Boston Marathon: cool, dry forecast
Race‑week forecasts show Boston Marathon conditions trending cool and dry, with temperatures expected 5–15°F below mid‑April normals—conditions that favor extra warm‑ups and layered clothing at the start. ( )
Boston Marathon runners are heading toward a cooler, drier race week, with Marathon Monday on April 20 shaping up far milder than heat years. (baa.org; accuweather.com) The Boston Athletic Association says the 130th Boston Marathon will be run on Patriots’ Day, April 20, 2026, with 30,000 participants from more than 130 countries and all 50 states. This year also brings a six-wave start instead of four. (baa.org) Boston.com reported that runners will gather in Hopkinton and cover 26.2 miles to Copley Square, with official buses beginning at 6:45 a.m. for Wave 1 and the last bus leaving at 9:30 a.m. Early-morning waiting time matters more in a cool forecast than it does on a warm one. (boston.com) AccuWeather’s April outlook for Boston showed an average April high of 58 degrees and low of 46 degrees, with April 20 forecast near 59 and 51 as of April 13. The National Weather Service’s preliminary Boston climate data for April 1 through April 10 averaged 56.4 for highs and 36.1 for lows, showing how quickly mid-April temperatures can swing. (accuweather.com; weather.gov) That matters in Boston because the race starts in Hopkinton and finishes hours later in Boston, so runners can stand in chilly conditions before the course warms up. A dry day with temperatures near the 50s is usually easier for marathon racing than rain, headwinds, or heat in the 70s. (boston.com; wcvb.com) Boston Marathon weather has swung hard before. WCVB noted that April in New England can bring anything from wintry precipitation to midsummer heat, and the National Weather Service’s Boston records show daily April highs this month have already ranged from 40 to 71 degrees. (wcvb.com; weather.gov) For runners, the practical takeaway is less about speed than setup: extra layers at the start village, throwaway clothes for the wait, and a warm-up plan that fits a staggered six-wave morning. The forecast can still shift during race week, but as of Monday, April 13, the setup looked more like a classic cool Boston than a survival day. (baa.org; accuweather.com)
