Gulf of Maine Region

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook 

September 2017

Quarterly Climate Impacts 

and Outlook

Gulf of Maine Region

September 2017

www.drought.gov/drought/resources/reports

htp://ec.gc.ca/eau-water/default.

asp?lang=En&n=6AABE50C-1

 Gulf of Maine Signifcant Events - June–August 2017

Precipitation Sea Surface Temperatures

Regional Climate Overview - June–August 2017

Summer sea surface temperature anomalies 

were highly locaton-dependent in the Gulf 

of Maine. Over most near-coastal regions in 

shallower water, temperatures were about 

0.5°C (1°F) cooler than normal. These cool 

anomalies were also present over parts of the 

central Gulf of Maine south of Penobscot Bay, 

north of Georges Bank, and in the Northeast 

Channel region. Temperatures were 0.5°–1°C 

(1°–2°F) warmer than normal over the deeper 

basins of the Gulf of Maine, over Georges 

Bank, in the Bay of Fundy, and the southern 

Nova Scota shelf.

Summer temperatures (averaged over June, 

July, and August) ranged from 1°C (2°F) below 

normal in central New Hampshire to 1°C (2°F) 

above normal in parts of New Brunswick and 

P.E.I. June temperatures ranged from normal 

to 2°C (4°F) above normal. On June 6, highs 

near 10°C (50°F) ranked among the top fve 

coldest for summer at Concord, NH, and 

Boston, MA. On June 8 and June 11–13, high 

temperatures ranging from 27° to 36°C (81° 

to 97°F) set records at several sites across the 

region. On June 19, Caribou, ME, ted its all-tme 

warmest low temperature for June with a low 

of 21°C (69°F). July temperatures ranged from 

1°C (2°F) below normal to near normal in the 

region. August temperatures ranged from 2°C 

(4°F) below normal in parts of Maine and New 

Hampshire to 1°C (2°F) above normal in parts of 

the Maritmes. 

Sea surface temperature anomalies based on 1985–2017. 

Mean SST anomalies from NOAA AVHRR data. Credit: 

University of Maine School of Marine Sciences and NERACOOS

Temperature

Summer precipitaton (accumulated from June 

to August) ranged from 25% of normal in central 

New Brunswick and coastal Maine to 150% of 

normal in western Maine and Cape Cod, MA. 

At four sites in New Brunswick, the summer 

was one of the top three driest on record. June

precipitaton ranged from 25% of normal in 

Cape Breton, N.S., to 150% of normal in western 

Nova Scota and parts of New England. In July, 

many areas received 25%–110% of normal 

precipitaton, with central New Brunswick seeing 

less than 25% of normal. July ranked among the 

top 10 driest on record for more than a dozen 

sites. The weter-than-normal areas in July 

included central Nova Scota, western Maine, 

and central New Hampshire. August precipitaton 

was 25%–110% of normal for much of the region. 

However, Cape Cod, MA, and parts of Nova 

Scota, were weter than normal. 

Departure from Normal

Temp and precip normals 

based on 1981–2010 data.

Departure from Normal Percent of Normal

• August 5: Two tornadoes damaged more than 1,000 trees 

and several structures in northern Maine. 

• August 19: Up to 209.6 mm (8.25 in.) of rain led to 

numerous fooded basements and roads in Cape Cod, MA. 

A car fell into a sinkhole afer a dune eroded beneath it.

In mid-August, Hurricane Gert caused high waves, rough 

surf, and rip currents along several coastlines in the region.

Cold temperatures and frequent storms in May and early 

June reduced lobster landings in the Maritmes. Due to 

weather conditons and high demand, Canadian lobster

prices were at an all-tme high for late May and early June.

Summer was characterized by high variability in temperature, rainfall, and weather 

events. Moderate drought developed in portons of Maine and the Maritmes, while 

parts of Massachusets and New Hampshire had several heavy rain events.

There were multple severe thunderstorm and fash fooding events throughout the 

summer. 

• June 27: In New Brunswick, golf ball-sized hail and wind gusts near 100 km/h 

occurred in the Plaster Rock area. A tornado warning was issued for the Doaktown 

to Blackville area. Some statons saw more than 25 mm (1 in.) of rain in an hour. 

