Portland, ME Climate


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United States / Maine / Portland-South Portland Metro Area / Cumberland County / Portland / Zip Codes
Portland, ME has a humid continental climate with cool summers and cold winters. Winters in Portland are generally cold and snowy, with average temperatures ranging from 20-30 degrees Fahrenheit. Summers are mild and cool, with temperatures typically between 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit. The city is also known for its high amount of precipitation throughout the year, averaging around 48 inches annually. Spring and fall months usually bring moderate weather with temperatures ranging from 40-60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Portland, Maine gets 49 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Portland averages 61 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 203 sunny days per year in Portland. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Portland gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 128 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.

Weather Highlights

Summer High: the July high is around 79 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 11
Rain: averages 49 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 61 inches of snow a year

Bestplaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Portland is 6.5 (10=best), which means it is more comfortable than most places in Maine.

9.2 Summer - 4.2 Winter
August, July and June are the most pleasant months in Portland, while January and February are the least comfortable months.

  ClimatePortland, MaineUnited States
  48.9 in.38.1 in.
  61.0 in.27.8 in.
  128.3 days106.2 days
  203 days205 days
  78.8°85.8°
  10.8°21.7°
  6.57
  2.84.3
  62 ft.2443 ft.
Climate
YOU SHOULD KNOW

Many people confuse weather and climate but they are different. Weather is the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere is over long periods of time.

Weather is how the atmosphere is behaving and its effects upon life and human activities. Weather can change from minute-to-minute. Most people think of weather in terms of temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, brightness, visibility, wind, and atmospheric pressure.

Climate is the description of the long-term pattern of weather in a place. Climate can mean the average weather for a particular region and time period taken over 30 years. Climate is the average of weather over time.

July is the hottest month for Portland with an average high temperature of 78.8°, which ranks it as about average compared to other places in Maine. In Portland, there are 4 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Portland are August, July and June.
In Portland, there are 3.8 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is hotter than most places in Maine.
January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Portland with an average of 10.8°. This is warmer than most places in Maine.
In Portland, there are 154.5 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is warmer than most places in Maine.
In Portland, there are 12.2 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is warmer than most places in Maine.
Humidity in Portland is generally quite low and comfortable. There are few days during the summer when the humidity becomes unpleasant. The most humid months (but still comfortable) are July, August and June.
November is the wettest month in Portland with 5.0 inches of rain, and the driest month is August with 3.3 inches. The wettest season is Winter with 28% of yearly precipitation and 22% occurs in Spring, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 48.9 inches in Portland means that it is about average compared to other places in Maine.
May is the rainiest month in Portland with 12.4 days of rain, and February is the driest month with only 9.2 rainy days. There are 128.3 rainy days annually in Portland, which is about average compared to other places in Maine. The rainiest season is Summer when it rains 27% of the time and the driest is Spring with only a 24% chance of a rainy day.
An annual snowfall of 61.0 inches in Portland means that it is less snowy than most places in Maine. January is the snowiest month in Portland with 18.1 inches of snow, and 6 months of the year have significant snowfall.
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Jack · Portland, ME
Ruined by pandemic, Not worth cost to live here
Over 3 years ago

Used to be great before the pandemic. Now people from out of state have ruined it by paying New York prices for real estate site unseen. Why would you live in Maine when  More

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Zoe · Grand Rapids, MI
Tears and Jimmy Johns
Over 3 years ago

I have never lived here but the lack of Jimmy John’s is depressing and makes me wish I was deceased.  More

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Reggie · 
bad experience!!
Over 6 years ago

I found out I was allergic to corn on the cob here. I would give Portland twelve thumbs downs if I could. My friend told me there was a subway here and I thought he  More

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