View Full Version : Maine AT
A couple of us are going to hike from Lake Nahmaknta to Katahdin in late August. What are the day/night temps for this time of year?
LoneStranger
05-07-2015, 13:11
Heat more likely an issue than cold that time of year, but be prepared for either and hope it is somewhere in the middle. :) It can go from too hot to chilly in a hurry if a front comes through while you are at elevation, especially if you get wet. Flies should be down by then but expect party to mostly skeeters depending on rain patterns.
Did that last year. Temps range from 80+ in hot sun to 40 in cold rain. Never touched the bug spray for the whole 11 day trip.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Shutterbug
05-08-2015, 07:18
I hiked that section in August a few years ago. It was dreadfully hot and muggy. A storm came through and it rained heavy rain for 36 hours without letting up.
peakbagger
05-08-2015, 07:21
Hard to beat the 100 mile in August. It can be in the 90s during the day and the forties at night. What many folks don't realize is how long the daylight lasts in Maine in the summer
Begin civil twilight 5:05 a.m.
Sunrise 5:37 a.m.
Sun transit 12:40 p.m.
Sunset 7:42 p.m.
End civil twilight 8:13 p.m.
The data above is from the US Naval website for August 15th. !5 hours of daylight
Optimistically you wont even use a raincoat, but on occasion you can get a stalled front and need to be prepped for cold wet and rainy which are dangerous conditions as you can get hypothermia in the summer. You need enough clothing to entirely cover you skin with a water repellent layer with hood to cover you core. I carry a pair of fleece gloves and a lightweight balaclava year round and used it in North Carolina a couple of times in cold wet damp conditions.
LoneStranger
05-08-2015, 07:54
Did that last year. Temps range from 80+ in hot sun to 40 in cold rain. Never touched the bug spray for the whole 11 day trip.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Last year was a great bug year in the ME woods. I used my DEET a grand total of one time the whole year. Permethrin treated clothing and a bug net to sleep under was all I needed. That doesn't mean they won't get their revenge this year though :)
Yup. Headed back to Monson to continue south this June - bringing my headnet - expecting lots of bugs this year.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
A couple of us are going to hike from Lake Nahmaknta to Katahdin in late August. What are the day/night temps for this time of year?
Here is a useful site.
There is a formula out there to calculate how much colder it gets for every 1000 feet of elevation gain.
http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KMLT/2014/8/25/WeeklyHistory.html?req_city=Millinocket&req_state=ME&req_statename=Maine&reqdb.zip=04462&reqdb.magic=1&reqdb.wmo=99999
Thanks all! I'll be sure to be prepared for possible temps down in the 40's.
Another question . . . Are there many bears in that area?? We will bring gear to hang a bag at night.
Thanks all! I'll be sure to be prepared for possible temps down in the 40's.
Another question . . . Are there many bears in that area?? We will bring gear to hang a bag at night.
Bears are the least of your worries. Chipmunks, mice and squirrels are everywhere and they are very smart. You will need to hang your food and your pack.
The shelter sites are all infested. The animals know they are food sources and will show up right as you lay down to sleep. You will hear them running around. You can hang your stuff from the shelter roof - often times ropes are left there for this purpose, but that doesn't work. The animals know what is in the bags and they will be relentless in trying to get at them.
One one occasion I had a critter climb up a tree where my food was hanging and shimmy down the rope to attack the bag. Bring some gear tape to repair any holes they make.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Here is a useful site.
There is a formula out there to calculate how much colder it gets for every 1000 feet of elevation gain.
http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KMLT/2014/8/25/WeeklyHistory.html?req_city=Millinocket&req_state=ME&req_statename=Maine&reqdb.zip=04462&reqdb.magic=1&reqdb.wmo=99999
You can also apply a simple rule-of-thumb. For altitudes above sea level less than 39,000 feet, the ISA (International Standard Atmosphere) atmospheric adiabatic lapse rate is approximately 3.5 degrees F per 1000 feet of altitude gain. This applies to standard conditions where the air is not overly wet or dry.
If it's 60 in the valley, a summit 5,000 feet higher could be 17.5 degrees cooler - 42.5 degrees F. Then you have the effects of wind and sun...
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
BirdBrain
05-09-2015, 22:26
Temperature differences due to elevation change is not an issue with that section. There are no big hills there until you get to Katahdin. If it is too hot, jump into one of the many ponds or brooks. Lightning is less of a concern than if you were on one of the many granite ridges in Maine. The trees will offer some protection from driving rain. Weather will not be an issue though that stretch that time of the year.
You may have to worry about an occasional Hurricane if it makes it that far North. August is a perfect time to Hike in Maine.