The pain in Maine

The pain in Maine

From Watts Up with That, January 17, 2009

I don’t know if any of you readers have ever experienced temperatures that are down to -50°F, but it is painful to endure.

From the NWS WFSO in Caribou, Maine, a report of a new statewide low record event.  (h/t to Joe Bastardi via Jeff L). Unlike the WSFO in Chicago, which wants to throw out a statewide record low temperature because they don’t seem to trust the quality control on an AWOS station calibrated the day before in Rochelle, the WSFO in Caribou seems ready to consider the temperature recorded by a USGS gage. Ah, consistency.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME
0955 AM EST FRI JAN 16 2009

**********POTENTIAL STATEWIDE RECORD MINIMUM TEMPERATURE*************

AT 0730 AM EST THIS MORNING A USGS GAGE AT BIG BLACK RIVER RECORDED
A LOW TEMPERATURE OF -50F.  THIS EXCEEDS THE CURRENT STATEWIDE
RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE OF -48F SET ON JANUARY 19TH…1925 AT VAN
BUREN. THIS REPORT IS CONSIDERED UNOFFICIAL UNTIL A REVIEW OF THE
EQUIPMENT AND DATA BY THE STATE CLIMATE EXTREMES COMMITTEE AS TO
THE VALIDITY OF THIS REPORT. IF THE COMMITTEE ASCERTAINS THAT THIS
IS INDEED A VALID REPORT…A SEPARATE PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
WILL BE ISSUED AT THAT TIME.

$$
PJR
But wait, there’s more from the Caribou WSFO:

Low Temperatures Recorded 16 January, 2009

Here are the preliminary temperature reports from January 16, 2009.

• First is a map showing temperature reports across northern Maine.
• Second is a listing of temperature reports from locations across northern Maine.

Our appreciation is extended to highway departments, cooperative observers, SKYWARN spotters and the media for these reports.

A special thanks is extended to the general public for phoning in reports via our automated system. Your help is appreciated and aided us greatly in updating our products.

Read the rest here