🦞 Boston Weather

Where the Atlantic writes the winters

Boston's weather is dictated by its position on a cold northern coast, and nothing shapes it more than the Atlantic Ocean. The sea keeps the city a touch milder than inland New England in deep winter and noticeably cooler in spring, when a persistent onshore "sea breeze" can leave the waterfront chilly while suburbs just miles inland bask in warmth.

Legendary winters and nor'easters

Boston is a nor'easter magnet. When these storms wrap moist Atlantic air around a coastal low, the snow totals can be staggering — the winter of 2014–15 dumped a record 110.6 inches (281 cm), much of it in a single brutal six-week stretch that paralyzed the city. Highs in January and February hover in the mid-30s°F (around 1–2°C), with biting wind off the harbor.

Short, warm summers

Summer is brief but pleasant, with July highs around 82°F (28°C). Humidity can build, and heat waves do occur — the record high is 104°F (40°C) — but ocean breezes usually take the edge off. Autumn is spectacular, as cool, clear air and famous New England foliage arrive in late September and October.

The city averages around 43 inches (1,090 mm) of precipitation a year. The trickiest season is early spring: the lagging-cold ocean keeps Boston cool and raw well into April, long after the calendar says winter is over.

Nor'easters and coastal moderation

Boston's weather is defined by its coastal New England setting: the Atlantic moderates temperatures year-round but also fuels the nor'easter, the powerful coastal storm that can bury the city in heavy snow or lash it with damaging wind and coastal flooding, especially from December to March.

Summers are warm and humid but tempered by the sea breeze, while spring is notoriously slow to arrive as the cold ocean holds back the warmth into May. Autumn is the region's finest season — crisp, clear, and cool — occasionally interrupted by the remnants of a tropical system riding up the coast.