Despite May's short, summer-like heat wave, this was the third consecutive month which saw monthly average temperatures cooler than normal, according to climatologists at the Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell University.

For the 12-state Northeast region, this ranked as the 27th coolest May in 102 years of records, according to Keith Eggleston, regional climatologist. The temperature averaged 1.6 degrees colder than the 30-year average, he said.

Vermont was the coldest state, with respect to normal, highlighting a statewide average temperature that was 2.7 degrees cooler than their normal. West Virginia was the region's only warmer-than-normal state in May, with an average temperature 1.4 degrees above normal.

Five all-time high temperature records were either tied or set during the heat wave

May 19-21. On May 19, Williamsport, Pa., tied a 101-year-old May record at 96 degrees, while the next day Binghamton, N.Y., tied a 14-year-old record at 89 degrees. Bridgeport, Conn. (97 degrees), Hartford, Conn. (99 degrees), and Newark, N.J. (99 degrees), broke relatively recent May records on that day.

Patuxent River, Md., handily broke a 49-year-old daily high temperature record on May 20, when the mercury reached 100 degrees, beating the old mark by 12 degrees. At Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Md., the thermometer saw a wide range of activity: the airport smashed a 1978 low-temperature record for May 1, with a reading of 35 degrees. Three weeks later, the airport tied a 62-year-old high-temperature record with a 96 degree mark on May 21.

May was also wet. With 8.5 inches of rain, West Virginia doubled their May normal amount. Elkins, W. Va., endured 15.75 inches of rain, making it that city's wettest month in 97 years. The Northeast region survived the 16th wettest May on record, recording 129 percent the normal precipitation. It was one of the 10 wettest springs in West Virginia and New Hampshire.

Even Mother's Day could not escape the Northeast's wacky weather. Caribou, Maine, reported a 5.6-inch snowfall on May 12, while on the same day, Ithaca, N.Y., enjoyed 1.3 inches -- their most ever so late in the season.

New Weather Records

High Temperature Records for May