• July 1: In Maine, a state that averages only two tornadoes a year, the Gray Natonal 

Weather Service ofce issued seven tornado warnings, their greatest number in 

recorded history. Five weak (EF-0 or EF-1) tornadoes touched down, the most 

Maine has had in a single day. The tornadoes snapped or uprooted dozens of 

trees, damaging buildings, vehicles, and other structures. In New Hampshire, 

straight-line winds of up to 137 km/h (85 mph), a funnel cloud, and golf-ball-sized 

hail were reported. Flash fooding damaged dozens of roads in the two states, with 

damage in New Hampshire exceeding $4 million.

• July 7, July 12, August 2: Heavy rain caused signifcant street fooding in parts of 

eastern Massachusets. The downpours lef some roads impassable and numerous 

vehicles stuck, with several having water up to their windows or hoods. 

• July 20–21: A strong cold front produced severe thunderstorms in the region. 

Hail damaged crops, including over 200 acres of corn in Maine and around 100 

acres of potatoes in P.E.I. In Aroostook County, ME, wind gusts of up to 97 km/h 

(60 mph) downed trees and damaged a few outbuildings. In P.E.I., heavy rain 

caused localized fooding, and 20,000 homes and business were lef without 

power. Charlotetown received 45.2 mm (1.78 in.) of rain, a daily record. Behind 

the system, from July 22 to 26, temperatures dropped as low as -0.6°C (31°F), with 

several sites setng record lows. Edmundston, NB, had a low of 1.3°C (34°F) on the 

23rd, which was its all-tme coldest July temperature since 1918. 

Moderate drought developed in Maine and 

part of the Maritmes. 

During summer, temperatures varied 

greatly, setng both record lows and record 

highs.

Severe weather struck the region repeatedly 

during summer. Maine had a record number of 

tornadoes on July 1.

Portons of Massachusets and New Hampshire 

experienced fash fooding.
Regional Impacts - June–August 2017

Regional Outlook - Autumn 2017 Gulf of Maine Region Partners

Environment and Climate Change Canada

www.ec.gc.ca

Northeast Regional Climate Center

www.nrcc.cornell.edu

Natonal Oceanic and Atmospheric Administraton

www.noaa.gov

Natonal Centers for Environmental Informaton

www.ncei.noaa.gov

Natonal Operatonal Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center

www.nohrsc.noaa.gov

NOAA Sea Grant Network 

www.seagrant.noaa.gov

Northeast River Forecast Center

www.erh.noaa.gov/nerfc

Climate Predicton Center

www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov

Regional Climate Services

www.ncdc.noaa.gov/rcsd

Gulf of Maine Research Insttute

www.gmri.org

State Climatologists

www.stateclimate.org

Natonal Integrated Drought Informaton System 

www.drought.gov

Cooperatve Insttute for the North Atlantc Region

www.cinar.org

Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment, Climate 

Network

www.gulfofmaine.org/climatenetwork

Northeastern Regional Associaton of Coastal and Ocean 

Systems

www.neracoos.org

University of Maine, School of Marine Sciences

www.umaine.edu/marine

Contacts

NOAA:

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

Samantha Borisof (samantha.borisof@cornell.edu)

Environment and Climate Change Canada:

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

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

ec.enviroinfo.ec@canada.ca

To receive this publicaton every quarter, sign up at 

www.gulfofmaine.org/2/climate-network-climate-outlook.

Gulf of Maine Region

Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook 

September 2017 

www.drought.gov/drought/resources/reports

htp://ec.gc.ca/eau-water/default.

asp?lang=En&n=6AABE50C-1

#regionalclimateoutlooks

Temperature and 

Precipitation As of mid- to late August, Environment and 

Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and NOAA’s 

Climate Predicton Center (CPC) were calling 

for an increased chance of above-normal 

September–November temperatures for 

the entre region. ECCC was predictng 

an increased chance of above-normal 

September–November precipitaton for P.E.I. 

and parts of New Brunswick and Nova Scota, 

while CPC was forecastng equal chances of 

below-, near-, or above-normal precipitaton 

for New England.

While ENSO-neutral conditons were in place 

as of mid-September, CPC indicated there is an 

increasing chance (55–60%) of La Niña during 

autumn and winter 2017–18.

