The National Climate Assessment puts most of its Northeast focus on the here-and-now impacts of the extreme snow and rain days already happening but predicts this extreme precipitation will continue to increase in frequency and ferocity under all global warming scenarios heading into the future. The number of 4-inch rain days is increasing, too, but slowly. It doesn’t specify how many heavy rain days any one state within the region has racked up.Īn independent review of five long-term weather stations in Maine conducted by the state climatologist, Sean Birkel, suggests some of the regional extreme precipitation trends hold true in Maine: The number of 2- and 3-inch rain days is growing fast.

How does Maine stack up? The assessment’s conclusions about the Northeast are based on data from 13 states, from Maryland and West Virginia to Maine. Two-inch rain days were up 49% when comparing averages between 19, while 5-inch days were up 102%. While the future impact of sea level rise is a top concern in Maine and other coastal states as the climate warms, the increasing frequency of extreme weather events here is already having statewide impacts.Īccording to the new National Climate Assessment, in the sprawling region it defines as the Northeast, the number of extreme rain or snow events is up 62%, the largest increase in the nation.

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