Long Island, ME climate
Long Island has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 69 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Long Island feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Long Island 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 | 32° | 16° | 3.4" | 18.6" | 11 | 23 | 14° – 31° |
| February | 34° | 17° | 3.5" | 16.6" | 10 | 21 | 13° – 32° |
| March | 42° | 26° | 4.1" | 13.6" | 11 | 16 | 26° – 41° |
| April | 53° | 35° | 4.4" | 2.8" | 11 | 2 | 41° – 49° |
| May | 63° | 45° | 3.8" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 49° – 59° |
| June | 73° | 55° | 4.4" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 61° – 67° |
| July | 79° | 60° | 3.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 65° – 73° |
| August | 78° | 60° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 66° – 72° |
| September | 70° | 52° | 3.9" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 57° – 66° |
| October | 58° | 42° | 5.0" | 0.2" | 11 | 0 | 46° – 57° |
| November | 47° | 32° | 4.4" | 2.3" | 11 | 2 | 34° – 44° |
| December | 38° | 22° | 4.5" | 14.6" | 12 | 11 | 23° – 38° |
| Year | 56° | 38° | 48.5" | 68.7" | 131 | 74 |
“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 Long Island
Long Island gets 48 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 131 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 74 days of the year.
About 170 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 26 and the first one by October 15. That leaves about 170 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 61% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Long Island
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Long Island, 94% of that work is heating and 6% 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.
Long Island and its neighbors
Long Island borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.8°. Falmouth has the coldest January nights (15°) and Portland the hottest July afternoons (79°). Long Island’s January low is 16° and its July high 79°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Long Island 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 Long Island averaged 1.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.5°). The shift is larger than in 90% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Long Island’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 13° to 32°. August is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Common questions about Long Island’s climate
What is the coldest month in Long Island?
January, with a typical high of 32° and a low of 16°.
What is the hottest month in Long Island?
July, with a typical high of 79° and a low of 60°. About 5 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Long Island get?
About 69 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Long Island?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 15, and the last spring frost by April 26.
What is the rainiest month in Long Island?
October, with 5.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 48 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Long Island itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Portland Intl Jetport, ME (8 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.