Weathering Decades of Boston Marathon Weather
As those participating in the 2025 Boston Marathon prepare for race day on Monday, April 21, weather watchers will also be looking to see what Mother Nature has in store this year. Explore some weather facts and figures from past runnings of the Boston Marathon.
Boston Marathon Weather Highs and Lows
According to the website Find My Marathon, the average temperatures for the Boston Marathon over the past two decades have ranged from a high of 63 degrees to a low of 41 degrees.
However, the weather conditions on race day have varied considerably during that time. In 2012, temperatures hit 91 degrees, while in 2018, heavy rain and 40-degree temperatures made racing conditions difficult.
The exact weather runners will encounter depends on when they start the Boston Marathon. Most will begin between 10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m., while professional and wheelchair athletes start earlier in the morning. The later the start time, the warmer the temperatures will be as morning turns to afternoon.
Most experts agree that the perfect weather conditions are temperatures between 45 to 50 degrees with overcast skies.
Boston Marathon Weather Extremes
The Boston Marathon has made history for its share of weather extremes.
According to a Wicked Local account, participants have had to contend with snow for at least six marathons: 1906, 1908, 1925, 1961, and 1967. In 1961, winds of 10 to 12 mph caused blowing snow, and the recorded temperature that day was 39 degrees.
The temperature was reported to have hit 100 degrees in 1905. Ten marathon years have had temperatures surpassing 80 degrees, especially in 2004 and 2012.
Other atmospheric events have also occurred. In 1939, a storm and partial solar eclipse caused runners to start the race under dark skies. In 2002, a heavy mist hampered visibility, preventing helicopters from televising the race.
In 2010, hundreds of international competitors missed the race because of a volcanic eruption in southern Iceland, which impacted European air travel for several weeks.
