Weather StoryAlmanac, microseasons, and the day's weather story.

Portland, Maine Weather

Night falls a minute earlier. Day 43 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Portland weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

Portland, ME
Sunday, August 2 at 11:00 AM
81
°
Clear
Feels like
89°
Humidity
70%
Wind
7 mph
Sunrise
1:31 AM
Sunset
4:03 PM
Portland, ME
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastPortland, ME: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 66 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit with a 37% chance of precipitation at 6 AM.
L 66°H 84°
Portland, ME
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Aug 2
    Overcast
    —
    —
    84°64°—
  2. Monday
    Aug 3
    Light Rain
    62%
    0.16″
    80°66°-4°
  3. Tuesday
    Aug 4
    Overcast
    14%
    —
    86°59°+6°
  4. Wednesday
    Aug 5
    Showers
    —
    0.45″
    81°62°-5°
  5. Thursday
    Aug 6
    Light Drizzle
    12%
    —
    87°66°+6°
  6. Friday
    Aug 7
    Overcast
    33%
    —
    93°73°+6°
  7. Saturday
    Aug 8
    Light Drizzle
    18%
    —
    85°68°-8°
Portland, ME
Next 24 hours · Warm now
62°75°88°12p6p12a6anow 81°high 84°low 66°PRECIP %
Portland, ME
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
S
186° · veering 95°
Direction
S
186°
Sustained
7
mph
Gust
9
mph
Peak 24h
12
avg 5 mph
Beaufort · 2 · LIGHT BRZ
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 5 mph · pk 12 mph @ 5:00p
0102030MPHB1B2B3B4B5B6B7-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 3114SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
A whisper of wind — leaves barely shift on the trees.
Portland, ME
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
1014.8
-0.1 mb in 3h · steady · 29.97 inHg
Now
1014.8
mb
3h
-0.1
mb
12h
+0.9
mb
24h
+1.2
mb
Regime · CHANGE
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 1013–1015
9951000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR10201025FAIR|DRY1030-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW1015.21013.11014.8
Air sits at the threshold — small shifts decide the day.
Portland, ME
Air quality
54
AQI
Moderate
→0 in 6h

AQI 54 (Moderate), driven by PM2.5. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±3 points). PM2.5 at 9.5 µg/m³, PM10 at 11.3 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

PM 2.5DRIVERGood
9.5μg/m³
PM 10Good
11μg/m³
NO₂Good
3μg/m³
OzoneModerate
95μg/m³
UV IndexModerate
4.0

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 45 now. With UV 4.6 peaking around 1 PM under partly cloudy skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 20.

Present
AQI 45
UV peak
4.6 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
partly cloudy
Projected peak
AQI 20

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 9.5 µg/m³, PM10 at 11.3 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

PM2.5/PM10
0.84
Wind
light
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
background

Trends

Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.

Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³300
Portland, ME
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
11%
CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
44.6mi
UNLIMITED
61 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
15:00 UTC · Portland, ME · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
15:00 UTC · Portland, ME · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Portland, ME
Satellite · infrared · animated
Portland, ME
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Portland, ME
Almanac · Sunday, August 2
Red sky at night, sailor's delight.
Civil dawn
4:59 AM
Sunrise
1:31 AM
Daylight
14h 32m
Sunset
4:03 PM
Civil dusk
8:37 PM
Planting note
Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.
Portland, ME
The moon
Waning Gibbous
84% illuminated
Moonrise
9:24 PM
Moonset
9:43 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Portland, ME
Microseason
Aug 1–5

Night falls a minute earlier

celestial
Jan 159% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Portland at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 22°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: May 8 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Aug 1–5
  • Planting window: Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.

ZIP codes: 04101, 04102, 04103, 04109

16-Day Forecast — Portland

  1. Sun84°64°2%
  2. Mon80°66°62%
  3. Tue86°59°14%
  4. Wed81°62°5%
  5. Thu87°66°12%
  6. Fri93°73°33%
  7. Sat85°68°18%
  8. Sun91°68°16%
  9. Mon98°69°25%
  10. Tue81°63°13%
  11. Wed79°58°12%
  12. Thu78°59°32%
  13. Fri79°61°23%
  14. Sat71°64°26%
  15. Sun94°66°17%
  16. Mon82°64°13%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Live wind & temperature near Portland

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of August 2, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.

