Weather StoryAlmanac, microseasons, and the day's weather story.

Worcester, Massachusetts Weather

Cicadas claim the afternoon. Day 15 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Worcester weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

Worcester, MA
Sunday, July 5 at 4:21 AM
70
°
Overcast
Feels like
73°
Humidity
84%
Wind
6 mph
Sunrise
1:16 AM
Sunset
4:26 PM
Worcester, MA
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastWorcester, MA: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 65 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
L 65°H 86°
Worcester, MA
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 5
    Light Drizzle
    11%
    —
    86°65°—
  2. Monday
    Jul 6
    Light Showers
    68%
    0.15″
    72°60°-14°
  3. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    Light Showers
    76%
    0.21″
    62°58°-10°
  4. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Overcast
    27%
    —
    77°58°+15°
  5. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Overcast
    14%
    —
    82°56°+5°
  6. Friday
    Jul 10
    Light Drizzle
    43%
    0.02″
    83°61°+1°
  7. Saturday
    Jul 11
    Overcast
    39%
    —
    83°54°0°
Worcester, MA
Next 24 hours · Mild now
HOT 90°60°75°90°12a6a12p6pnow 70°high 86°low 65°PRECIP %
Worcester, MA
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
N
007° · veering 99°
Direction
N
007°
Sustained
6
mph
Gust
13
mph
Peak 24h
20
avg 7
Beaufort · 2 · LIGHT BRZ
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 7 · pk 20 @ 11:00a
01020MPHB1B2B3B4B5-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 172SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze veering 99° from the n.
Worcester, MA
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
995.3
-0.4 mb in 3h · steady · 29.39 inHg
Now
995.3
mb
3h
-0.4
mb
12h
+2.6
mb
24h
+2.1
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 993–996
9859909951000STORM|RAIN-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW995.9992.8995.5
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Deep low — expect rough seas, strong wind, and persistent rain.
Worcester, MA
Air quality
29
AQI
Good
↓-16 in 6h

AQI 29 (Good), driven by PM2.5. AQI down 16 over the last 6 hours — air quality is improving sharply. PM2.5 at 6.3 µg/m³ (AQI 35) with a 0.98 fine-to-coarse ratio and 6 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

PM 2.5DRIVERGood
6.3μg/m³
PM 10Good
6μg/m³
NO₂Good
5μg/m³
OzoneGood
52μg/m³
UV IndexLow
0.0

What's driving it

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 6.3 µg/m³ (AQI 35) with a 0.98 fine-to-coarse ratio and 6 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.

PM2.5/PM10
0.98
Wind
light
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
stagnant smoke

Trends

Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.

Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³360
Worcester, MA
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
98%
OVERCAST
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
29.8mi
UNLIMITED
86 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
08:21 UTC · Worcester, MA · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
08:21 UTC · Worcester, MA · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Worcester, MA
Satellite · infrared · animated
Worcester, MA
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Worcester, MA
Almanac · Sunday, July 5
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
Civil dawn
4:43 AM
Sunrise
1:16 AM
Daylight
15h 10m
Sunset
4:26 PM
Civil dusk
9:02 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
Worcester, MA
The moon
Waning Gibbous
74% illuminated
Moonrise
11:05 PM
Moonset
10:56 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Worcester, MA
Microseason
Jul 1–5

Cicadas claim the afternoon

fish
Jan 151% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Worcester at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 70°F — typical for the season
  • Last frost: April 30 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

ZIP codes: 01602, 01603, 01604, 01605, 01606, 01607, 01608, 01609 +1 more

15-Day Forecast — Worcester

  1. Sun87°65°11%
  2. Mon72°60°68%
  3. Tue62°58°76%
  4. Wed77°58°27%
  5. Thu82°56°14%
  6. Fri83°61°43%
  7. Sat83°54°39%
  8. Sun79°58°27%
  9. Mon62°54°20%
  10. Tue85°53°24%
  11. Wed83°60°21%
  12. Thu87°58°35%
  13. Fri88°66°25%
  14. Sat86°66°35%
  15. Sun89°65°33%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Live wind & temperature near Worcester

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of July 5, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.

SPC Convective Outlook

Storm Prediction Center — Worcester

SPC includes Worcester in the general thunderstorm area tomorrow — no severe risk, but storms are possible.

  • TODAYNONENo severe risk
  • TOMORROWTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • DAY 3NONENo severe risk

Thunderstorms possible. Not severe, but capable of producing lightning and brief heavy rain.

Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.

