Weather Conditions in Recent Years

Year Hopkinton Temp. Boston Temp. Wind Sky
2016 71 62 Variable 6 mph Clear
2015 44 46 ESE 5-11 mph Overcast, rain
2014 61 62 WSW 2-3 mph Sunny
2013 56 54 E 3mph Clear
2012 65 87 W/SW 10-20 mph Clear
2011 46 55 W/SW 16-20 mph Clear
2010 49 55 E/NE 2-5 mph Partly cloudy
2009 51 47 E/SE 9-16 mph Partly cloudy
2008 53 53 W 2 mph Clear
2007 47 50 E/ESE 20-30 mph Overcast, rain
2006 55 53 Calm Clear
2005 70 66 E/NE 5–8 mph Clear
2004 83 86 WSW/SW/W 8–11 mph Clear
2003 70 59 Variable 3–8 mph Clear
2002 53 56 N/NE 1–5 mph Mostly cloudy
2001 53 54 N/NE 1–5 mph Partly cloudy
2000 50 47 N/NE 7–12 mph Cloudy

 

Unusual Weather Conditions over the Years

Snow

1907 Traces of sleet
1908 Snowflakes and drizzle
1925 Cold wind and occasional snowflakes
1961 Snow squalls driven by winds of 10–12 mph; recorded temperature was 39 degrees
1967 Snow squalls accompanied the runners through the first five miles

Extreme Heat or Unseasonable Warmth

1905 The temperature was reported to have reached the 100-degrees mark.
1909 The temperature soared to 97 degrees.
1915 Reports of “intense heat.”
1927 With the temperature reaching 84 degrees, a newly surfaced, yet uncured, road melted under the runners’ shoes.
1931 Reports of “terrific heat” that “spelled ruin to the hopes of countless ambitious runners.”
1952 The temperature rose to the upper 80s, with a high of 88 degrees.
1958 The temperature climbed to 84 degrees.
1976 For much of the first half of the race, the temperature along the course was reported to be 96 degrees.
1987 The temperature was in the mid/upper 80s and the humidity was more than 95 percent.
2004 The hottest marathon since 1976 (86 degrees at the finish) caused a record number of heat-related illnesses.
2012 The temperature reached 75 degrees by the start of the Women’s Elite field (9:30 a.m.), with a high of 89 degrees reported in Framingham (10K mark) by mid-day.

Driving Rain

1970 Mix of rain and sleet; temperatures in the high 30s
2007 Rain; winds gusting 25-30 mph; temperatures in the mid 40s
2015 Rain; a steady headwind with frequent strong gusts; temperatures in the mid–40s

Other Unusual Weather Conditions

1939 Runners at the start of the race in Hopkinton experienced dark skies caused by a Northeast storm and a partial eclipse of the sun.
2002 A heavy mist severely reduced visibility, grounding helicopters which resulted in limited televised coverage of the race.
2010 Eyjafjallajokull, a volcano in Southern Iceland, erupted in late March, and again on April 14, freezing European air travel for weeks. Hundreds of Boston Marathon entrants were unable to make the trip and were given the option of deferred entry into the 2011 Boston Marathon.