SPC Convective Outlook

Storm Prediction Center — Portland

SPC includes Portland in the general thunderstorm area today — no severe risk, but storms are possible.

  • TODAYTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • TOMORROWTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • DAY 3NONENo severe risk

Thunderstorms possible. Not severe, but capable of producing lightning and brief heavy rain.

Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.

Sun & seasons in Portland

Portland sits in Cumberland County, where the year’s longest day runs 15h 27m of daylight and its shortest just 8h 55m — a swing of +6h 31m between the June and December solstices. Clocks spring forward on Sunday, March 8, 2026 and fall back on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

Turner, the state’s largest city, lies about 40 miles to the N. The nearest town Portland tracks is Turner, roughly 40 miles to the N.

Air quality in Portland’s county has held roughly steady since 2020; its cleanest year on record was 2021 (median AQI 36). See the full air-quality history for Portland.

January 1–5: The year turns in silence.January 6–10: Ice thickens on still water.January 11–15: Shortest shadows lengthen.January 16–20: Pheasants begin to call.January 21–25: Springs begin to thaw.January 26–31: Chickadees announce dawn.February 1–5: East wind softens the frost.February 6–10: Sap begins to rise.February 11–15: First snowdrops appear.February 16–20: Red-winged blackbirds return.February 21–25: Rain begins to replace snow.February 26–28: Skunk cabbage pushes through ice.March 1–5: Ice withdraws from the reservoir.March 6–10: Crocuses open to weak sun.March 11–15: Peepers call from the marsh.March 16–20: Woodcocks spiral at dusk.March 21–25: Equinox — light overtakes dark.March 26–31: Forsythia opens along the fences.April 1–5: Cherry blossoms drift like snow.April 6–10: Warblers appear in the understory.April 11–15: Magnolias bloom and fall in a day.April 16–20: Dogwoods float above the forest.April 21–25: Lilacs perfume the evening.April 26–30: Last frost releases the garden.May 1–5: Warblers flood the Ramble.May 6–10: Tulip poplars light their candles.May 11–15: Shad run up the rivers.May 16–20: Roses open along the stoops.May 21–25: Firefly scouts appear at dusk.May 26–31: Strawberries ripen in the sun.June 1–5: Fireflies rise from the lawn.June 6–10: Elderflowers open in hedgerows.June 11–15: Solstice approaches — longest light.June 16–20: Honeysuckle sweetens the night.June 21–25: Solstice — the sun stands still.June 26–30: Lightning bugs drift through oaks.July 1–5: Cicadas claim the afternoon.July 6–10: Queen Anne's lace lines the roads.July 11–15: Thunder builds each afternoon.July 16–20: Corn reaches for the tassels.July 21–25: Dog days settle in the haze.July 26–31: Katydids begin their chorus.August 1–5: Night falls a minute earlier.August 6–10: Sunflowers face the morning.August 11–15: Goldenrod begins to bloom.August 16–20: Crickets pulse through warm nights.August 21–25: First cool morning surprises.August 26–31: Monarchs stage for flight.September 1–5: School buses reappear.September 6–10: Asters purple the roadsides.September 11–15: Hawk migration over the Hudson.September 16–20: Equinox — dark overtakes light.September 21–25: Apples hang heavy on the branch.September 26–30: Geese begin to chevron south.October 1–5: Witch hazel blooms as others fade.October 6–10: Maples begin to blaze.October 11–15: Frost paints the garden black.October 16–20: Oaks turn bronze and russet.October 21–25: Leaves rattle down the gutters.October 26–31: Clocks fall back — dusk at five.November 1–5: Ginkgos drop overnight.November 6–10: Last leaves cling stubbornly.November 11–15: Juncos arrive from the north.November 16–20: Bare branches reveal the sky.November 21–25: First flurries dust the rooftops.November 26–30: Woodsmoke curls through the block.December 1–5: Darkness settles before dinner.December 6–10: Holly and winterberry persist.December 11–15: Shortest day approaches.December 16–20: Ice begins to form at the edges.December 21–25: Solstice — the sun begins return.December 26–31: The year turns in silence.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coast✨May 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

Microseason · August 1–5

Night falls a minute earlier

Sunset retreats perceptibly — daylight shortening speeds up.

