Grand Isle, ME climate
Grand Isle has cold, snowy winters and cool summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 76°, a January night drops to 1°, and about 97 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Grand Isle feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Grand Isle 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 | 19° | 1° | 2.7" | 24.5" | 10 | 31 | -2° – 18° |
| February | 23° | 2° | 2.4" | 20.0" | 9 | 28 | 1° – 22° |
| March | 33° | 13° | 2.5" | 17.5" | 11 | 31 | 13° – 30° |
| April | 46° | 27° | 2.8" | 5.7" | 11 | 16 | 32° – 43° |
| May | 62° | 39° | 3.6" | 0.1" | 14 | 0 | 46° – 56° |
| June | 71° | 48° | 4.1" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 55° – 64° |
| July | 76° | 54° | 4.4" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 59° – 69° |
| August | 74° | 52° | 3.9" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 60° – 67° |
| September | 66° | 44° | 3.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 50° – 61° |
| October | 52° | 34° | 4.2" | 0.8" | 13 | 1 | 38° – 49° |
| November | 38° | 24° | 3.2" | 7.4" | 12 | 8 | 25° – 36° |
| December | 26° | 11° | 3.2" | 20.7" | 12 | 25 | 11° – 27° |
| Year | 49° | 29° | 40.6" | 96.7" | 143 | 139 |
“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 Grand Isle
Grand Isle 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 143 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 139 days of the year.
About 147 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 6 and the first one by October 2. That leaves about 147 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 83% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Grand Isle
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Grand Isle, 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.
Grand Isle and its neighbors
Grand Isle borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.2°. Madawaska has the coldest January nights (0°) and Van Buren the hottest July afternoons (76°). Grand Isle’s January low is 1° and its July high 76°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Grand Isle 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 Grand Isle averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.5°). The shift is larger than in 74% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Grand Isle’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 1° to 22°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Grand Isle’s climate
What is the coldest month in Grand Isle?
January, with a typical high of 19° and a low of 1°.
What is the hottest month in Grand Isle?
July, with a typical high of 76° and a low of 54°.
How much snow does Grand Isle get?
About 97 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Grand Isle?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 2, and the last spring frost by May 6.
What is the rainiest month in Grand Isle?
July, with 4.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 41 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Grand Isle itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Van Buren 2, ME (11 mi, snow) and Frenchville Aroostook Airport, ME (8 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.