The Boston Marathon, set for April 17, 2023, is less than a week away and with temperatures climbing, will runners have a mild route, be hit by hot, scorching sun or cold, wet conditions? April in Boston is rarely predictable.
We decided to take a look at the forecasts, so you can plan your marathon Monday, whether you’re running or just sitting on the sidelines cheering on the athletes in the 127th Boston Marathon!
What’s the forecast for Marathon Monday?
Throughout the race’s 100 plus year history, runners and spectators have been hit with every type of weather imaginable, including snow, rain, wind, bitter cold and scorching heat. This year looks to be somewhat mild, but while this week looks warm, sunny and dry, things start looking a little dicey as we go into the weekend.
According to CBS Boston, Saturday and Sunday will have highs in the 60s and 70s, with partly cloudy skies. The weekend should remain dry, but a storm system is approaching from the west, so there could be showers on Sunday.
Going into Monday, it’s really going to come down to the timing of the storm system, which right now looks like it will be going through the city, meaning runners will face the challenge of rain and gusty winds. If the storm front slows down, it could be a very warm and humid day. The most likely scenario is warm, humid conditions with periods of rain.
Right now the National Weather Service is predicting a 40% chance of showers, with a high near 63 degrees and Southwest winds around 15 mph.
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What was the worst weather at the marathon?
As any Bostonian knows, spring weather means there could be snow on Tuesday and temperatures of 70 plus degrees a few days later. This has proved challenging for runners over the years, to put it lightly!
The record high temperature was back in 1976, reaching over degrees during the race, according to Runner’s World. On the low end, in 1926 the temperature was a record low of 28 degrees, and back in 1961 it snowed during the marathon!
However, in recent memory, 2018 might have been the worst for runners, with drenching rain, high winds, and temperatures in the upper 30s. More than half of the professional fields dropped out during the race.
For more information about how to watch the race, check out the Boston Athletic Associations website or download the BAA app.