Whenever we flip the calendar and welcome in a new year, there are lots of hopes for what that new year could bring. In cold weather states like Maine, those hopes and dreams can serve as a welcome distraction from what's going on outside. And what's going on outside in Maine in January usually isn't anything good.

Thermometer in the snow with focus on the red.
KariHoglund
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This brings us to an interesting study done by Wiki Esvid, which compiled historical weather data while simultaneously surveying local residents to determine what day could be predicted as the most 'miserable' day in Maine in any given year. The answer? January 16.

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Claudio Divizia
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It shouldn't be a huge surprise. According to weather-us.com, January is traditionally Maine's coldest month, with average high temperatures rolling in below freezing. Not only that, but according to VisitMaine.com, Maine typically sees 15 to 20 days of snowfall in January. Cold plus endless snowfall equals miserable.

Winter park in snowWinter park in snow
Hydromet
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It isn't just the weather that makes it miserable, either. The excitement of Christmas has worn off, daylight is still sparse, and the next big holiday weekend to look forward to is in...May. Add it all up, and it truly does sound miserable.

Snow accumulating on the roof of a house during a snowstorm.
Eli Wilson
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But it shouldn't be all doom and gloom. After all, the study uses historical data to come to its conclusions, and recent winters have proven to be less 'miserable' than ever before. As of this writing, most of southern Maine doesn't even have snow on the ground. There should be little room for complaints.

Of course, that means that Monday, January 16 SHOULD be the most 'miserable' day of the year in Maine, but has a good chance of not being that. Maybe things really are turning around for all of us after all.


 

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