Visiting Bangor

Climate

Put aside your visions of an ever-frozen north. Even with its Central Maine location, Bangor enjoys four seasons that embody the best of New England climate.

Bangor marks the arrival of spring by getting out on the water. On the third Saturday of April, over 500 canoeists and kayakers race the chill waters of the Kenduskeag Stream to hail the end of winter. As the weeks go by, day time temperatures rise through the 50’s and 60’s, and get up into the 70’s by late May/early June. The City’s parks and garden burst into color and the sidewalks bustle with activity.

Summer in Maine is as good as it gets, with comfortable temps that rarely get above 90. It’s no wonder this area is a annual destination for so many who love to spend their summer outdoors. There’s plenty of clear, sunny weather, and the nights cool off just enough to provide a pleasant break from the warmth.

In September, the spectacular colors of fall blaze all around Bangor. Brisk, sunny days and cool nights characterize what is for many their favorite Maine season. Temperatures continue to gradually cool through October and November, with wintry weather returning around Thanksgiving.

Bangor is a place where real New England winters are more than just a memory. The cold weather begins settling in around the end of November and the beginning of December, with nighttime lows often below freezing and daytime highs in the 30’s and 40’s. January and February bring the heart of winter, with lows normally in the single digits or teens and highs in the 20’s. Below zero temperatures are possible but infrequent and rarely last for any length of time. Temperatures begin to increase in March with a corresponding increase in humidity, often resulting in additional snow. The Bangor area averages about 85 inches of snow a year, with most of it occurring in eight to ten measurable storms of 6 inches to a foot. In the last fifteen years, the largest single storm snowfall amount was 24 inches.

Speaking of snow, there’s usually a measurable amount on the ground from January to March, and, in some years, it may begin accumulating as early as December. While accumulating snow remains a possibility into March and early April, warmer days generally mean relatively fast melts. And, unlike many other parts of the country, we know how to handle snow. Our Public Works crews normally have the streets plowed and sanded within 6 hours of the end of a storm. Even during the heaviest snowfalls, streets are maintained so that essential business can continue. Most school districts in the region plan for three to five snow days per year, and it is relatively rare for shops and businesses to close because of the weather. Winter offers a variety of outdoor activities in and near Bangor, from ice skating to cross country skiing, snowmobiling and ice fishing. The best downhill slopes in the Northeast are just a short drive away.

Bangor’s annual precipitation total is 41.2”. The growing season lasts from May 27th to September 18th. Bangor is in hardiness zone 5.