Mount Desert, ME climate
Mount Desert has cold winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 14°.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Mount Desert feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Mount Desert weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31° | 14° | 4.2" | 13° – 30° |
| February | 32° | 16° | 3.4" | 10° – 30° |
| March | 40° | 24° | 4.1" | 25° – 39° |
| April | 51° | 34° | 4.4" | 39° – 48° |
| May | 62° | 43° | 3.8" | 47° – 57° |
| June | 71° | 52° | 4.2" | 58° – 65° |
| July | 77° | 58° | 3.2" | 63° – 71° |
| August | 76° | 58° | 3.1" | 64° – 70° |
| September | 68° | 51° | 3.9" | 56° – 64° |
| October | 56° | 41° | 5.5" | 44° – 56° |
| November | 46° | 32° | 5.0" | 34° – 44° |
| December | 36° | 21° | 5.2" | 22° – 36° |
| Year | 54° | 37° | 49.9" |
“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 Mount Desert
Mount Desert gets 50 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and August the driest.
About 177 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 27 and the first one by October 22. That leaves about 177 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 51% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Mount Desert
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Mount Desert, 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.
Mount Desert and its neighbors
Mount Desert borders 7 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.9°. Surry has the coldest January nights (13°) and Trenton the hottest July afternoons (78°). Mount Desert’s January low is 14° and its July high 77°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Mount Desert 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 Mount Desert averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.3°). The shift is larger than in 80% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Mount Desert’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 10° to 30°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Mount Desert’s climate
What is the coldest month in Mount Desert?
January, with a typical high of 31° and a low of 14°.
What is the hottest month in Mount Desert?
July, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 58°. About 3 days a year reach 90°.
When is the first frost in Mount Desert?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 22, and the last spring frost by April 27.
What is the rainiest month in Mount Desert?
October, with 5.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 50 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Mount Desert itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Acadia Np, ME (4 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.