Photo: User:Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 4.0Rangeley plantation gets about 118 inches of snow a winter, more than all but 148 U.S. towns
Expect July afternoons of about 72°. October is the wettest month, February the driest. By July afternoons alone, it runs cooler than almost every U.S. town. Central heating does most of its work from October to May, in months below 50° on average.
A year in Rangeley plantation at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Rangeley plantation’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Rangeley plantation’s place in Maine beside it.
What a year in Rangeley plantation feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 123 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 23 and the first by September 24. Day counts come from NOAA’s station at Rangeley, ME, 7 miles from the town’s center, 310 ft lower; frost dates and degree days from Rangeley 2 Nw, ME, 8 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts Rangeley plantation’s center in zone 4a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −27°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
About 118 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Rangeley 2 Nw, ME, falls mostly in January, February and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 52 inches a year; October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 173 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Rangeley plantation
99% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from September 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 Rangeley 2 Nw, ME.
Living with Rangeley plantation’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
123 frost-free days in zone 4a. The last frost comes by May 23 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 24.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 51 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Rangeley plantation from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (60%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 19%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Rangeley plantation and its neighbors
Rangeley the hottest July afternoons (75°, 4° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Rangeley plantation’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rangeley plantation, ME | 3° | 72° | 52" | 118" |
| North Elba, NY | 4° | 72° | 52" | 104" |
| Sault Ste. Marie, MI | 8° | 76° | 37" | 120" |
| Minocqua, WI | 3° | 77° | 33" | 99" |
| Ashburnham, MA | 14° | 80° | 50" | 75" |
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 Rangeley plantation averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+4.4°).
A bigger shift than in 76% 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 Rangeley plantation compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Rangeley plantation’s place among Maine’s.
Rangeley plantation weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Rangeley plantation’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Rangeley 2 Nw, ME. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22° | 3° | 3.6" | 24.5" | 16 | 31 | 2° – 21° |
| February | 24° | 5° | 3.2" | 26.1" | 13 | 29 | 1° – 21° |
| March | 33° | 13° | 3.7" | 21.8" | 13 | 31 | 12° – 31° |
| April | 45° | 25° | 4.0" | 7.9" | 13 | 18 | 30° – 40° |
| May | 58° | 36° | 4.3" | 0.6" | 15 | 0 | 41° – 53° |
| June | 67° | 46° | 5.3" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 | 53° – 61° |
| July | 72° | 52° | 5.0" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 57° – 65° |
| August | 71° | 51° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 58° – 64° |
| September | 63° | 43° | 4.1" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 48° – 58° |
| October | 50° | 33° | 5.7" | 2.8" | 15 | 2 | 37° – 49° |
| November | 38° | 23° | 4.4" | 9.1" | 14 | 11 | 25° – 36° |
| December | 27° | 11° | 4.6" | 24.8" | 18 | 27 | 13° – 29° |
| Year | 47° | 28° | 52.4" | 117.6" | 173 | 148 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 1° to 21°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Rangeley plantation’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 Rangeley plantation’s center.
- Snow: Rangeley 2 Nw, ME.
- Frost dates, heating and cooling: Rangeley 2 Nw, ME, 8 miles away.
- Freezing nights, 90° and 100° days: Rangeley, ME, 7 miles from the town’s center, 310 ft lower; 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 Rangeley plantation’s climate
What is the weather like in Rangeley plantation?
A typical July afternoon reaches 72°, a January night drops to 3°, and about 118 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than all but 127 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than all but 109 U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Rangeley plantation in winter?
January nights average 3°. About 200 nights a year reach 32° or below and 48 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 2°.
How much snow does Rangeley plantation get?
About 118 inches in a normal winter at Rangeley 2 Nw, ME, most of it in January, February and December, with snow on the ground about 148 days a year.
How hot does it get in Rangeley plantation?
July, with a typical high of 72°. 90° days are rare: none in a normal year at Rangeley 2 Nw, ME.
When is the first and last frost in Rangeley plantation?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 23 and the first fall frost by September 24, about 123 frost-free days, at Rangeley 2 Nw, ME.
What growing zone is Rangeley plantation in?
Zone 4a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −27°.
What is the best time of year to visit Rangeley plantation?
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 Rangeley plantation getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 76% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Rangeley plantation.
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.