Medway gets about 86 inches of snow a winter, more than 96% of U.S. towns
Expect July afternoons of about 79°. In July, afternoons here are cooler than in 95% of U.S. towns. December has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 1.7° rise. The frost-free window for a garden runs roughly May 8 to October 1.
A year in Medway at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Medway’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Medway’s place in Maine beside it.
What a year in Medway feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 143 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 8 and the first by October 1. Day counts come from NOAA’s station at Millinocket Wastewater, ME, 10 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; frost dates and degree days from Millinocket Muni Airport, 11 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts Medway’s center in zone 5a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −19°. 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 86 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Millinocket, ME, falls mostly in January. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 44 inches a year; October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 134 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Medway
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.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Millinocket Muni Airport.
Living with Medway’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
143 frost-free days in zone 5a. The last frost comes by May 8 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 1.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 37 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Medway from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (72%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 13%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Medway and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Medway in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Medway’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.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medway, ME | 6° | 79° | 44" | 86" |
| Barre, VT | 7° | 79° | 42" | 76" |
| Berlin, NH | 5° | 77° | 45" | 82" |
| Malone, NY | 7° | 79° | 41" | 98" |
| Dalton, MA | 13° | 80° | 48" | 77" |
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 Medway averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+4.3°).
A bigger shift than in 74% 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 Medway compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Medway’s place among Maine’s.
Medway weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Medway’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Millinocket, ME. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 25° | 6° | 3.2" | 23.3" | 11 | 3° – 23° |
| February | 28° | 7° | 2.6" | 19.1" | 9 | 6° – 25° |
| March | 38° | 17° | 3.2" | 18.6" | 10 | 19° – 36° |
| April | 51° | 30° | 3.5" | 4.5" | 10 | 36° – 46° |
| May | 64° | 40° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 12 | 47° – 58° |
| June | 74° | 50° | 4.1" | 0.0" | 13 | 58° – 66° |
| July | 79° | 56° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 14 | 62° – 71° |
| August | 78° | 54° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 11 | 62° – 69° |
| September | 69° | 46° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 11 | 52° – 63° |
| October | 56° | 36° | 4.6" | 0.4" | 12 | 40° – 52° |
| November | 43° | 27° | 3.9" | 3.6" | 11 | 29° – 40° |
| December | 31° | 15° | 4.0" | 16.6" | 11 | 17° – 32° |
| Year | 53° | 32° | 43.6" | 86.1" | 134 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 3° to 23°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Medway’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 Medway’s center.
- Snow: Millinocket, ME.
- Frost dates, heating and cooling: Millinocket Muni Airport, 11 miles away.
- Freezing nights, 90° and 100° days: Millinocket Wastewater, ME, 10 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 Medway’s climate
What is the weather like in Medway?
A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 6°, and about 86 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 98% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 95% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Medway in winter?
January nights average 6°. About 189 nights a year reach 32° or below and 36 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 3°.
How much snow does Medway get?
About 86 inches in a normal winter at Millinocket, ME, most of it in January.
How hot does it get in Medway?
July, with a typical high of 79° and a low of 56°. About 3 days a year reach 90° (Millinocket Muni Airport).
When is the first and last frost in Medway?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 8 and the first fall frost by October 1, about 143 frost-free days, at Millinocket Muni Airport.
What growing zone is Medway in?
Zone 5a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −19°.
What is the best time of year to visit Medway?
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 Medway getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.7° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 74% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Medway.
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.