A year of extremes: A look at what the weather brought to Maine in 2025

There were a lot of crazy extremes here in Maine over 2025.. and November and December can be added to this list because they were both MUCH COLDER than normal. Normal High temperatures in November were near 43F, and we rarely got out of the 30s during the day. In December, normal highs are between 34 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit, and we rarely even reached 32F/Freezing!! We are hoping January and February 2026 are warmer than normal. - But 2025 brought an Earthquake in addition to one of the worst droughts Maine ever experienced after one of the coolest, wettest springtime on record. Here are the details from News Channel 8 in Portland, Maine.

A year of extremes: A look at what the weather brought to Maine in 2025 

From wet weekends to extreme drought and incredible colors in the skies, it was a year to remember

WMTW-TV Dec 30, 2025 Emily Pike

MAINE — The weather always creates plenty of memorable moments in Maine and 2025 was certainly no different. In fact, the year was one filled with extremes.

The year started with wet, windy conditions that put the finishing touches on washing away the early-December 2024 snowpack.

For the month, January featured above-average temperatures and below-average snowfall, but that is not what the month is perhaps most remembered for.

On Jan. 27, there was a magnitude 3.8 earthquake about six miles off the coast of York Harbor. The USGS told Maine's Total Coverage that the earthquake was the fifth-strongest on record in Maine.

The Maine Geological Survey's online database indicates that the earthquake was tied for the third-strongest earthquake with an epicenter in Maine since 1997. That was just one of several small earthquakes recorded in the state throughout the year.

With as warm as January was, February was equally as cold. In fact, it was the coldest and snowiest February in 10 years for Portland. Back-to-back storms dropped nearly 30 inches of snow, making for dangerous travel. There were numerous crashes and several large pileups, resulting in several injuries and at least two deaths.

By late winter, snowfall became lighter, with most systems producing three to six inches of snow.

For many, spring turned into a season to forget. It was cool and wet for weeks. In fact, temperatures didn't reach the 60s until June and there was rain in the forecast for 12 weekends in a row, making it tough for businesses that rely on tourism.

There was more sunshine in early summer, but the rainy weekends continued.

Tri For a Cure was on July 20 at Southern Maine Community College in South Portland and the day started out with pleasant conditions, but storms moved through that evening. Those storms caused damage across the area, even ripping roofs off buildings.

While there weren't many severe storms all summer, there was a distinct lack of rain. The summer ended up as the sixth driest summer on record. A flash drought developed by late July, river levels hit historic lows and the state entered extreme drought conditions, affecting farms, wells, wildlife, and even tourism.

Because of the drought, there was a USDA Natural Disaster designation for much of Maine, freeing up emergency assistance.

Turn to fall and the foliage season was early and underwhelming. The fire danger remained high and there were burn bans for much of the fall camping season.

December brought colder temperatures and new snowfall. With enough precipitation over the winter, drought conditions could ease by the spring.

One other thing that the skies over Maine featured prominently in 2025 were the aurora borealis or Northern Lights. We saw several dazzling displays throughout the year.