Day 214 of 365 · Wedge 43 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January——
February——
March——
April——
Maylettuce, peas, spinach, radisheslettuce, peas, radishes
Junelettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Julytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashtomatoes, beans, summer squash
Augusttomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
Septemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
October—winter squash, tomatoes (last)
November——
December——

A year in weather

July is Portland's warmest stretch (~70°F) and January its coldest (~24°F); precipitation crests in October at 5.3 inches and ebbs in July to 3.4 inches.

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January24°3.5″7
February26°3.5″7
March34°4.1″7
April45°4.4″7
May55°3.7″7
June64°4.2″7
July70°3.4″7
August69°3.6″5
September62°3.8″5
October50°5.3″7
November40°4.3″7
December30°4.5″8

Regional context

In Portland, NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals put January near 24°F and July near 70°F — a 46°F seasonal arc — with about 48.1 inches of precipitation over 80 rainy or snowy days.

No season owns Portland's rain: October reaches 5.3 inches across 6.8 days and July keeps 3.4 inches on 6.7, an even spread through Portland's year. That lines Portland up with places like South Portland, ME, Westbrook, ME and Falmouth Foreside, ME, fed by overlapping storm tracks.

Around late-May, Portland sheds its freezing nights — kale, peas, spinach, and parsnips go into Portland's beds. Portland's heat-lovers — tomatoes, peppers, squash — hold off until Portland's frost risk clears, 10-14 days on. The season ends by early-October in Portland, once hard frosts set back in. Portland's low ground holds frost later into spring than Portland's benches, which run 3-5 days ahead.

Similar climates: South Portland, ME, Westbrook, ME, Falmouth Foreside, ME, Cumberland Center, ME, South Windham, ME.

Naturalist notes

Late May brings the first ruby-throated hummingbirds to Portland's gardens, their migration timed with the blooming of native honeysuckle.

Apple trees across the region typically reach full bloom by mid-May, marking the transition from spring's cool nights to the approaching warmth of early summer.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Portland?
In Portland, expect the last spring frost near mid-May; Portland's first autumn frost comes around mid-October.
What is the rainy season in Portland?
Portland sees its heaviest rain in October (around 5.3 inches), part of roughly 48 inches a year.
What is the warmest month in Portland?
July is Portland's warmest month, averaging about 70°F.
What is the coldest month in Portland?
Portland bottoms out in January, with a mean near 24°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Portland?
Portland's last frost (mid-May) cues hardy greens; in Portland, hold heat-lovers two weeks past.
How many rainy days does Portland get?
Expect roughly 80 wet days a year in Portland.
What hardiness zone is Portland?
Portland's USDA zone comes from its January mean (24°F); enter the ZIP on the USDA lookup for the number.
What is the 10-day forecast for Portland?
Portland's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
Will it rain this week in Portland?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Portland in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Portland?
Current conditions for Portland and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Portland forecast updated?
The Portland forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Portland?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Portland are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for Portland?
The next few days in Portland's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Portland, Maine occupies a warm-summer humid continental zone, with January means near 24°F and July around 70°F — a 46°F swing.

Yearly precipitation in Portland totals around 48 inches, spread over about 80 days of rain or snow.

The 46°F gap between Portland's summer and winter, at 43.7°N, shapes Portland's frost calendar.

All cities in Maine →

Boston, MA weather →

ZIP codes in Portland

  • 04101
  • 04102
  • 04103
  • 04108
  • 04109
  • 04019
  • 04104
  • 04112
  • 04116
  • 04122
  • 04123
  • 04124

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.