January in Boston — off-season conditions
Hardest · 1.9/10January averages -2°C (28°F), cold enough that sightseeing works in bursts rather than in one long day on foot.
At 152 mm of water-equivalent precipitation this is a snowy month at resort level — that is snowpack, not lost days — with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 9.2 hours of daylight.
It scores 1.9/10 here, 12th of 12 months, against 8.2/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
Flexible dates? May scores 6.3 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
February in Boston — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 4/10February averages -1°C (30°F), cold enough that sightseeing works in bursts rather than in one long day on foot.
At 68 mm of water-equivalent precipitation this is a snowy month at resort level — that is snowpack, not lost days — with about 4 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10.3 hours of daylight.
It scores 4/10 here, 9th of 12 months, against 8.2/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a packable rain layer.
Flexible dates? May scores 4.2 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
March in Boston — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 4/10At 3°C (37°F) this is proper winter weather in March: layer up and split the day between outdoor highlights and indoor stops.
146 mm of rain signals a properly wet month, with only about 11 days with 6+ hours of sunshine to count on — build indoor options into the schedule.
That is 4/10 on the same scale — 10th of 12 months, versus 8.2/10 for the best month here.
Budget for mid-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, May is materially better in Boston — 4.2 points higher on the same scale.
April in Boston — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 6.4/10April averages 8°C (47°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
At 104 mm this is a genuinely wet month: about 17 days with 6+ hours of sunshine in total, and outdoor plans need an indoor fallback.
It scores 6.4/10 here, 7th of 12 months, against 8.2/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
Flexible dates? May scores 1.8 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
May: the best month of the year in Boston
Best window · 8.2/10Temperatures hover around 14°C (58°F) — the kind of month where neither heat nor cold forces the schedule.
Budget for roughly 81 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 28 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 14.4 hours of daylight to work around it.
On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Boston at 8.2/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.
Expect peak pricing, and crowds are moderate. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
June holds up well in Boston — 2nd best month
Good · 8.2/10June averages 19°C (66°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
Rainfall runs 91 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 26 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 15.1 hours of daylight.
It scores 8.2/10 here, 2nd of 12 months, against 8.2/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on peak pricing, with crowds are moderate. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
July in Boston: strong conditions, 5th of 12
Good · 7.1/10July averages 24°C (74°F) — pleasant for mornings and evenings on foot in the city, with a midday break when the sun is strongest.
Monthly rainfall reaches 120 mm — wet for this destination — but about 27 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still break through, so keep one indoor fallback in the plan.
It scores 7.1/10 here, 5th of 12 months, against 8.2/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for peak pricing, with this is one of the busiest months here.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
August in Boston: strong conditions, 3rd of 12
Good · 7.9/10At 22°C (72°F) this is comfortable city weather in August, with sightseeing easiest before lunch and after the afternoon peak.
106 mm of rain makes this a wet month here, though with about 21 days with 6+ hours of sunshine there is still bright weather between the fronts.
That is 7.9/10 on the same scale — 3rd of 12 months, versus 8.2/10 for the best month here.
Expect peak pricing, and this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
September in Boston: strong conditions, 4th of 12
Good · 7.2/10Temperatures hover around 18°C (65°F) — the kind of month where neither heat nor cold forces the schedule.
109 mm of rain signals a properly wet month, with only about 13 days with 6+ hours of sunshine to count on — build indoor options into the schedule.
That is 7.2/10 on the same scale — 4th of 12 months, versus 8.2/10 for the best month here.
Budget for mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
October in Boston — middling scores, decent value
Trade-offs · 6.7/10October averages 13°C (55°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
Rainfall runs 74 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 6 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10.8 hours of daylight.
It scores 6.7/10 here, 6th of 12 months, against 8.2/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
November in Boston — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 5/10November averages 6°C (43°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Rainfall runs 78 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 9.5 hours of daylight.
It scores 5/10 here, 8th of 12 months, against 8.2/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
Flexible dates? May scores 3.2 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
December in Boston: expect compromises
Hardest · 2.5/10At 1°C (34°F) this is proper winter weather in December: layer up and split the day between outdoor highlights and indoor stops.
156 mm of rain signals a properly wet month, with only almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine to count on — build indoor options into the schedule.
That is 2.5/10 on the same scale — 11th of 12 months, versus 8.2/10 for the best month here.
Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, May is materially better in Boston — 5.7 points higher on the same scale.
