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Boston sits on the Atlantic coast of New England in the northeastern United States, on a harbour at the mouth of the Charles River, at approximately 42.36°N, 71.06°W. It has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa) with hot, humid summers and cold, snowy winters and four sharply distinct seasons, moderated somewhat by the Atlantic but still exposed to the full continental range and to powerful coastal storms.
Summer, from June to August, is warm and humid, with July the warmest month — average highs around 28°C — and hot, muggy spells when tropical air pushes up the coast, though sea breezes off the Atlantic can temper the shoreline. Afternoon thunderstorms are common, and it is among the sunnier, pleasant times of year, drawing people to the harbour and coast.
Winter, from December to February, is cold, windy and snowy, with January the coldest month — average highs around 2°C and lows near -6°C, with cold snaps driving wind chills far lower. Boston is especially prone to nor'easters, powerful coastal storms that can dump heavy snow — the city averages around 100–120 cm a year and has seen far more in severe winters — along with strong winds and coastal flooding.
Boston receives around 1,100–1,150 mm of precipitation a year, spread fairly evenly through every month with no dry season, plus substantial winter snowfall. Spring can be raw and damp, and coastal storms contribute heavily to the autumn and winter totals. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.
Boston's signature weather is the nor'easter — the intense coastal storm that spins up off the Atlantic and can bury the city in snow while battering the coast with wind and surge, most memorably in the blizzards of 1978 and 2015. Its coastal setting also brings rapid spring temperature swings, sea fog, and a raw, damp edge to the transitional seasons, while the Atlantic keeps its winters a shade milder than the New England interior.
To follow any single measurement in Boston more closely, use our live instruments: the online barometer for atmospheric pressure, the thermometer for temperature, the hygrometer for humidity, the anemometer for wind speed, the wind vane for wind direction, and the rain gauge for rainfall.