What's the weather like in Boston?
Location
Boston is the largest city in Massachusetts and also the capital city of Massachusetts. Boston belongs to the United States of America (USA) and is also regarded as the unofficial capital of New England which is a region of the north eastern corner of USA framed by the Atlantic Ocean, Canada and the state of New York.
The weather in Massachusetts is divided into 4 topographical regions consisting of coastal lowlands, interior lowlands, dissected uplands and residuals of ancient mountain. Massachusetts is located in the temperate zone of North America. Boston enjoys a continental climate with 4 separate seasons and due to its location the area can experience storms. The weather also has maritime influences due to its coastal location. The climate is classed as humid continental.
There are more than 4230 miles of river in this state of Massachusetts, with the Connecticut River being the longest which runs southwards through west-central Massachusetts. The highest mountain is the Mountain Greylock, near the New York border, reaching 3,487 foot.
Culture
Boston is rich in history and tradition yet exciting and contemporary. Boston was founded on the 17th September 1630 by Puritan, colonists from England. The citys culture consists of Theatres, Universities, Museums, Religious Centres, Parks and Performing Art Organisations. There are lots of must see annual events in the city such as the Boston Arts Festival, Week-long Harborfest Festivities, Boston Marathon and Boston Pops Concert. There are also plenty of historical sites to see at the Boston National Historical Park, which represent the important role Boston played in the American Revolution. You will find many of these sites along the Freedom Trail, marked by a red line of bricks on the ground.
The best way to get around Boston is either on foot or by subway. Boston is a great place to enjoy the weather, history, culture or sports; with the city having its own hockey team: The Boston Bruins, baseball team: The Red Sox, and participating team in the football league also, so why not catch a game. You can look at the weather averages which provide a weather forecast to give you a good idea of when the best time to book your holiday would be.
Summer Weather in Boston
In summer the weather is typically warm, rainy and humid, but you can definitely count on a number of beautiful summer days with clear skies that bring a sense of calm and happiness. Summer season runs from June through to August. Thunderstorms are likely in this season but sunshine normally follows thunder storms. In this season temperatures can reach 270C and can drop as low as 140C.
Autumn Weather in Boston
In autumn the colours painting the city of Boston are a feast for the eyes, with the leaves colouring the trees crimson, gold and green. This season runs from September to November. There are lots of nice days in this season of clear skies and low humidity. There can still be torrential downpours also as well as snow and sometimes storms. In this season temperatures can reach 220C and can be as low as 20C.
Winter Weather in Boston
In winter the weather is normally cold, windy and snowy. The snow flakes normally fall from the sky in this season making it a real winter wonderland. You can expect cold days and even colder nights. The winter season is December through to sometimes part of March. A winter day here can be amazing for the senses, the crisp clear air, blue skies with the light of sunshine glistening through, the white snow flakes falling onto your skin and all around colouring the ground the beautiful winter colour of white. Be prepared as the temperature can drop below freezing day and night. You can enjoy ice skating in Boston or go to other cities in Massachusetts to the ski areas. In this season temperatures can reach 40C and can be as low as -70C.
Spring Weather in Boston
Spring in Boston is normally a mild season but does depend on wind direction and jet stream position with the wind patterns from the Atlantic Ocean affecting temperatures. This season starts in March through to May and tends to be cold, windy and rainy. Snow can still fall in this season and cold conditions can last up to May. You should also be able to feel a sea breeze. The trees begin to flower making a beautiful colourful scene in Boston and making public gardens a great place to visit. In this season temperatures can reach 190C and can be as low as -20C.
Another area of Massachusetts is Cape Cod. The shape of Cape Cod came from retreating glaciers from the ice age, millions of years ago, when mountainess masses of granite rock extended across the state creating the Appalachian Mountains with new surfaces of marble, slate and quartzite, being worn down entering into the ice age, leaving behind the shape of cape cod, soil, rock and boulders.
Extreme Weather and Hazards
Boston weather is affected by its coastal location so is affected by storms which bring a lot of moisture from the Atlantic Ocean. The location can also make quite unpredictable weather patterns, with conditions changing hour to hour. You can also expect from time to time in Boston, a blinding blizzard, torrential downpours and sometimes an occasional hurricane.
You can expect 1 or 2 Nor'easters each year in Boston which is a storm that occurs when an area of low pressure forms over the Atlantic Ocean, and moves along the Atlantic Coast as winds blow from the ocean ahead of it. This can lead to torrential downpours/ flooding or blizzards. The worst Nor'easter led to a blizzard in 1978 where snow came down heavily for 2 days and shut down the whole city for 1 week, due to disrupted electrical power. The highest amount of snow fall ever was recorded in 24 hours during this blizzard, people lost their lives from fallen electrical cables and people were trapped on highways for days. Boston can also experience hurricanes. In 1954 Hurricane Carol struck which was so powerful that it knocked the steeple off the Old North Church. The city has an average of 42.5 inches of precipitation per year and 41.8 inches of snowfall per year.