Portland, ME weather in August
August in Portland: mild, with some rain. Highs 79°F, lows 60°F, rain on about 9 days. This is the peak of the warm season in Portland. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 79°F
- Normal low
- 60°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 3.6 in total
- Muggy days
- 6
- dew point 65°F+
How August changes from start to finish
| August 1 | August 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 80°F | 76°F |
| Normal low | 62°F | 57°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 32% | 30% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:30 am / 8:04 pm | 6:03 am / 7:18 pm |
| Daylight | 14.6 h | 13.3 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Eastern Time).
A typical August day
- 6 am63°Fdew point 59°F
- 9 am72°Fdew point 60°F
- Noon76°Fdew point 60°F
- 3 pm75°Fdew point 60°F
- 6 pm71°Fdew point 60°F
- 9 pm66°Fdew point 60°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Portland Intl Jetport (2 mi away); average wind 6 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F12 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph11 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more1 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more6 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow9 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 of 31
Average days per August, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in August
Normal precipitation is 3.6 in; a dry August brings about 1.8 in and a wet one about 4.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How August varies from year to year
- Warmest August, 1991-20202016: average high 83°F
- Coolest August2008: average high 75°F
- Wettest August1991: 15.2 in
- Driest August1995: 0.5 in
- Highest reading99°F (August 12, 2016)
- Lowest reading42°F (August 29, 1995)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
August compared with July and September
| July | August | September | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 80°F | 79°F | 71°F |
| Normal low | 61°F | 60°F | 52°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 9 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 10 | 12 | 17 |
| Daylight | 15.1 h | 13.9 h | 12.5 h |
Highs change by -1°F from July and -8°F into September.
Nearby alternatives in August
- Cooler: Lake Placid, NY190 mi · high 73°F · 13 wet days
How Portland ranks in August
- Normal high325th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 5 in Maine
- Wet days211th driest of 378
- Comfortable days47th most of 341
What to pack for Portland in August
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 9 days
- A swimsuit – about 11 beach days
Heating and cooling
August has 16 heating degree days and 147 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 2% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Portland in August?
The normal high is 79°F and the normal low is 60°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest August reading was 99°F (August 12, 2016).
Does it rain a lot in Portland in August?
About 9 days in August have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.6 in. The wettest August in 1991-2020 was in 1991 (15.2 in); the driest was in 1995 (0.5 in).
Is August a good time to visit Portland?
August ranks 4th of 12 months on our comfort score for Portland (68 out of 100). It has about 12 comfortable days and about 1 day at 90°F or hotter. The best months are June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Portland Intl Jetport (USW00014764), 2.4 mi WSW of the city center, 45 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Portland International Jetport Airport (726060-14764), 2.8 mi WSW of the city center, 44 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).