Appleton, ME climate
Appleton has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 11°, and about 69 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Appleton feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Appleton 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29° | 11° | 4.0" | 17.2" | 10 | 11° – 27° |
| February | 32° | 13° | 3.3" | 19.2" | 9 | 9° – 29° |
| March | 40° | 21° | 4.1" | 11.3" | 10 | 23° – 38° |
| April | 52° | 32° | 4.2" | 3.5" | 11 | 39° – 47° |
| May | 64° | 42° | 3.7" | 0 | 12 | 48° – 57° |
| June | 72° | 52° | 4.3" | 0 | 12 | 59° – 66° |
| July | 78° | 58° | 3.3" | 0 | 11 | 64° – 71° |
| August | 77° | 57° | 3.3" | 0 | 9 | 64° – 70° |
| September | 69° | 49° | 4.1" | 0 | 9 | 55° – 64° |
| October | 57° | 39° | 5.3" | 0.2" | 11 | 44° – 54° |
| November | 45° | 29° | 4.7" | 2.3" | 10 | 33° – 42° |
| December | 35° | 19° | 4.8" | 15.0" | 12 | 21° – 34° |
| Year | 54° | 35° | 49.1" | 68.7" | 124 |
“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 Appleton
Appleton gets 49 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 124 days a year.
About 175 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 27 and the first one by October 19. That leaves about 175 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 54% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Appleton
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Appleton, 96% of that work is heating and 4% 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.
Appleton and its neighbors
Appleton borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.5°. Liberty has the coldest January nights (10°) and Searsmont the hottest July afternoons (78°). Appleton’s January low is 11° and its July high 78°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Appleton 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 Appleton averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.7°). The shift is larger than in 82% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Appleton’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 9° to 29°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Appleton’s climate
What is the coldest month in Appleton?
January, with a typical high of 29° and a low of 11°.
What is the hottest month in Appleton?
July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 58°. About 2 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Appleton get?
About 69 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Appleton?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 19, and the last spring frost by April 27.
What is the rainiest month in Appleton?
October, with 5.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 49 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Appleton itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at West Rockport 1 Nnw, ME (10 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.