Photo: User:Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 4.0Sandy River plantation gets about 118 inches of snow a winter, more than all but 148 U.S. towns
July afternoons average 74°. Summers stay cool: July afternoons here are cooler than in almost every U.S. town. Decade by decade the climate has edged up, 1.7° above 1901–2000. For walks and days out, the stretch from June to September brings highs of 65–74°.
A year in Sandy River plantation at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Sandy River plantation’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Sandy River plantation’s place in Maine beside it.
What a year in Sandy River 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. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Rangeley 2 Nw, ME, 8 miles from the town’s center, 260 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Sandy River plantation’s center in zone 4a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −28°. 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 49 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 Sandy River 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 Sandy River 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. 50 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Sandy River 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 →Sandy River plantation and its neighbors
Rangeley the hottest July afternoons (75°, 2° 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 Sandy River 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandy River plantation, ME | 4° | 74° | 49" | 118" |
| Harrietstown, NY | 5° | 75° | 46" | 104" |
| Sault Ste. Marie, MI | 8° | 76° | 37" | 120" |
| Minocqua, WI | 3° | 77° | 33" | 99" |
| 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 Sandy River plantation averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+4.3°).
A bigger shift than in 72% 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 Sandy River plantation compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Sandy River plantation’s place among Maine’s.
Sandy River plantation weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Sandy River 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 | 23° | 4° | 3.3" | 24.5" | 16 | 31 | 2° – 21° |
| February | 26° | 5° | 2.9" | 26.1" | 13 | 29 | 2° – 22° |
| March | 34° | 14° | 3.5" | 21.8" | 13 | 31 | 14° – 32° |
| April | 46° | 26° | 3.9" | 7.9" | 13 | 18 | 32° – 42° |
| May | 60° | 37° | 4.0" | 0.6" | 15 | 0 | 42° – 54° |
| June | 69° | 47° | 5.0" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 | 55° – 62° |
| July | 74° | 53° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 59° – 67° |
| August | 72° | 52° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 59° – 66° |
| September | 65° | 44° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 50° – 60° |
| October | 52° | 34° | 5.4" | 2.8" | 15 | 2 | 38° – 50° |
| November | 39° | 24° | 4.2" | 9.1" | 14 | 11 | 26° – 37° |
| December | 28° | 12° | 4.2" | 24.8" | 18 | 27 | 14° – 29° |
| Year | 49° | 29° | 49.0" | 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 2° to 22°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Sandy River 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 Sandy River plantation’s center.
- Snow: Rangeley 2 Nw, ME.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Rangeley 2 Nw, ME, 8 miles from the town’s center, 260 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 Sandy River plantation’s climate
What is the weather like in Sandy River plantation?
A typical July afternoon reaches 74°, a January night drops to 4°, and about 118 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than all but 156 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than all but 158 U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Sandy River plantation in winter?
January nights average 4°. About 197 nights a year reach 32° or below and 39 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 2°.
How much snow does Sandy River 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 Sandy River plantation?
July, with a typical high of 74°. 90° days are rare: none in a normal year at Rangeley 2 Nw, ME.
When is the first and last frost in Sandy River 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 Sandy River plantation in?
Zone 4a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −28°.
What is the best time of year to visit Sandy River 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 Sandy River plantation getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.7° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 72% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Sandy River 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.