Portland Is One of the Fastest Warming Places in New England

Whether you believe that mankind is causing global warming or not, there is no denying that our climate is changing.

If you have lived in an area for more than a few years, you have probably noticed a change in the weather. When I was growing up in Northern Maine, the winters were always cold and snowy. That is no longer the case. These days, even though Aroostook County still gets a significant amount of snow, it is nothing like it was back in the '80s and '90s.

Recently, we have witnessed the effects of climate change in other ways. The ‘Grinch’ storm caused widespread flooding in Maine, and led to the deaths of several people, for example.

The Fastest-Warming Town in Maine

Climate Central recently put out its list of the fastest-warming places in the United States.

According to their study, Portland, Maine, was the fastest-warming place in Maine.

Between 1970 and 2023, the average summer temperature for Portland increased by 2.4 degrees. Additionally, the city sees an average of 14 days each summer when the temperature is considered above normal.

During the same 53-year period, Presque Isle saw a jump of 1.8 degrees, and Bangor saw a jump of 1.6 degrees.

Portland was also one was the fastest-warming places in New England. Only Concord, New Hampshire, and Burlington, Vermont, saw bigger increases. Concord saw a temperature increase of about 2.6 degrees during the last half-century, and Burlington saw a whopping 3.5-degree jump.

Zac Durant via Unsplash