Weather
Boston, MA Nor'easter Oct. 21-22: Gusty Winds, Coastal Concerns
Boston, MA – A nor'easter passing offshore Wednesday, October 21, into Thursday, October 22, is expected to spare much of southern New England from significant rainfall. However, gusty northeast winds
By Grant Holloway · 2026-10-20T08:16:26.865Z
Boston, MA – A nor'easter passing offshore Wednesday, October 21, into Thursday, October 22, is expected to spare much of southern New England from significant rainfall. However, gusty northeast winds and hazardous marine conditions remain concerns along the Massachusetts coastline.
According to the National Weather Service in Boston, the storm's offshore track will keep most inland communities dry, with the greatest chance of showers concentrated across Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard and surrounding coastal areas Wednesday night.
Boston and surrounding communities are expected to see limited rainfall , despite the nearby coastal storm.
The latest hourly precipitation forecast shows Boston's rain chances generally remaining at or below 10% Wednesday evening, increasing to around 10% early Thursday before decreasing again.
Similar conditions are expected across Worcester, Springfield, Brockton and other inland locations, where the probability of measurable precipitation remains low.
Cape Cod and the islands face a different outlook.
Nantucket has the highest precipitation probabilities, reaching approximately 60% late Wednesday night into early Thursday morning.
Hyannis could see rain chances climb to around 45%, while Martha's Vineyard may experience probabilities near 40% Wednesday night.
Even in these locations, forecasters expect rainfall amounts to remain relatively light.
The greater concern will be coastal winds and marine conditions.
Gusty northeast winds associated with the offshore storm could create difficult conditions for marine activities, particularly around exposed coastal waters.
Boaters, commercial fishing crews and ferry passengers should monitor updated marine forecasts and any advisories issued as the storm approaches.
For residents across eastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, the forecast represents a relatively limited rainfall event compared with what a closer tracking nor'easter could produce.
The storm is expected to affect the region primarily Wednesday into Thursday, with precipitation chances decreasing Thursday morning.
Residents can follow updated forecasts and marine alerts at weather.gov/boston.