Quarterly Climate Impacts 

and Outlook

Gulf of Maine Region

June 2018

Gulf of Maine Significant Events – March–May 2018 

On March 1–4, the first of several nor'easters impacted the region. The storm brought 

significant snowfall to some areas; Doyleville, N.B., reported 26 cm (10.2 in.) of snow. Up 

to 130 mm (5 in.) of rain was reported in New England, which caused flooding. Strong 

winds associated with the storm downed trees and power lines; wind gusts greater 

than 146 km/hr (90 mph) were reported in Massachusetts. Storm surge and high waves 

washed rocks onto coastal roads in Nova Scotia. A few days later on March 7–8, a 

powerful nor'easter brought rain, heavy, wet snow, and strong winds to much of New 

England and the Maritimes. Flooded streets led to road closures, and wind gusts caused 

power outages affecting over 320,000 customers in Massachusetts and 30,000 in Nova 

Scotia. The Maritimes were affected by another nor'easter immediately afterward on 

March 9–10, with snowfall amounts over 40 cm (15.7 in.) in Nova Scotia, and 65,000 

customers lost power there. Another nor'easter moved through the region on March 

13–14, bringing heavy, wet snow and strong winds. Penobscot, ME, received 76 cm 

(30 in.) of snow and Grand Etang, N.S., reported gusts of 146 km/hr (90 mph). Blizzard 

conditions were reported in Boston causing additional power outages, and a sports 

dome in Nova Scotia was destroyed. Boston ranked this storm as its largest one-day 

March snowfall on record. Another storm on March 21–22 brought mixed precipitation, 

significant snowfall, and strong winds that halted travel in parts of New England. 

Nantucket, MA, reported a gust of 88 km/hr (55 mph). Moncton, N.B., and Bas Caraquet, 

N.B., both reported March cumulative snowfall in excess of 100 cm (39 in.).

On April 16–17, heavy rain and wind gusts up to 85 km/hr (53 mph) were recorded 

in Massachusetts, which created unfavorable conditions for participants of the Boston 

Marathon. Freezing rain caused schools to close in parts of New Brunswick, and P.E.I. 

Bas Caraquet, N.B., reported 39 mm (1.5 in.) of total precipitation.

Heavy rain and mild temperatures led to 

melting snow and major flooding in New 

Brunswick on April 27–30. This was the 

beginning of a prolonged flood event that 

continued through mid-May as several storm 

events caused power outages and added to the 

ongoing flooding. Strong winds, up to 100 km/

hr (62 mph) in Moncton, caused thousands to 

lose power on May 4–5. The high winds in New 

Brunswick complicated flood relief efforts and 

caused additional damage due to wave action. 

More rain, wet snow, winds, and lightning 

caused additional power outages on May 23. 

Regional Climate Overview – March–May 2018

Temperature

Spring Departure from Normal

Precipitation

Spring Percent of Normal

A contrasting cold April and very warm 

May balanced out the average spring

temperatures (averaged over March, April, 

and May) to near normal. March temperatures 

ranged from 1°C (2°F) below normal to 3°C 

(5°F) above normal. April temperatures 

ranged from 4°C (7°F) below normal to near 

normal. May was warm in comparison, with 

temperatures ranging from 2°C (4°F) below 

normal in parts of the Maritimes to over 4°C 

(7°F) above normal in parts of New England.

Spring precipitation (accumulated 

from March–May) ranged from 50% to 

125% of normal. March precipitation 

ranged from 50–200% of normal. April

precipitation ranged from 75–200% of 

normal. Nova Scotia was much wetter 

than normal. May precipitation ranged 

from less than 25% of normal in parts 

of New England to 150% of normal in 

isolated areas of the Maritimes.

Sea Surface Temperatures

Departure from Normal

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

Jessica Spaccio (jlr98@cornell.edu)

Major flooding in New Brunswick at 

the end of April.

Several March nor'easters 

impacted the region.

