Maine sees increase in summer temperatures over the last 50 years

PORTLAND (WGME)— Summer in Maine has been changing over the past few decades. We’ve seen an increase in average temperatures along with an increase in the number of hotter than average days.

Since 1970, much of the United States has seen a notable increase in average summer temperatures. The highest increases in temperature have been over the southwest, but here in Maine we have seen notable warming as well.

For Maine, the counties with the most notable increase in temperature are along the coast from the Portland area through Midcoast Maine and into central Maine. Those zones have seen an increase in average summer temperature between 2 and 3 degrees.

The rest of the state has seen slightly lower, but still notable increases in temperature with average summer temps increasing by 1-2 degrees since 1970.

Sagadahoc County has seen the highest increase in average summer temperatures in the state with an increase of 2.4 degrees in the past 54 years.

The Portland area has not been immune to the warming.

The city of Portland has seen an increase in summer temperatures of about 2.6 degrees.

The warmer average temperatures have led to an increase in hot days during the summer. We see about 15 more days with above average temperatures now when compared to 1970.

With a warmer than normal summer in the climate outlook, it seems reasonable to think that the warmer trends will continue into summer 2025.