A Warm, Wet Spring

May average temperatures ranged from near normal to more than 6°F above normal.

May wrapped up on the warm side of normal for the Northeast, with average temperatures ranging from near normal in areas closer to the coast to more than 6°F above normal in some interior locations. All 35 of the region’s major climate sites were warmer than normal, with May average temperatures ranging from 0.5°F above normal in Providence, RI, to 6.4°F above normal in Syracuse, NY. This May was among the 20 warmest Mays on record for 30 of the sites.

This May was among the 20 warmest Mays on record for 30 major climate sites.

Spring average temperatures ranged from near normal to more than 6°F above normal.

With all three months of the season featuring near- or above-normal temperatures, spring also was warmer than normal. The largest departures above normal were found in interior areas, a familiar pattern during each month of the season. Spring average temperatures at the 35 major climate sites ranged from 1.7°F above normal in Providence, RI, to 5.9°F above normal in Pittsburgh, PA, which was record warm. This spring was also the warmest on record for Huntington and Elkins, WV, and among the 20 warmest for the remaining 32 sites.

This spring was record warm for three major climate sites and among the 20 warmest for the other 32 sites.

May precipitation ranged from 50% of normal to more than 200% of normal.

May precipitation was variable, ranging from 50% of normal in places like southern Maine and southern New Jersey to more than 200% of normal in much of Rhode Island. May precipitation at the 35 major climate sites ranged from 46% of normal in Portland, ME, to 225% of normal in Worcester, MA, and Providence, RI, each of which had one of their five wettest Mays on record. The month also ranked among the 20 wettest for two additional major climate sites. Despite this, a majority of the climate sites, 21 of them, experienced a drier-than-normal May.

While most of the sites were drier than normal, this May was among the 20 wettest on record for four major climate sites.

Spring precipitation generally ranged from 75% of normal to 200% of normal.

Most of the Northeast experienced a wetter-than-normal spring, driven by excessively wet conditions for coastal areas in March, soggy weather for interior areas in April, and localized heavy rainfall in May. The season’s precipitation ranged from near normal to 200% of normal for most of the region, with only a few areas such as northwestern Maine and southeastern West Virginia seeing drier-than-normal conditions. At the 35 major climate sites, spring precipitation ranged from 76% of normal in Beckley, WV, to 186% of normal in Providence, RI, with 29 of the sites being wetter than normal. This spring ranked among the 20 wettest springs on record for 19 of the sites.

This spring ranked among the 20 wettest springs on record for 19 major climate sites.

Spring snowfall ranged from more than 12 inches below normal to more than 12 inches above normal.

As is typical, there was little, if any, snowfall during May. The spring season featured two notable snowstorms that dumped heavy snow on parts of eastern New York and much of northern New England. These areas saw a snowfall surplus, with the greatest departures exceeding 12 inches. Spring snowfall for the rest of the Northeast was below or near normal, with the largest deficits of more than 12 inches in places such as West Virginia, northwestern Pennsylvania, and central New York. Spring snowfall for the 35 major climate sites ranged from 14.6 inches below normal in Erie, PA, to 4.8 inches above-normal in Concord, NH, with 32 of the sites having snowfall deficits. This spring ranked among the 20 least snowy for eight of the sites. It was only the second spring on record that Bridgeport, CT, and Islip, NY, saw no snowfall.

This spring ranked among the 20 least snowy for eight major climate sites.

Seasonal (October-May) snowfall ranged from more than 48 inches below normal to within 12 inches of normal.

The snowfall season, which runs from October through May, featured below-normal snowfall for almost the entire Northeast. The largest deficits of over 48 inches, or four feet, were generally in lake-effect areas of New York and northwestern Pennsylvania. The main exceptions were some higher-elevation locations of northern New York and northern New England, which saw a snowfall surplus of up to 12 inches. All 35 major climate sites reported a seasonal snowfall deficit, ranging from 79.5 inches (6.6 feet) below normal in Erie, PA, to 5.7 inches below normal in Washington, D.C. This snowfall season ranked among the 20 least snowy for 23 major climate sites.

This snow season (October-May) ranked among the 20 least snowy for 23 major climate sites.

June is expected to be wetter than normal in New England (shaded green) and warmer than normal for New England and much of New York (shaded orange). Click to enlarge.

For June, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC) favors wetter-than-normal weather for New England and part of eastern New York. There’s an increased likelihood of above-normal temperatures for New England and much of New York for June. The remainder of the Northeast falls into the equal chances category. For summer, above-normal precipitation was predicted for much of the region due to factors such as long-term climate trends and the potential for an early and active Atlantic hurricane season. Summer is expected to average out to be warmer than normal for the entire Northeast, driven primarily by long-term climate trends.

CPC’s summer outlooks indicate a tilt toward wetter-than-normal (shaded green) and warmer-than-normal (shaded orange) conditions for much of the Northeast. Click to enlarge.