Gallison Memorial Library · Photo: Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 3.0Hardly any U.S. towns see fresher July days than Harrington
The coldest hours of a January night bottom out at 15° on average. The year swings widely: the coldest month’s nights and the warmest month’s afternoons are 60° apart. Its yearly precipitation tops that of 85% of U.S. towns. The heating season runs October to April: each of those months averages under 50°.
A year in Harrington at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Harrington’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Harrington’s place in Maine beside it.
What a year in Harrington feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
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, 8 miles from the town’s center, 190 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts Harrington’s center in zone 5b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −10°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 50 inches of rain a year
October is the wettest month and August the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Harrington
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.
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 with Harrington’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
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.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 2.7 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Harrington 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 →Harrington and its neighbors
Cherryfield has the coldest January nights next door (13°, 3° colder) and Cherryfield the hottest July afternoons (78°, 3° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
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.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Harrington averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.6°).
A bigger shift than in 80% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Harrington compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Harrington’s place among Maine’s.
Harrington weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Harrington’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31° | 15° | 4.2" | 13° – 31° |
| February | 33° | 17° | 3.5" | 13° – 30° |
| March | 40° | 24° | 4.3" | 26° – 39° |
| April | 51° | 34° | 4.3" | 38° – 47° |
| May | 61° | 42° | 3.8" | 47° – 56° |
| June | 70° | 51° | 4.1" | 56° – 64° |
| July | 76° | 57° | 3.4" | 62° – 69° |
| August | 75° | 57° | 3.2" | 63° – 69° |
| September | 68° | 51° | 3.9" | 56° – 65° |
| October | 56° | 42° | 5.5" | 44° – 55° |
| November | 46° | 32° | 5.0" | 34° – 44° |
| December | 37° | 22° | 5.2" | 24° – 37° |
| Year | 53° | 37° | 50.4" |
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°.
Where Harrington’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 Harrington’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Jonesboro, ME, 8 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 Harrington’s climate
What is the weather like in Harrington?
A typical July afternoon reaches 76°, a January night drops to 15°. Colder January nights than 84% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 98% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Harrington 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 Harrington?
July, with a typical high of 76° and a low of 57°. About 2 days a year reach 90° (Jonesboro, ME).
When is the first and last frost in Harrington?
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 Harrington in?
Zone 5b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −10°.
What is the best time of year to visit Harrington?
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 Harrington getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 80% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Harrington.
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.