Caribou, ME climate
Caribou has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 2°, and about 118 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Caribou feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Caribou 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 | 21° | 2° | 3.0" | 25.0" | 14 | 30 | -1° – 19° |
| February | 24° | 3° | 2.4" | 25.3" | 12 | 29 | 2° – 24° |
| March | 34° | 15° | 2.6" | 21.4" | 13 | 30 | 15° – 32° |
| April | 48° | 28° | 3.0" | 8.3" | 13 | 13 | 32° – 44° |
| May | 63° | 40° | 3.5" | 0.8" | 15 | 0 | 47° – 57° |
| June | 72° | 50° | 4.0" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 57° – 65° |
| July | 77° | 56° | 4.2" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 60° – 70° |
| August | 76° | 53° | 3.7" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 61° – 68° |
| September | 67° | 45° | 3.6" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 52° – 62° |
| October | 53° | 35° | 4.2" | 1.7" | 14 | 1 | 39° – 51° |
| November | 39° | 25° | 3.3" | 10.4" | 13 | 9 | 27° – 38° |
| December | 27° | 12° | 3.6" | 25.2" | 15 | 25 | 13° – 28° |
| Year | 50° | 30° | 40.9" | 118.2" | 161 | 136 |
“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 Caribou
Caribou gets 41 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 161 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 136 days of the year.
About 143 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 7 and the first one by October 1. That leaves about 143 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 87% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Caribou
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Caribou, 98% of that work is heating and 2% 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.
Caribou and its neighbors
Caribou borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.3°. Woodland has the coldest January nights (1°) and Presque Isle the hottest July afternoons (77°). Caribou’s January low is 2° and its July high 77°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Caribou 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 Caribou averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.6°). The shift is larger than in 75% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Caribou’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 2° to 24°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Caribou’s climate
What is the coldest month in Caribou?
January, with a typical high of 21° and a low of 2°.
What is the hottest month in Caribou?
July, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 56°. About 2 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Caribou get?
About 118 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Caribou?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 1, and the last spring frost by May 7.
What is the rainiest month in Caribou?
July, with 4.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 41 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Caribou itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Caribou Municipal Airport, ME (4 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.