As one of the warmest Novembers wraps up in central Aroostook County, another round of snowfall is destined for the region, offering a good start for local winter recreationists.
Through the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 26, Caribou was having its warmest November since official records began in 1939, according to the National Weather Service Caribou station.
As of Tuesday, Nov. 29, the station is projecting the month will end with an average temperature of 36.8 degrees Fahrenheit, said Todd Foisy, NWS Caribou science and operations officer. That would tie with November 2009 for second warmest, he said.
The warmest November in Caribou was in 2011, when the month’s average temperature was 37.9 degrees Fahrenheit. The third warmest November was in 2006 (36.7 degrees) and the fourth warmest in 1953 (36.5 degrees), according to Foisy.
Early to mid-November brought mild days to Aroostook County that allowed farmers to clean and plow fields later into the season. Snowfall in the days before and after Thanksgiving brought 10.5 inches of snow to Caribou — exactly the 30-year average, according to Foisy.
While some of that snowfall melted, some of it has stayed on the ground and more snow is expected before the month is over — putting The County off to a good foundation for the winter ski and snowmobile season.
From Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday morning, the NWS forecast said much of Aroostook County could receive between 6-8 inches of snow.
All snow is expected across from Presque Isle north to the St. John Valley, while southern locations may also have sleet and freezing rain and Bangor and Down East can expect mostly rain, the forecast said.
Another weather system anticipated to start Wednesday evening could bring another six inches or more of snowfall to northern Maine and Aroostook County.
