May has arrived. I imagine if you had a lot of damage during the winter to your house then the effects of the season are still lingering. However, with the leaves starting to take over and temperatures warming, the snow and cold of January, February and March are now fading into our collective memories.

April is a transitional month. We really got by unscathed in terms of cold and snow. With almost an even mix of warm and cool days temperatures have ended up close to average. I don’t have the data for yesterday factored in and it really won’t matter, but as of the 29th, the temperature was just slightly warmer than the 30 year average.

Dry First Half Of Spring
Rainfall was fairly evenly scattered through the month, but in the end, we are running a surplus in Portland. This is somewhat misleading as other areas saw less rain last month. Since March first, Portland is running about 20% below average with precipitation. According to the latest drought monitor, in spite of all the snow this winter, inland areas are even in an abnormally dry category.

Now, this doesn’t mean we are in a drought, but it does mean you need to water newly seeded lawns a few minutes each and if you have moved any trees or shrubs, it’s a good idea to be sure the soil is evenly moist.

Some towns will likely institute water restrictions early, if they haven’t already if the lack of rainfall continues through May. You can file this under the category notable, but nothing more. A wet second half of May or June (I hope not), can erase these deficits very quickly.

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What To Expect In May
Daylight continues to increase this month, we gain about an hour of daylight with more light across northern Maine. By the time we reach the end of the month the sunrise will be occurring around 5AM, just about 5 minutes later than the earliest sunrises of mid-June. I know for some of you the morning light is too early, but I love getting up at 4:30, walking the dogs at 5AM, and being done with that part of the day over 2 hours earlier than in December.

Wind Matters
Our wind direction will help determine just how warm or cold it is in May. The chart below shows that May often brings an even amount of west and south winds. Wind direction is where it comes from, not where it’s going (opposite of how we drive). A west wind is a dry wind and usually brings comfortable air to the area. Conversely, a southerly wind would come off Casco Bay and bring with it cool and sometimes even damp conditions. If you want early heat and humidity, hope for a southwest wind.

Weekend Forecast
This weekend will feature dry conditions. It’s going to be mildest inland as any sea breeze won’t be able to penetrate very far. There might be some clouds early in the morning, but generally the afternoons are looking sunny. Sunday, temperatures will range from the upper 50s along the immediate coast to lower 70s well west of the Maine Turnpike. Enjoy the first weekend of May, it’s a magical month.

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