Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Addison

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
Captain John PlummerPhoto: Donna Garo · CC BY-SA 4.0
Climate in Addison · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Addison has some of the coolest summers among U.S. towns

Nights in January average 15°. Its yearly precipitation tops that of 86% of U.S. towns. Compared with 1901–2000, the average now sits 1.9° higher. The outdoor season runs from June to September, with highs of 68–75°.

Colder January nights than 83% of U.S. towns#159 coldest of 171 in ME
Cooler July afternoons than 98% of U.S. towns#7Coolest summers  of 171 in ME
All ME rankings →

A year in Addison at a glance

Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.

Jan31°15°
Feb33°17°
Mar39°24°
Apr50°34°
May61°42° Last frost ~May 3
Jun69°51° 1 day 90°+
Jul75°57°
Aug75°57° 1 day 90°+
Sep68°51°
Oct56°42° First frost ~Oct 9Wettest
Nov now46°32°
Dec37°23°

What stands out about Addison’s climate

Compared with towns across the U.S., with Addison’s place in Maine beside it.

A normal year

What a year in Addison feels like

Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.

Winter
33° / 18°
Snow is rare
Spring
50° / 33°
Last frost around May 3
Summer
73° / 55°
2 days reach 90°
Fall
57° / 42°
First frost around Oct 9
Best months to be outsideJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 158 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 3 and the first by October 9. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Jonesboro, ME, 9 miles from the town’s center, 190 ft higher.

162
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
72nd most of 171 in Maine
More freezing nights than 92% of U.S. towns
20
nights at or below 0°
64th most of 171 in Maine
More nights at or below 0° than 94% of U.S. towns
2
days that reach 90°
25th fewest of 171 in Maine
Fewer 90° days than 96% of U.S. towns
0
days that reach 100°
None in a normal year
6aUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 6a

The 2023 USDA map puts Addison’s center in zone 6a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −8°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

30
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

0.8
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 51 inches of rain a year

October is the wettest month and August the driest.

51"
Rain + melted snow a year
2nd wettest of 171 in Maine
Wetter than 86% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

5.5"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Addison

98% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.

7,788 heating degree daysMore heating than 95% of U.S. towns
184 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 98% of U.S. towns

Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Jonesboro, ME.

Living here

Living with Addison’s climate

What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.

The garden window

158 frost-free days in zone 6a. The last frost comes by May 3 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 9.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 6.4 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Addison from natural hazards, hurricanes are the largest share (29%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 21%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Addison and its neighbors

Beals has the coldest January nights next door (9°, 6° colder) and Columbia Falls the hottest July afternoons (77°, 2° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Machiasport: January low 16°, July high 73°Roque Bluffs: January low 15°, July high 74°Whitneyville: January low 13°, July high 77°Milbridge: January low 15°, July high 76°Cherryfield: January low 13°, July high 78°Columbia: January low 13°, July high 78°Jonesport: January low 15°, July high 74°Jonesboro: January low 15°, July high 75°Harrington: January low 15°, July high 76°Beals: January low 9°, July high 76°Columbia Falls: January low 13°, July high 77°Addison: January low 15°, July high 75°AddisonJonesportJonesboroHarringtonBealsColumbia Falls
ColderMilder9° to 16°
Beals9.4° −6.0°
Columbia Falls12.9° −2.5°
Jonesboro15.0° about the same
Harrington15.2° about the same
Jonesport15.3° about the same
Addison15.4°

Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Addison averaged 1.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.7°).

+1.9°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 84% of U.S. towns.

Winter+2.8°now 26°, was 23°
Spring+1.3°now 42°, was 41°
Summer+1.9°now 64°, was 62°
Fall+1.5°now 49°, was 48°

Change by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.

Compared with other towns

How Addison compares

Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Addison’s place among Maine’s.

Summer heat75° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 98% of U.S. towns7th coolest of 171 in Maine
Winter cold15° January low
Colder January nights than 83% of U.S. towns159th coldest of 171 in Maine
Precipitation51" a year
Wetter than 86% of U.S. towns2nd wettest of 171 in Maine
Hot days2 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 96% of U.S. towns25th fewest of 171 in Maine
Freezing nights162 a year
More freezing nights than 92% of U.S. towns72nd most of 171 in Maine
Growing season158 frost-free days
A shorter frost-free season than 86% of U.S. towns94th shortest of 171 in Maine
Month by month

Addison weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Addison’s center. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + melt30-yr range
January31°15°4.3"13° – 31°
February33°17°3.6"13° – 30°
March39°24°4.4"26° – 39°
April50°34°4.3"38° – 47°
May61°42°3.9"47° – 56°
June69°51°4.1"56° – 64°
July75°57°3.4"62° – 69°
August75°57°3.2"63° – 69°
September68°51°3.9"55° – 64°
October56°42°5.5"45° – 55°
November46°32°5.1"34° – 44°
December37°23°5.3"25° – 37°
Year53°37°50.9"
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 13° to 31°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Addison’s numbers come from

Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →

  • Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Addison’s center.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Jonesboro, ME, 9 miles from the town’s center, 190 ft higher; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
  • Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  • Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
  • Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).

Common questions about Addison’s climate

What is the weather like in Addison?

A typical July afternoon reaches 75°, a January night drops to 15°. Colder January nights than 83% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 98% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Addison in winter?

January nights average 15°. About 162 nights a year reach 32° or below and 20 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 13°.

How hot does it get in Addison?

July, with a typical high of 75° and a low of 57°. About 2 days a year reach 90° (Jonesboro, ME).

When is the first and last frost in Addison?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 3 and the first fall frost by October 9, about 158 frost-free days, at Jonesboro, ME.

What growing zone is Addison in?

Zone 6a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −8°.

What is the best time of year to visit Addison?

By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.

Is Addison getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 84% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Addison.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.