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

Boston, Massachusetts Weather

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

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

Boston, MA
Sunday, August 2 at 9:44 AM
77
°
Overcast
Feels like
81°
Humidity
81%
Wind
9 mph
Sunrise
1:38 AM
Sunset
4:02 PM
Boston, MA
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastBoston, MA: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 74 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit with a 38% chance of precipitation at 7 AM.
L 74°H 86°
Boston, MA
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Aug 2
    Overcast
    —
    —
    86°71°—
  2. Monday
    Aug 3
    Showers
    50%
    0.56″
    82°71°-4°
  3. Tuesday
    Aug 4
    Overcast
    34%
    —
    87°62°+5°
  4. Wednesday
    Aug 5
    Showers
    20%
    0.23″
    79°65°-8°
  5. Thursday
    Aug 6
    Drizzle
    24%
    —
    92°73°+13°
  6. Friday
    Aug 7
    Light Showers
    27%
    0.31″
    94°71°+2°
  7. Saturday
    Aug 8
    Light Drizzle
    33%
    0.01″
    89°70°-5°
Boston, MA
Next 24 hours · Mild now
HOT 90°70°80°90°12p6p12a6anow 76°high 86°low 74°PRECIP %
Boston, MA
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
S
191° · backing 101°
Direction
S
191°
Sustained
9
mph
Gust
16
mph
Peak 24h
21
avg 7 mph
Beaufort · 3 · GENTLE 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 7 mph · pk 21 mph @ 1:00a
0102030MPHB1B2B3B4B5B6-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 2710SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze backing 101° from the s.
Boston, MA
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
1013.6
+0.5 mb in 3h · steady · 29.93 inHg
Now
1013.6
mb
3h
+0.5
mb
12h
+2.2
mb
24h
+1.8
mb
Regime · CHANGE
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 1010–1014
9951000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR10201025FAIR|DRY1030-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW1013.21010.21013.2
Air sits at the threshold — small shifts decide the day.
Boston, MA
Air quality
50
AQI
Good
→-3 in 6h

AQI 50 (Good), driven by PM2.5. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±3 points). PM2.5 at 9.8 µg/m³, PM10 at 12.0 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
9.8μg/m³
PM 10Good
12μg/m³
NO₂Good
7μg/m³
OzoneModerate
81μg/m³
UV IndexLow
1.5

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 38. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~100%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.

Present
AQI 38
UV peak
3.0 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
overcast
Projected peak
AQI 8

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 9.8 µg/m³, PM10 at 12.0 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

PM2.5/PM10
0.82
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/m³310
Boston, MA
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
81%
MOSTLY CLOUDY
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
35.1mi
UNLIMITED
102 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
13:44 UTC · Boston, MA · 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
13:44 UTC · Boston, MA · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Boston, MA
Satellite · infrared · animated
Boston, MA
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Boston, MA
Almanac · Sunday, August 2
Red sky at night, sailor's delight.
Civil dawn
5:07 AM
Sunrise
1:38 AM
Daylight
14h 24m
Sunset
4:02 PM
Civil dusk
8:36 PM
Planting note
Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.
Boston, MA
The moon
Waning Gibbous
85% illuminated
Moonrise
9:27 PM
Moonset
9:46 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Boston, MA
Microseason
Aug 1–5

Night falls a minute earlier

celestial
Jan 159% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Boston at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 17°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: April 30 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Aug 1–5
  • Planting window: Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.

ZIP codes: 02108, 02109, 02110, 02111, 02113, 02114, 02115, 02116 +8 more

16-Day Forecast — Boston

  1. Sun87°71°3%
  2. Mon82°71°50%
  3. Tue87°62°34%
  4. Wed79°65°20%
  5. Thu92°73°24%
  6. Fri94°71°27%
  7. Sat89°70°33%
  8. Sun95°71°17%
  9. Mon97°71°24%
  10. Tue81°68°18%
  11. Wed79°60°15%
  12. Thu71°63°30%
  13. Fri79°67°35%
  14. Sat81°66°30%
  15. Sun96°68°21%
  16. Mon80°68°18%

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

Live wind & temperature near Boston

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 — Boston

SPC has placed Boston in the Marginal Risk category for severe thunderstorms tomorrow.

  • TODAYTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • TOMORROWMRGLMarginal Risk
  • DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms

Isolated severe storms possible. Limited threat for hail or damaging wind.

