Houlton, ME climate
Houlton has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 4°, and about 96 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Houlton feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Houlton 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 | 23° | 4° | 3.1" | 22.8" | 13 | 30 | 1° – 22° |
| February | 26° | 5° | 2.5" | 20.9" | 11 | 28 | 4° – 25° |
| March | 37° | 16° | 3.1" | 19.0" | 11 | 29 | 18° – 34° |
| April | 50° | 29° | 3.3" | 6.3" | 12 | 10 | 35° – 45° |
| May | 64° | 40° | 3.6" | 0.1" | 14 | 0 | 48° – 57° |
| June | 73° | 49° | 4.1" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 58° – 66° |
| July | 78° | 56° | 3.8" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 61° – 70° |
| August | 77° | 54° | 3.5" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 61° – 69° |
| September | 69° | 45° | 3.5" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 52° – 63° |
| October | 55° | 36° | 4.2" | 0.7" | 13 | 0 | 40° – 52° |
| November | 41° | 26° | 3.7" | 6.5" | 11 | 5 | 28° – 39° |
| December | 29° | 13° | 3.8" | 19.6" | 14 | 23 | 15° – 30° |
| Year | 52° | 31° | 42.0" | 95.9" | 148 | 126 |
“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 Houlton
Houlton gets 42 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 148 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 126 days of the year.
About 115 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 27 and the first one by September 18. That leaves about 115 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 98% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Houlton
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Houlton, 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.
Houlton and its neighbors
Houlton borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.8°. Littleton has both the coldest January nights (3°) and the hottest July afternoons (78°). Houlton’s January low is 4° and its July high 78°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Houlton 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 Houlton averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.9°). The shift is larger than in 87% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Houlton’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 4° to 25°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Houlton’s climate
What is the coldest month in Houlton?
January, with a typical high of 23° and a low of 4°.
What is the hottest month in Houlton?
July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 56°. About 3 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Houlton get?
About 96 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Houlton?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 18, and the last spring frost by May 27.
What is the rainiest month in Houlton?
October, with 4.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 42 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Houlton itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Houlton 5n, ME (5 mi, snow) and Houlton Intl Airport, ME (3 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.