Weather

An early look at what meteorologists are predicting for the 2023 Boston Marathon weather forecast

The timing of a cold front's arrival could determine what kind of conditions runners will encounter.

Runners could see some rain on Marathon Day this year. Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe

April 10, 2023

The 2023 Boston Marathon is just days away, and both runners and onlookers are hoping for mild weather conditions on race day.

While it’s hard to be certain of the exact weather conditions a week out, meteorologists can paint a rough picture of what the day will be like.

Current weather forecasts

According to National Weather Service (NWS) Boston meteorologist Kyle Pederson, we will likely see mostly cloudy skies April 17, and temperatures are expected to reach a high of 62 degrees.

Pederson said the NWS is tracking a storm system that is expected to reach Boston Sunday or Monday, so there is a 30% chance of precipitation all day Monday. There should also be some wind, with gusts up to 15 mph, he said.

The Weather Channel’s forecast is similar, with a predicted high of 63 degrees and winds up to 20 mph. It is predicting a higher chance of rain, at 50%, especially in the morning.

AccuWeather is predicting a more dreary day, with a predicted high of only 59 degrees, which it says will feel like 55 degrees. It is also predicting an even higher chance of rain, at 61%, and that the likelihood of thunderstorms is 37%.

Boston should see four hours of rain, amounting to .33 inches, AccuWeather predicts. Cloud cover will be near 100%, and winds should be around 13 mph, with gusts up to 24 mph.

What will ultimately determine the weather?

More on the Marathon

On Monday, WBZ-TV Meteorologist Terry Eliasen posted his forecast for Marathon Day. According to Eliasen, the weather on Marathon Day will be decided by the timing of a cold front which is set to come through the region between Sunday and Tuesday.

“At the moment, it looks like that front will be pushing through during the day (and during the race) on Monday. If that were the case, we would be talking about periods of rain with a gusty southwest wind,” he wrote.

If the cold front arrives early, which is unlikely, temperatures will be cooler than currently predicted, Eliasen said. If it were to arrive late, the weather will be hot and humid.

“At this point, odds favor warmer than average conditions, southwest winds and some rain Monday,” he wrote.

But anything could happen

Still, Eliasen said, we should remember that Boston weather is highly variable and can change at any moment, especially in April.

“The thing about running a marathon in the spring here is that the weather can do just about anything. And through the 100+ year history, we have seen it all – snow, rain, wind, bitter cold, searing heat, you name it,” he wrote.

Check back for more weather updates and the latest on the Boston Marathon on Boston.com as we get closer to race day.