Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Cherryfield

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
CherryfieldME AcademyPhoto: Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 3.0
Climate in Cherryfield · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Cherryfield sits near the bottom of U.S. towns for July heat

Midwinter brings lows of about 13°. By January nights alone, it runs colder than 90% of U.S. towns. December has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 1.8° rise. From May to September, highs of 64–78° make it easy to spend the day outdoors.

Colder January nights than 90% of U.S. towns#122 coldest of 171 in ME
Cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns#33Coolest summers  of 171 in ME
All ME rankings →

A year in Cherryfield at a glance

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

Jan30°13°
Feb32°14°
Mar40°22°
Apr52°33°
May64°42° Last frost ~May 3
Jun72°51° 1 day 90°+
Jul78°57°
Aug77°57° 1 day 90°+
Sep69°49°
Oct57°39° First frost ~Oct 9Wettest
Nov now46°30°
Dec36°20°

What stands out about Cherryfield’s climate

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

A normal year

What a year in Cherryfield feels like

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

Winter
33° / 16°
Snow is rare
Spring
52° / 32°
Last frost around May 3
Summer
76° / 55°
2 days reach 90°
Fall
57° / 40°
First frost around Oct 9
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepHighs 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, 14 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.

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
5bUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 5b

The 2023 USDA map puts Cherryfield’s center in zone 5b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −12°. 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 50 inches of rain a year

October is the wettest month and August the driest.

50"
Rain + melted snow a year
4th wettest of 171 in Maine
Wetter than 85% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

5.5"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Cherryfield

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 Cherryfield’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 5b. 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: May, June, July, August and September. 19 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Cherryfield from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (34%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 20%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Cherryfield and its neighbors

Deblois has the coldest January nights next door (11°, 1° colder). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Gouldsboro: January low 14°, July high 77°Columbia Falls: January low 13°, July high 77°Addison: January low 15°, July high 75°Beddington: January low 10°, July high 79°Steuben: January low 15°, July high 76°Columbia: January low 13°, July high 78°Harrington: January low 15°, July high 76°Milbridge: January low 15°, July high 76°Deblois: January low 11°, July high 79°Cherryfield: January low 13°, July high 78°CherryfieldSteubenColumbiaHarringtonMilbridgeDeblois
ColderMilder10° to 15°
Deblois11.3° −1.2°
Cherryfield12.5°
Columbia12.5° about the same
Steuben15.0° +2.5°
Harrington15.2° +2.7°
Milbridge15.2° +2.7°

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 Cherryfield averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.6°).

+1.8°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 77% of U.S. towns.

Winter+2.8°now 24°, was 21°
Spring+1.2°now 42°, was 41°
Summer+1.7°now 65°, was 64°
Fall+1.4°now 48°, was 47°

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 Cherryfield compares

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

Summer heat78° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns33rd coolest of 171 in Maine
Winter cold13° January low
Colder January nights than 90% of U.S. towns122nd coldest of 171 in Maine
Precipitation50" a year
Wetter than 85% of U.S. towns4th 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

Cherryfield weather by month

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

MonthHighLowRain + melt30-yr range
January30°13°4.2"11° – 29°
February32°14°3.5"12° – 29°
March40°22°4.3"25° – 38°
April52°33°4.3"38° – 47°
May64°42°3.9"48° – 57°
June72°51°4.1"58° – 66°
July78°57°3.4"63° – 71°
August77°57°3.2"64° – 70°
September69°49°3.9"55° – 64°
October57°39°5.5"44° – 55°
November46°30°5.0"33° – 43°
December36°20°5.2"23° – 36°
Year54°35°50.4"
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 11° to 29°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Cherryfield’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 Cherryfield’s center.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Jonesboro, ME, 14 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 Cherryfield’s climate

What is the weather like in Cherryfield?

A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 13°. Colder January nights than 90% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Cherryfield in winter?

January nights average 13°. 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 11°.

How hot does it get in Cherryfield?

July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 57°. About 2 days a year reach 90° (Jonesboro, ME).

When is the first and last frost in Cherryfield?

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 Cherryfield in?

Zone 5b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −12°.

What is the best time of year to visit Cherryfield?

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

Is Cherryfield getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 77% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

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

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.