Maine remains warmer, drier than normal

You can describe December’s weather in Maine in two words: warm and dry.

Every day of the month so far has had above-normal temperatures, according to the National Weather Service. It’s so warm, in fact, that the average temperature in Caribou through Thursday was 13 degrees above the normal 14.8 degrees. Portland through Christmas Day was 9.3 degrees above normal. Bangor was averaging 7 degrees above normal through Thursday.

Those kinds of numbers are taking a toll on businesses that are dependent on the cold. Those establishments, however, are confident that the cold and snow are merely making a late arrival – just like last year.

“In the bigger scheme of things, Mother Nature has a way of balancing things out,” said John Diller, spokesman for the Sugarloaf ski resort in Carrabassett Valley. “We have 96 percent of the season still ahead of us. There’s a Maine winter coming for sure.”

Snow is also in short supply. Caribou, which averages 36.6 inches of snow in December, has had 12 inches, said Larry Gabric of the NWS on Thursday. Portland has had about 5 inches for the month, less than a third of the normal monthly total of 17 inches, said Stephen Broumas, a NWS forecaster. The latest snowfall brought Bangor up to exactly its average of 17 inches for the month.

“Some years it gets going later, some years it doesn’t,” said Broumas. “You really can’t say based on a few weeks of winter how things are going to turn out. The jury’s still out on that one.”

Even though it’s been warm, it’s been cold enough for mountains to make snow for the holiday break – typically one of the busiest times at ski resorts. Sunday River in Newry, Sugarloaf and Shawnee Peak in Bridgton are operating with about 40 percent of their slopes open.

Diller said it would be better for the resorts if there was snow in the metropolitan areas of Portland and Boston to get people’s minds on snow.

“Perception is reality,” he said.

Davis Carver, owner of Bath Cycle and Ski in Woolwich, said his sales have been down this month because of the warmth. But he’s not too concerned.

“Last year, it got off to a slow start and then really picked up. We all think that’s what’s going to happen,” he said. “At least that’s what we’re hoping will happen.”

Last year’s snowy February and March, though, have helped other businesses that sell snowmobiles and snowblowers.

“If it did not snow last year, the sales we have had wouldn’t be there, because people wouldn’t feel the need,” said Linda Shoemaker, an owner of Yerxa’s Lawn and Garden Center in South Portland. “Because of last year’s snow, we’ve almost sold out.”

Gabric of the Caribou weather station said the long-range forecast calls for colder-than-normal temperatures for the state in January and February.