January 1–5: The year turns in silence.January 6–10: Ice thickens on still water.January 11–15: Shortest shadows lengthen.January 16–20: Pheasants begin to call.January 21–25: Springs begin to thaw.January 26–31: Chickadees announce dawn.February 1–5: East wind softens the frost.February 6–10: Sap begins to rise.February 11–15: First snowdrops appear.February 16–20: Red-winged blackbirds return.February 21–25: Rain begins to replace snow.February 26–28: Skunk cabbage pushes through ice.March 1–5: Ice withdraws from the reservoir.March 6–10: Crocuses open to weak sun.March 11–15: Peepers call from the marsh.March 16–20: Woodcocks spiral at dusk.March 21–25: Equinox — light overtakes dark.March 26–31: Forsythia opens along the fences.April 1–5: Cherry blossoms drift like snow.April 6–10: Warblers appear in the understory.April 11–15: Magnolias bloom and fall in a day.April 16–20: Dogwoods float above the forest.April 21–25: Lilacs perfume the evening.April 26–30: Last frost releases the garden.May 1–5: Warblers flood the Ramble.May 6–10: Tulip poplars light their candles.May 11–15: Shad run up the rivers.May 16–20: Roses open along the stoops.May 21–25: Firefly scouts appear at dusk.May 26–31: Strawberries ripen in the sun.June 1–5: Fireflies rise from the lawn.June 6–10: Elderflowers open in hedgerows.June 11–15: Solstice approaches — longest light.June 16–20: Honeysuckle sweetens the night.June 21–25: Solstice — the sun stands still.June 26–30: Lightning bugs drift through oaks.July 1–5: Cicadas claim the afternoon.July 6–10: Queen Anne's lace lines the roads.July 11–15: Thunder builds each afternoon.July 16–20: Corn reaches for the tassels.July 21–25: Dog days settle in the haze.July 26–31: Katydids begin their chorus.August 1–5: Night falls a minute earlier.August 6–10: Sunflowers face the morning.August 11–15: Goldenrod begins to bloom.August 16–20: Crickets pulse through warm nights.August 21–25: First cool morning surprises.August 26–31: Monarchs stage for flight.September 1–5: School buses reappear.September 6–10: Asters purple the roadsides.September 11–15: Hawk migration over the Hudson.September 16–20: Equinox — dark overtakes light.September 21–25: Apples hang heavy on the branch.September 26–30: Geese begin to chevron south.October 1–5: Witch hazel blooms as others fade.October 6–10: Maples begin to blaze.October 11–15: Frost paints the garden black.October 16–20: Oaks turn bronze and russet.October 21–25: Leaves rattle down the gutters.October 26–31: Clocks fall back — dusk at five.November 1–5: Ginkgos drop overnight.November 6–10: Last leaves cling stubbornly.November 11–15: Juncos arrive from the north.November 16–20: Bare branches reveal the sky.November 21–25: First flurries dust the rooftops.November 26–30: Woodsmoke curls through the block.December 1–5: Darkness settles before dinner.December 6–10: Holly and winterberry persist.December 11–15: Shortest day approaches.December 16–20: Ice begins to form at the edges.December 21–25: Solstice — the sun begins return.December 26–31: The year turns in silence.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coast✨May 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

Microseason · July 1–5

Cicadas claim the afternoon

Annual cicada buzz begins, peaking in the heat of the day.

Day 186 of 365 · Wedge 37 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January——
February——
March——
April——
Maylettuce, peas, spinach, radisheslettuce, peas, radishes
Junelettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Julytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashtomatoes, beans, summer squash
Augusttomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
Septemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
October—winter squash, tomatoes (last)
November——
December——

A year in weather

In Worcester, July runs warmest near 71°F and January coldest around 25°F, while October is the wettest month (4.8 inches) and February the driest (3.3 inches).

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January25°3.5″7
February27°3.3″7
March35°4.2″7
April46°4.1″8
May57°3.6″8
June65°4.2″8
July71°3.9″7
August69°4.1″6
September62°4.2″6
October51°4.8″7
November40°4.0″7
December31°4.3″8

Regional context

Worcester swings from 25°F in January to 71°F in July (46°F) per NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals; precipitation in Worcester runs about 48.3 inches on roughly 84 measurable days.

Rainfall in Worcester stays even across the calendar: October tops out at 4.8 inches over 6.8 rainy days, and February still logs 3.3 inches across 6.6 — a narrow range for Worcester. That lines Worcester up with places like Whitinsville, MA, South Lancaster, MA and East Douglas, MA, fed by overlapping storm tracks.

Once Worcester passes late-May, overnight freezes fade and kale, peas, spinach, and parsnips can be sown. Tomatoes and peppers do best set out two weeks later in Worcester, once nights clear the mid-40s°F. The season ends by early-October in Worcester, once hard frosts set back in. Worcester's low ground holds frost later into spring than Worcester's benches, which run 3-5 days ahead.

Similar climates: Whitinsville, MA, South Lancaster, MA, East Douglas, MA, Marlborough, MA, Cordaville, MA.

Naturalist notes

Late May brings the return of wood warblers to Worcester's forests as these migrants complete their spring journey north.

Apple trees across the region finish blooming by mid-May, their petals carpeting orchard floors as young fruit begins to set.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Worcester?
Worcester's last spring frost lands near mid-May, and in Worcester the first fall frost follows around mid-October.
What is the rainy season in Worcester?
October is the wettest month in Worcester, about 4.8 inches on average; the year totals roughly 48 inches.
What is the warmest month in Worcester?
The warmest stretch in Worcester comes in July, around 71°F on average.
What is the coldest month in Worcester?
On average January is the chilliest month in Worcester, about 25°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Worcester?
Time tomatoes in Worcester for two weeks after mid-May; peas and greens start at Worcester's frost line.
How many rainy days does Worcester get?
Worcester records around 84 days of measurable precipitation annually.
What hardiness zone is Worcester?
Worcester sits in the USDA zone set by January lows near 25°F; the USDA ZIP tool gives the band.
What is the 10-day forecast for Worcester?
Worcester's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
Will it rain this week in Worcester?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Worcester in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Worcester?
Current conditions for Worcester and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Worcester forecast updated?
The Worcester forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Worcester?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Worcester are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for Worcester?
The next few days in Worcester's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Worcester, Massachusetts has a warm-summer humid continental climate: January averages roughly 25°F, July about 71°F, 46°F between them.

Worcester sees close to 48 inches of precipitation annually, falling across some 84 wet days.

At 42.3°N, Worcester's 46°F summer-to-winter swing sets when Worcester's gardens wake and when frost returns.

All cities in Massachusetts →

Boston, MA weather →

ZIP codes in Worcester

  • 01608
  • 01610
  • 01609
  • 01602
  • 01603
  • 01604
  • 01605
  • 01606
  • 01607
  • 01601
  • 01613
  • 01614
  • 01615
  • 01653
  • 01655

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.