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Climate in Chapman · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Chapman gets about 98 inches of snow a winter, more than 97% of U.S. towns

A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 1°, and about 98 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

More snow than 97% of U.S. towns#6Snowiest  of 169 in ME
Colder January nights than all but 66 U.S. towns#4 coldest of 171 in ME
All ME rankings →

A year in Chapman at a glance

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

Jan21°1° 21" snow
Feb25°2° 22" snow
Mar35°14° 19" snow
Apr48°28° 6" snow
May63°39° Last frost ~May 14
Jun72°49° 1 day 90°+
Jul78°55° 1 day 90°+
Aug76°53° 1 day 90°+
Sep68°44° First frost ~Sep 26
Oct53°35° Wettest
Nov now39°25° 6" snow
Dec27°11° 22" snow

What stands out about Chapman’s climate

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

A normal year

What a year in Chapman feels like

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

Winter
24° / 5°
30 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
49° / 27°
Last frost around May 14
Summer
75° / 52°
2 days reach 90°
Fall
53° / 35°
First frost around Sep 26
Best months to be outsideJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 131 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 14 and the first by September 26. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Presque Isle, ME, 6 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.

176
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
32nd most of 171 in Maine
More freezing nights than 97% of U.S. towns
35
nights at or below 0°
6th most of 171 in Maine
More nights at or below 0° than all but 180 U.S. towns
2
days that reach 90°
24th fewest of 171 in Maine
Fewer 90° days than 96% of U.S. towns
0
days that reach 100°
None in a normal year
4aUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 4a

The 2023 USDA map puts Chapman’s center in zone 4a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −26°. 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 98 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Presque Isle, ME, falls mostly in January, February and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 41 inches a year; October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 137 days a year.

41"
Rain + melted snow a year
4th driest of 171 in Maine
Drier than 59% of U.S. towns
98"
Snow in a normal winter
6th snowiest of 169 in Maine
More snow than 97% of U.S. towns
122 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
10th most of 135 in Maine
More days with snow on the ground than all but 123 U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.1"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

22"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Chapman

97% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.

8,768 heating degree daysMore heating than all but 162 U.S. towns
273 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 96% 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 Presque Isle, ME.

Living here

Living with Chapman’s climate

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

The garden window

131 frost-free days in zone 4a. The last frost comes by May 14 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Sep 26.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 33 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Cold waves are 49% of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Chapman from natural hazards, the largest share. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Chapman and its neighbors

Every town next door is within a degree of Chapman in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Washburn: January low 1°, July high 77°Castle Hill: January low 1°, July high 77°Mapleton: January low 1°, July high 78°Chapman: January low 1°, July high 78°ChapmanMapleton
ColderMilder1° to 1°
Chapman1.1°
Mapleton1.1° about the same

Climates most like Chapman’s, farther away

TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.

TownJan. lowJuly highPrecip.Snow
Chapman, ME1°78°41"98"
Tupper Lake, NY5°78°43"105"
St. Johnsbury, VT5°79°41"87"
Berlin, NH5°77°45"82"
Minocqua, WI3°77°33"99"

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 Chapman averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.6°).

+1.6°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 65% of U.S. towns.

Winter+2.4°now 15°, was 12°
Spring+1.0°now 38°, was 37°
Summer+1.3°now 64°, was 62°
Fall+1.6°now 44°, was 42°

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 Chapman compares

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

Summer heat78° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns22nd coolest of 171 in Maine
Winter cold1° January low
Colder January nights than all but 66 U.S. towns4th coldest of 171 in Maine
Precipitation41" a year
Drier than 59% of U.S. towns4th driest of 171 in Maine
Snow98" a winter
More snow than 97% of U.S. towns6th snowiest of 169 in Maine
Hot days2 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 96% of U.S. towns24th fewest of 171 in Maine
Freezing nights176 a year
More freezing nights than 97% of U.S. towns32nd most of 171 in Maine
Growing season131 frost-free days
A shorter frost-free season than 98% of U.S. towns7th shortest of 171 in Maine
Month by month

Chapman weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Chapman’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Presque Isle, ME. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January21°1°2.9"21.1"1130−1° – 19°
February25°2°2.3"21.7"8282° – 23°
March35°14°2.7"19.0"102716° – 32°
April48°28°3.0"6.3"121033° – 44°
May63°39°3.4"0.2"13047° – 57°
June72°49°4.0"0.0"13057° – 65°
July78°55°4.0"0.0"14060° – 70°
August76°53°3.7"0.0"12061° – 68°
September68°44°3.5"0.2"10051° – 61°
October53°35°4.1"1.2"13039° – 51°
November39°25°3.3"6.1"11527° – 38°
December27°11°3.6"21.7"112313° – 28°
Year50°30°40.5"97.5"137122
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 2° to 23°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Chapman’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 Chapman’s center.
  • Snow: Presque Isle, ME.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Presque Isle, ME, 6 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; 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 Chapman’s climate

What is the weather like in Chapman?

A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 1°, and about 98 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than all but 66 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Chapman in winter?

January nights average 1°. About 176 nights a year reach 32° or below and 35 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged −1°.

How much snow does Chapman get?

About 98 inches in a normal winter at Presque Isle, ME, most of it in January, February and December, with snow on the ground about 122 days a year.

How hot does it get in Chapman?

July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 55°. About 2 days a year reach 90° (Presque Isle, ME).

When is the first and last frost in Chapman?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 14 and the first fall frost by September 26, about 131 frost-free days, at Presque Isle, ME.

What growing zone is Chapman in?

Zone 4a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −26°.

What is the best time of year to visit Chapman?

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 Chapman getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 65% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

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

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.