Alton, ME climate
Alton has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 75 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Alton feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Alton weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27° | 8° | 3.3" | 18.6" | 11 | 24 | 7° – 25° |
| February | 31° | 9° | 2.6" | 17.5" | 10 | 25 | 6° – 27° |
| March | 40° | 19° | 3.4" | 15.2" | 11 | 17 | 21° – 38° |
| April | 53° | 31° | 3.6" | 3.7" | 12 | 3 | 38° – 48° |
| May | 66° | 42° | 3.5" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 48° – 59° |
| June | 74° | 51° | 3.9" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 59° – 67° |
| July | 80° | 57° | 3.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 63° – 71° |
| August | 79° | 55° | 3.5" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 63° – 70° |
| September | 70° | 47° | 3.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 54° – 64° |
| October | 57° | 37° | 4.8" | 0.6" | 11 | 0 | 42° – 54° |
| November | 45° | 28° | 4.1" | 4.3" | 11 | 3 | 32° – 41° |
| December | 33° | 16° | 4.1" | 14.7" | 13 | 16 | 18° – 33° |
| Year | 54° | 33° | 43.8" | 74.6" | 134 | 88 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Alton
Alton gets 44 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 134 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 88 days of the year.
About 137 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 13 and the first one by September 28. That leaves about 137 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 91% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Alton
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Alton, 97% of that work is heating and 3% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
Alton and its neighbors
Alton borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.4°. Lagrange has the coldest January nights (7°) and Old Town the hottest July afternoons (80°). Alton’s January low is 8° and its July high 80°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Alton compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Alton averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+4.0°). The shift is larger than in 73% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Alton’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 6° to 27°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Alton’s climate
What is the coldest month in Alton?
January, with a typical high of 27° and a low of 8°.
What is the hottest month in Alton?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 57°. About 2 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Alton get?
About 75 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Alton?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 28, and the last spring frost by May 13.
What is the rainiest month in Alton?
October, with 4.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 44 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Alton itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Bangor Intl Airport, ME (17 mi, snow) and Old Town 2 W, ME (9 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.