Spring sea surface temperature anomalies 

over the Gulf of Maine and Scotian Shelf 

were all positive, ranging from 0.5°C (1°F) 

to 2°C (4°F) above average. Extremely 

strong positive anomalies of >3°C (5°F) 

were present in deep water off the shelf, 

south of Nova Scotia. Record-high ocean 

temperatures were recorded off of Nova 

Scotia in April, and a new study shows that 

ocean heat waves are happening more 

frequently and lasting longer.

Gulf of Maine Region Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook| June 2018

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

http://ec.gc.ca/eau-water/default.asp?lang=En&n=6AABE5O
Regional Impacts – March–May 2018

Coastal Flooding in Scituate, MA, on 

March 4th. Credit: Ralph Karl Swenson, 

SKYWARN Spotter. 

Flooded underpass on April 28 

Fredericton, N.B. Credit: Rick Fleetwood.

Spring Conditions

The March storms disrupted travel in New England which led to increased trucking costs. The 

storms, as well as a warming climate, were also linked to rare bird sightings in Nova Scotia.

Weather conditions allowed for a good maple syrup harvest in southern New Brunswick. Despite 

cold winter temperatures, ticks were an issue this spring, as most survived due to the insulation 

provided by above-normal snowfall in many areas. Northern New Brunswick had a good 

snowmobile season due to the amount and duration of snow cover; in contrast the lack of snow 

in central and eastern P.E.I. was hard on the snowmobile industry. Early in April a conservation 

group in P.E.I. was concerned with low water table levels in a watershed, and fire chiefs warned it 

was too dry to burn with the fire weather index at moderate to high toward the end of April.

New Brunswick experienced flooding that began in late April when water levels between Fredericton to Saint John reached or exceeded previous extreme levels set in the floods of 1973 and 

2008. Early New Brunswick flood damage estimates were $80 million. Recovery was expected to 

take months, and concerns remained due to health and safety risks from impacts to infrastructure 

and contamination. Minor flooding was reported in northern Maine.

Spring ice breakup at Fredericton, N.B., on the Saint John River was on March 4, the eleventh 

earliest on record, continuing the trend of a lengthening open water season since records began 

in 1825. In early April, thick ice and colder-than-normal temperatures were expected to prevent 

an early start to the snow crab fishery in the western Gulf of St. Lawrence. Many fisheries had 

planned an early start and end to their season to prevent right whale entanglement. On May 20, 

two right whales were spotted in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, causing several fisheries to close.

North Atlantic right whale Credit: NOAA 

Center for Coastal Studies.

Regional Outlook – Summer 2018

Temperature and Precipitation Atlantic Hurricane Season

Concern about the health of the right whale population in the region continued as no calves

were spotted as of early spring. Scientists think the whales' migration may be changing due to 

changes with currents and climate, forcing them into new waters to find their food sources. In 

contrast, the striped bass population has tripled in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Warming ocean 

temperatures are likely a factor for the northern movement and expansion of the fish population.

Ocean Temperatures

A = Above normal temperatures

ECCC temperature map (left) produced May 31.

CPC temperature map (right) produced May 17.

For June–August, the Environment and 

Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and 

NOAA's Climate Prediction Center (CPC)

outlooks favor above-normal temperatures. 

ECCC's outlook favors below-normal 

precipitation for portions of the Maritimes 

and CPC's outlook favors above-normal 

precipitation for New England.

According to CPC, ENSO-neutral is favored 

through summer 2018, with the chance of El 

Niño increasing to 50% during fall and near 

65% during winter.

NOAA's 2018 Atlantic hurricane outlook 

indicates a near- or above-normal season. 

The outlook calls for "10–16 named storms 

(winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 5–9 

could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph 

or higher), including 1–4 major hurricanes 

(winds of 111 mph or higher)." The Atlantic 

hurricane season runs from June 1 through 

November 30, with a peak from mid-August 

to late October.

ENSO

Early-Jun CPC/IRI Probabilistic ENSO Outlook

Contacts

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

Gulf of Maine Partners

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

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

#regionalclimateoutlooks

Gulf of Maine Region Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook| June 2018

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

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