resources/reports

htp://ec.gc.ca/eau-water/default.asp?lang=En&n=6AABE5O

Contact: Ellen Mecray (Ellen.L.Mecray@noaa.gov)

Jessica Spaccio (jlr98@cornell.edu)

In early June a signifcant frost event impacted the Maritimes and northern Maine. A 

June 14 rain event brought up to 40 mm (1.57 in.) to the Maritimes, and associated 

thunderstorms caused over 7,000 customers in New Brunswick to lose power due to 

lightning strikes. A slow-moving, low pressure system brought up to 100 mm (3.94 in.) 

of rain to southern parts of the Maritimes on June 28–29. Lightning strikes during this 

event cause one death and a house fre in New Brunswick. From July 1–5, high humidity 

along with unusually warm temperatures throughout the region resulted in heat indices/

humidex values over 43°C (110°F) in some areas, prompting heat warnings to be issued. 

On July 10, strong thunderstorms crossed the region, bringing damaging high winds, 

power outages, hail, and localized heavy rain. Up to 100 mm (3.94 in.) fell in northern New 

Brunswick. Large hail which damaged cars, buildings, and crops was reported in Maine 

and northern New Brunswick. A heat event affected the Maritimes on July 22–25, as temperatures reached as high as 32°C (90°F) 

and humidex values reached as high as 39°C (102°F). The heat forced some businesses to close and extra caution to be taken during 

outside activities. Locations in New Brunswick reported 13 days with temperatures greater than 30°C (86°F), much more than the 

normal 3.5 days. Heat waves throughout August led to heat advisories being issued and record warm overnight lows in New England. 

The Maritimes also experienced heat events and many days with high humidex and heat warnings. During the frst week of August, St. 

Stephen, N.B., had a humidex value of 41°C (106°F), and Maritime Electric (P.E.I.) reported that use of air conditioning this summer 

had resulted in higher-than-normal electricity loads. The extreme heat over the summer caused additional hardship for the homeless

in Nova Scotia and one confrmed death in New Brunswick. Strong storms on August 6–7 brought high wind and intense lightning 

that knocked down trees and impacted power distribution in parts of southern New Brunswick with more than 50,000 customers losing 

power. Severe storms in the Maritimes on August 9–10 brought fooding rain (89 mm [3.50 in] was reported in Harvey Bank, N.B.), 

golf-ball-size hail, and power outages. On August 11–12, heavy rains fooded streets and homes in Massachusetts; the town of Lynn 

had 207 mm (8.14 in.). During a rain event on August 17–18 Sussex, N.B., received 129 mm (5.08 in.) of rain, which surpassed the 

August daily extreme of 95 mm (3.74 in.). The heavy rain caused localized fooding and road closures in Charlottetown, P.E.I.

Precipitation

Temp & precip normals 

based on 1981-2010 data .

SST anomalies 

based on 1985-2017.
Regional Impacts – June–August 2018

Drought

Regional Outlook – Autumn 2018

Temperature and Precipitation Atlantic Hurricane Season

Contacts

Gulf of Maine Partners

Contact: Ellen Mecray (Ellen.L.Mecray@noaa.gov)

#regionalclimateoutlooks

Gulf of Maine Region Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook|Sept. 2018

htps://www.drought.gov/drought/resources/reports

htp://ec.gc.ca/eau-water/default.asp?lang=En&n=6AABE5O

The increasingly dry conditions in June prompted over 75 public water suppliers to enforce varying 

degrees of water bans in locations throughout Massachusetts. Abnormally dry conditions in June 

and early July across parts of New Brunswick contributed to much lower-than-normal river levels. 

During July many farmers in parts of northern New England had reduced harvests and heat 

stressed crops. Across the Maritimes, the Fire Weather Index was high to extreme at times, but 

despite dry, hot conditions across Nova Scotia, the number of forest fres and hectares burned was 

not unusual, possibly due to the high humidity. The lack of rain in P.E.I. for the second year in a 

row caused concerns about low potato yields, but late-season rains may save the crop. Over the 

summer, moderate drought persisted or developed over portions of Nova Scotia and coastal Maine. 

Colder than normal conditions in early June resulted in widespread frost in the Maritimes and 

northern Maine, which heavily damaged berry, grape, and apple crops, and slowed down corn. 

The hard frost also affected Christmas tree crops in Nova Scotia and P.E.I., damaging new 

growth and affecting the quality of the trees. An unusually warm July brought an early end to the 

berry picking season, already challenged due to the June frost. Southern pine beetles, which 

caused over one billion dollars in losses to the timber industry in the southeastern U.S., have 

been found as far north as New England. Research showed these beetles could reach Nova 

Scotia by 2020 due to a warming climate. Hot and dry conditions forced some farmers in Nova 

Scotia to change their harvesting practices this year.

Forestry & Agriculture

A = Above normal temperatures

ECCC temperature map (left) produced Aug 31.

CPC temperature map (right) produced Aug 16.

For September–November, the 

Environment and Climate Change Canada 

(ECCC) and NOAA's Climate Prediction 

Center (CPC) outlooks favor abovenormal temperatures and call for equal 

chances of below-, near-, or above-normal 

precipitation. 

According to CPC, the chance of El Niño 

is 50–55% during fall and increasing to 

65–70% during winter.

By September 20 there had been 10 

named storms of which 5 were hurricanes, 

including Florence which made landfal 

in North Carolina September 14 causing 

catastrophic fooding. NOAA's 2018 Atlantic 

hurricane outlook, updated August 9, had 

indicated a less active hurricane season than 

initially predicted in May, due to the forecast 

development of El Niño in the fall, coolerthan-average sea surface temperatures in the 

tropical Atlantic Ocean, and strong wind shear. 

ENSO

Early-Sep CPC/IRI Probabilistic ENSO Outlook

Gulf of Maine Research Institute

State Climatologists

National Integrated Drought Information System

Cooperative Institute for the North Atlantic Region

Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment, 

Climate & Network

Northeast Regional Association of Coastal and 

Ocean Systems

University of Maine, School of Marine Sciences

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration

Environment and Climate Change Canada:

1-800-668-6767 (in Canada only)

819-997-2800 (long-distance charges apply)

Northeast Regional Climate Center

To receive this publication every quarter:

www.gulfofmaine.org

August 31, 2018 North American Drought 

Monitor. 

Harmful Algal Bloom. Credit: NOAA

Health

Blue-green algae were reported in some rivers, ponds, lakes, and reservoirs in New Brunswick 

and Lake Banook in N.S. in late July and early August, creating a concern for human and animal

health and prompting a warning for residents to not swim or allow pets into the water. The algae 

is linked to the hotter than normal weather this summer. Two ocean beaches in southwest Nova 

Scotia were closed for the frst time ever due to high bacteria levels which were linked to the 

abnormally high temperatures and humidity and relatively light winds observed this summer. 

Right Whales

Right whale sightings in June and 

July caused fshing areas to close. 

Sightings in the Gulf of St. Lawrence 

are thought to be linked to warming 

ocean temperatures and migration 

of their food sources into cooler 

waters farther north. In late August a 

dead right whale was spotted off the 

coast of Massachusetts.