May 1999 was a warm and dry month most of the Northeast. The average precipitation amount was 2.73 inches, which represented 71% of normal. Maryland was the driest state in the region with only 50% of the normal May precipitation. This was their 14th driest May in 105 years of record. The states of Delaware, West Virginia and Maine also reported less than 70% of the normal monthly amount. Precipitation across much of New England, meanwhile, was much closer to normal. Rhode Island was the only state to register an excess, with 106% of their long-term average.
The area-weighted regional average temperature for May was 2 degrees warmer than normal. This was 2.6 degrees cooler than last May, but otherwise was the warmest May since 1991. The state of Maine was 4.5 degrees warmer than normal for their 5th warmest May on record. Delaware and New Jersey were slightly cooler than normal with departures of -0.2 and -0.3 degrees, respectively. Many places around the Northeast saw the temperature reach 90¡ at the end of the month.
Monthly Summary of State Temperature and Precipitation Averages.
Maximum Temperature Records (degrees F) City Date New Previous Buffalo, NY 3rd 76 75 in 1981 Caribou, ME 3rd 81 78 in 1942 Caribou, ME (tie) 4th 85 85 in 1944 Caribou, ME 5th 82 79 in 1988 Caribou, ME 6th 81 79 in 1988 Erie, PA (tie) 6th 84 84 in 1982 Caribou, ME 30th 85 84 in 1972 Caribou, ME 31st 87 85 in 1977 Burlington, VT (tie) 31st 90 90 in 1944 Montpelier, VT (tie) 31st 86 86 in 1987 Binghamton, NY 31st 84 83 in 1978 Massena, NY 31st 90 87 in 1994 Syracuse, NY 31st 92 89 in 1944 Minimum Temperature Records (degrees F) City Date New Previous Caribou, ME 12th 29 30 in 1942 Daily Precipitation Records (inches) City Date New Previous Pittsburgh, PA 18th 1.44 1.05 in 1997