Worcester, Massachusetts Weather
Fireflies rise from the lawn. Day 76 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Worcester weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 3Partly Cloudy——82°53°—
- ThursdayJun 4Overcast——85°57°+3°
- FridayJun 5Overcast——83°60°-2°
- SaturdayJun 6Light Drizzle26%—87°64°+4°
- SundayJun 7Drizzle73%0.06″73°50°-14°
- MondayJun 8Overcast38%—77°49°+4°
- TuesdayJun 9Overcast——82°52°+5°
Ozone at AQI 45 now. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±3 points). With UV 7.7 peaking around 1 PM under clear skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 46 by mid-afternoon.
OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.
What's driving it
Ozone × UV × Sky
Ozone at AQI 45 now. With UV 7.7 peaking around 1 PM under clear skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 46 by mid-afternoon.
- Present
- AQI 45
- UV peak
- 7.7 at 1 PM
- Sky at peak
- clear
- Projected peak
- AQI 46
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5 at 7.7 µg/m³, PM10 at 8.8 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.88
- 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).
The higher the clouds, the finer the weather.
- Moonrise
- 2:46 AM
- Moonset
- 11:33 AM
- In sign
- ♑︎ Capricorn
Fireflies rise from the lawn
Worcester at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 7°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
- Last frost: April 30 (climatological average for this latitude)
- Microseason: Jun 1–5
- Planting window: Harvest spring lettuce before it bolts. Sow heat-tolerant greens.
Right now in the garden
Peak growing season
As of June 3, 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.
Planting calendar
| Month | Plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| January | — | — |
| February | — | — |
| March | — | — |
| April | — | — |
| May | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| June | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| July | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| August | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| September | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| October | — | winter squash, tomatoes (last) |
| November | — | — |
| December | — | — |
A year in weather
July brings Worcester's warmest temperatures at around 71°F mean, while January delivers the coldest at roughly 25°F. October sees peak rainfall with 4.8 inches, and February marks the driest period with 3.3 inches.
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 25° | 3.5″ | 7 |
| February | 27° | 3.3″ | 7 |
| March | 35° | 4.2″ | 7 |
| April | 46° | 4.1″ | 8 |
| May | 57° | 3.6″ | 8 |
| June | 65° | 4.2″ | 8 |
| July | 71° | 3.9″ | 7 |
| August | 69° | 4.1″ | 6 |
| September | 62° | 4.2″ | 6 |
| October | 51° | 4.8″ | 7 |
| November | 40° | 4.0″ | 7 |
| December | 31° | 4.3″ | 8 |
Regional context
Worcester belongs to the warm-summer humid continental climate region, sharing temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, and growing conditions with other cities in this climate zone.
Similar climates: Boston, MA, Springfield, MA, New Bedford, MA, Cambridge, MA, Lowell, MA.
Naturalist notes
Late May brings the return of wood warblers to Worcester's forests as these migrants complete their spring journey north.
Apple trees across the region finish blooming by mid-May, their petals carpeting orchard floors as young fruit begins to set.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in Worcester?
- Mid-May typically marks Worcester's last spring frost, while the first fall frost usually arrives around mid-October.
- What is the rainy season in Worcester?
- October stands as the wettest month, bringing about 4.8 inches of rain on average, contributing to the city's annual total of roughly 48 inches.
- What is the warmest month in Worcester?
- July typically delivers the warmest weather, with temperatures averaging about 71°F.
- What is the coldest month in Worcester?
- January brings the coldest temperatures, averaging about 25°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in Worcester?
- Cool-season crops like peas and lettuce can be planted around the last spring frost in mid-May, while warm-season crops such as tomatoes and peppers should wait 1–2 weeks after that date.
- How many rainy days does Worcester get?
- Worcester experiences about 84 rainy days per year on average.
- What hardiness zone is Worcester?
- Worcester's USDA hardiness zone depends on its lowest average winter temperatures; use the USDA's online lookup tool with the city ZIP code for the current zone designation.
Climate
Worcester, Massachusetts experiences a warm-summer humid continental climate. January temperatures hover near 25°F while July averages 71°F, creating a 46°F seasonal swing.
Annual precipitation totals about 48 inches, distributed across roughly 84 rainy days throughout the year.
Geography drives Worcester's weather patterns through its latitude of 42.3°N, proximity to large water bodies, and elevation. These factors determine frost timing, growing conditions, and daily weather variations.