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 Boston

Boston sits in Suffolk County, where the year’s longest day runs 15h 17m of daylight and its shortest just 9h 5m — a swing of +6h 12m between the June and December solstices. Clocks spring forward on Sunday, March 8, 2026 and fall back on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

Worcester, the state’s largest city, lies about 37 miles to the W. The nearest town Boston tracks is Worcester, roughly 37 miles to the W.

Air quality in Boston’s county has trended cleaner since 2020; its cleanest year on record was 2024 (median AQI 36). See the full air-quality history for Boston.

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

The year in Boston tops out in July (~74°F) and dips lowest in January (~28°F), with December wettest at 5.1 inches and July driest at 3.5 inches.

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January28°3.9″13
February30°3.6″12
March38°4.5″15
April49°4.3″14
May59°3.6″12
June68°4.2″14
July74°3.5″12
August73°3.7″12
September65°4.0″13
October53°5.0″17
November43°4.0″13
December34°5.1″17

Regional context

Boston's climate, from NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 station normals, pairs 28°F Januarys with 74°F Julys — a 46°F swing. About 49.4 inches of precipitation falls over roughly 164 days a year.

Boston's precipitation spreads evenly: December peaks at 5.1 inches on 17.0 wet days, while July holds 3.5 inches over 12.0 — no month dominates Boston's rain calendar. That lines Boston up with places like Cambridge, MA, Somerville, MA and Quincy, MA, fed by overlapping storm tracks.

By late-May the frosts ease in Boston, opening the season for kale, peas, spinach, and parsnips. Hold Boston's tender crops — tomatoes, peppers, basil — until 10-14 days past Boston's last frost. Boston's window closes around early-October as overnight lows return below freezing. In Boston, low spots run 4-7°F colder than nearby slopes, nudging Boston's frost dates a week.

Similar climates: Cambridge, MA, Somerville, MA, Quincy, MA, Chelsea, MA, Everett, MA.

Naturalist notes

Late May brings the emergence of mayapple umbrellas unfurling across woodland floors throughout the Boston area.

Spring peepers begin their evening chorus in March as temperatures climb above freezing consistently.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Boston?
In Boston, expect the last spring frost near mid-May; Boston's first autumn frost comes around mid-October.
What is the rainy season in Boston?
December is the wettest month in Boston, about 5.1 inches on average; the year totals roughly 49 inches.
What is the warmest month in Boston?
Boston peaks in July, when the mean runs near 74°F.
What is the coldest month in Boston?
January is Boston's coldest month, averaging about 28°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Boston?
In Boston, sow peas and hardy greens around mid-May; Boston's tomatoes and peppers wait two weeks more.
How many rainy days does Boston get?
Boston records around 164 days of measurable precipitation annually.
What hardiness zone is Boston?
Since January in Boston averages 28°F, Boston's USDA zone follows that floor — confirm it by ZIP.
What is the 10-day forecast for Boston?
Boston'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 Boston?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Boston in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Boston?
Current conditions for Boston and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Boston forecast updated?
The Boston forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Boston?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Boston 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 Boston?
The next few days in Boston's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Set in a warm-summer humid continental zone, Boston, Massachusetts swings from 28°F in the heart of winter to 74°F at midsummer — a 46°F arc.

Rain and snow bring Boston roughly 49 inches a year across approximately 164 measurable-precipitation days.

Boston's 46°F range, set by its 42.3°N position, drives frost timing and what thrives in Boston.

All cities in Massachusetts →

ZIP codes in Boston

  • 02120
  • 02121
  • 02122
  • 02124
  • 02125
  • 02126
  • 02127
  • 02128
  • 02129
  • 02210
  • 02215
  • 02467
  • 02119
  • 02118
  • 02111
  • 02110
  • 02113
  • 02115
  • 02114
  • 02116
  • 02199
  • 02134
  • 02136
  • 02135
  • 02133
  • 02132
  • 02131
  • 02130
  • 02203
  • 02205
  • 02163
  • 02108
  • 02109
  • 02112
  • 02117
  • 02123
  • 02137
  • 02196
  • 02201
  • 02206
  • 02211
  • 02212
  • 02217
  • 02222
  • 02241
  • 02283
  • 02284
  • 02293
  • 02297
  • 02298

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.