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Tom's New England Almanac | |
| Month-by-month New England weather, events, holidays & festivals: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. | ||
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Spring and summer arrive earlier in the south, autumn and winter in the north. Temperatures are always cooler in northern New England (Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine), than in the south (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island). The greatest contrast in temperatures is between the higher elevations in the north (such as Mount Washington), and the southern coasts (such as the Connecticut Shoreline). JanuaryExcept for the national holidays of New Year's Day and Martin Luther King Day, January is quiet—but not the ski resorts. More... FebruarySki resorts are packed on Presidents' Day, a national holiday, and during school vacation week, as are flights to warmer destinations. More... MarchLast big snows, lots of skiing, St Patrick's Day, then "mud time" and tapping maple trees of sap to make maple syrup. More... AprilPatriots Day, Easter (in April 2017 through 2023) and universities' spring break are important as the weather warms and blossoms appear. More... MayNew England weather trends toward milder and more pleasant—but always unpredictable. A last snowfall is not unheard of, but Memorial Day, a national holiday, signals the official start of the summer tourism season. Many seasonal tourist services open for business, and are busy, at least on weekends, through June. More... JuneDays are long, school is still in session, there are no national holidays, so New England's attractions are uncrowded until late June when school lets out. Weather is mild, but changeable. Lobsters are in season now through the autumn and cheaper than in the cold months. Good month to visit! More... July
Independence Day (July 4th) sees the touristspan season in full swing. Prices climb to their highest and reservations are necessary for many services. More... AugustThe height of the tourism season continues through August to Labor Day. Temperatures vary from pleasant to very hot and humid—except on Mount Washington and the Maine coast, which have their own weather. More... SeptemberLabor Day , the first Monday after the first Sunday in September, is the end of the summer vacation season, though most attractions, including beaches, are open through September, and some into October. Children are back in school, so attractions are less crowded on weekdays. Good month to visit! Foliage season begins at the end of September and gets better and better into October. More... OctoberNew England's glory: fall foliage season at its best, culminating on Columbus Day. Every inn, motel and B&B room in the countryside is reserved well in advance. The last day of the month is Hallowe'en. More... NovemberMany inns and seasonal attractions close after Columbus Day (mid-October), so November is a slow month for travel. The foliage crowds have departed and the ski crowds have not yet arrived. With luck, we may get Indian summer. Then, Thanksgiving, a national holiday, is the busiest travel time of the entire year. More... DecemberEarly December travel is easy and inexpensive, but after December 15th, airfares rise, roads become more crowded, everything—especially shopping—is busier right up to Christmas and New Year's Day. More... —by Tom Brosnahan
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Concord's Old North Bridge in autumn
Snow coach on a winter ascent of Mount Washington, in New Hampshire's White Mountains. |
