Belfast, ME climate
Belfast has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 76°, a January night drops to 12°, and about 72 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Belfast feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Belfast 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° | 12° | 4.0" | 19.2" | 9 | 12° – 27° |
| February | 31° | 13° | 3.2" | 22.4" | 7 | 8° – 29° |
| March | 39° | 22° | 3.9" | 11.7" | 8 | 23° – 38° |
| April | 51° | 33° | 4.2" | 2.2" | 10 | 38° – 46° |
| May | 62° | 42° | 3.7" | 0 | 10 | 47° – 56° |
| June | 70° | 52° | 4.3" | 0 | 10 | 58° – 65° |
| July | 76° | 58° | 3.2" | 0 | 9 | 63° – 70° |
| August | 75° | 57° | 3.1" | 0 | 8 | 64° – 69° |
| September | 68° | 50° | 3.9" | 0 | 7 | 55° – 63° |
| October | 56° | 39° | 5.2" | 0.3" | 10 | 44° – 54° |
| November | 45° | 30° | 4.7" | 2.5" | 9 | 33° – 42° |
| December | 35° | 19° | 4.7" | 13.2" | 10 | 21° – 34° |
| Year | 53° | 36° | 48.1" | 71.5" | 105 |
“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 Belfast
Belfast gets 48 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 105 days a year.
About 151 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 7 and the first one by October 5. That leaves about 151 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 80% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Belfast
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Belfast, 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.
Belfast and its neighbors
Belfast borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.9°. Waldo has both the coldest January nights (10°) and the hottest July afternoons (78°). Belfast’s January low is 12° and its July high 76°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Belfast 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 Belfast averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.8°). The shift is larger than in 87% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Belfast’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 8° to 29°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Belfast’s climate
What is the coldest month in Belfast?
January, with a typical high of 29° and a low of 12°.
What is the hottest month in Belfast?
July, with a typical high of 76° and a low of 58°. About 2 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Belfast get?
About 72 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Belfast?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 5, and the last spring frost by May 7.
What is the rainiest month in Belfast?
October, with 5.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 48 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Belfast itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Belfast, ME (3 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.