According to the U.S. Seasonal Drought 

Outlook, drought conditons are expected to 

ease in Maine.

Probability of above-normal (A)

ECCC temperature map (lef) produced on August 31. 

CPC temperature map (right) produced on August 17.

50

Above: Sep. 5 streamfow compared to 

historical values. Credit: USGS. Below: 

Drought conditons in Fredericton, NB, on 

August 12, 2017. Credit: Rick Fleetwood.

A

Atlantic Hurricane Season

The August 2017 

North American 

Drought Monitor. 

NOAA’s 2017 Atlantc hurricane season outlook

called for an actve season. Already by midSeptember, there have been 13 named storms, 

close to the season average. The outlook 

updated on August 9 calls for 14–19 named 

storms, including 2–5 major hurricanes, slightly 

more than the May outlook. Factors contributng 

to the updated forecast include storm actvity 

through early August, the decreased likelihood 

of El Niño, warmer-than-normal waters in the 

tropical Atlantc Ocean, and computer model 

forecasts. The Atlantc hurricane season runs 

from June 1 to November 30, with the peak of 

the season from mid-August to late October.

In mid-August, Hurricane Gert caused high 

waves, rough surf, and rip currents along 

the Northeast coastline. Two of the major 

hurricanes, Harvey and Irma, were recordsetng. Based on preliminary data, Hurricane 

Harvey dumped up to 1317.8 mm (51.88 in.) 

of rain on southeastern Texas in late August, 

which could become the all-tme greatest rain 

total from a single storm in the contnental 

United States. In early September, Hurricane 

Irma maintained max winds of 298 km/h (185 

mph) for 37 hours, longer than any other cyclone

across the globe according to a report from 

Colorado State University. These two storms did 

not signifcantly impact the Gulf of Maine region. 

Localized Heavy Precipitation

In contrast, felds were soggy and ruted in parts of New Hampshire. Farmers had difculty harvestng hay

and were concerned about declining quality. There was also an increase in diseases in fruit. However, the 

conditons were good for berry crops and boosted grass growth in the state. Runof from the heavy rain 

likely contributed to high bacteria levels in the water at 12 Massachusets beaches, with some beaches 

closed for a few days.

Summer Dryness

Much of the Gulf of Maine region was drier than normal during summer, with moderate drought 

developing in parts of coastal Maine, central P.E.I., northern Nova Scota, and the southern half of New 

Brunswick. Drought conditons eased in P.E.I. in August due to increased precipitaton. Some farmers in 

New Brunswick and Maine had to increase their reliance on irrigaton. The Maine Potato Board expected 

reduced potato yields compared to previous years due to the dry conditons, a concern shared by P.E.I. 

potato growers. Pastures and hay felds were dry, britle, and slow-growing in parts of Maine and P.E.I., 

with some farmers giving their catle supplemental feed. Below-normal rainfall reduced crop yields of 

berries. Growers in New Brunswick and P.E.I. reported fewer and smaller raspberries, strawberries, and 

blueberries, and Maine blueberry growers reported some shriveled berries. Grapes were also smaller in 

size, giving them a higher sugar concentraton, which could result in beter wine according to winemakers. 

Southwestern Nova Scota was one of the few places in the Maritmes that was weter than normal in June, 

which boosted the strawberry crop; however, a dry July combined with long-term precipitaton defcits 

contributed to some wells going dry. Residents of Cornwall, P.E.I., were asked to reduce their water usage. 

New Brunswick ofcials expect this tourist season to be one of the best in years due in part to the dry, 

sunny weather.

A forest fre on Miscou Island, NB, in late July forced residents of 25 homes to evacuate. According to the 

fre chief, the fre grew due to dry conditons and trees downed by the January ice storm. In early August, 

the fre danger in New Brunswick was the highest it has been in more than 20 years, leading the province 

to restrict forestry operatons during the day. Fire danger was also high in Nova Scota and P.E.I., with the 

later province limitng burning in some parks. Sporadic rainfall from late July through mid-August helped 

keep drought conditons from worsening. With the fre hazard reduced, restrictons on forestry operatons 

in New Brunswick were lifed in mid-August.