This summer, beach lovers getting the cold shoulder

This summer marks the dubious record of having the latest first 85-degree day in history. (Courtesy photo)

If you’re a beach lover who’d like nothing more than a string of 85-degree days to dig you toes into some sand and work on your tan, well, don’t hold your breath. It might not be happening in the summer of 2014.

After a June and July that saw only eight days with high temps over 80 degrees, the first week of August is expected to be even cooler with highs in the upper 70 and only struggling to 80, says a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine.

Margaret Curtis told The Lebanon Voice today that while average highs and lows this year are pretty much right at the norm, the most striking statistic this summer is that the Portland temperature never topped 85 until July 21, the latest time in the summer ever to have first broken that plateau.

Meanwhile, June’s high temperature for the whole month was just 74. That was followed by July, which had just eight days in which the high was over 80 degrees. And forget about a 90-degree day. Not a one.

“As far as like when I feel like it’s really hot out and I want to go cool off at the beach, we haven’t really had that,” Curtis said.

To add to the beachgoer woes, July’s rain has been almost double the average. Precip for this July was 6.12 inches, compared to an average of 3.61 inches.

Curtis said she sees absolutely nothing in the next week that would make a beach lover’s heart flutter, just highs in the upper 70s to maybe a couple of 80s inland, mostly clear skies in the morning followed by occasional afternoon showers.

Over at York Beach, Maine, today around 9:40 a.m. the air temp was listed at 73, with ocean water temps a brisk 60-63 degrees.