Those in Boston can best be described as living in a transitional climate zone. Typically, summers are hot and humid, and winters are cold and stormy, with periods of heavy snow. It is normally cool to mild in spring and fall, depending on the direction of the wind and the jet stream’s position. Offshore winds minimize the influence of the Atlantic Ocean. While warm air is drawn off the Atlantic from time to time, areas near the immediate coast often see more rain than snow in winter. Snowfall is most common from mid-November to early April, while it is rare between May and October.
In addition, snowfall varies greatly from one year to the next. For example, 2011-2012 saw only 9.3 in (23.6 cm) of accumulating snow, but the previous winter had 81.0 in (2.06 m). In the 2014–15 winter season, Boston broke its all-time seasonal snowfall record of 107.6 inches (2.73 m) from 1995–96, with 108.6 inches (2.76 m) by March 15, 2015.
Below are some stunning historical photos documenting life in Boston during the snow from the 1900s to the 1930s.
#1 Kids ride ice cakes in Dorchester Bay, 1935
#2 Horse pulling wagon slips in snow, 1910s
#3 Horse-drawn sleigh for hauling goods, market district, 1900s
#4 Severe snowstorm reaches Boston, clearing snow at corner of Park and Tremont St, 1916
#5 Wharf during a Valentine’s Day storm, 1920s
#6 Police officer helps woman through blinding snow during a blizzard in Boston, 1920
#7 Blizzard wreaks havoc on a working horse near South Station, breaking shaft and dumping his load of snow, 1920
#8 Horse and wagon accident next to Common, 1920
#9 Horse pulling wagon slips in snow next to Common, 1920
#10 Kids on sleds plough through water to enjoy ice hidden below, 1921
#11 Statue of Garrison, Comm. Ave., covered with snow, 1922
#12 Mt. Vernon St. after a big snowstorm, 1923
#13 Fire alarm box almost covered up by snow after severe snowstorm, 1923
#14 People looking at the weather instruments on Common in snow, 1923
#15 Horse slips on Tremont Street, 1923
#16 Hamilton statue, Commonwealth Ave. Mall covered with snow, 1928
#17 Scollay Square during a snowstorm, 1930
#18 Women use umbrellas to ward off snow, during snowstorm in downtown Boston, 1930
#19 Snowstorm in Boston, 1930
#20 Snowstorm in Boston, corner of Tremont and Boylston, 1930
#21 Kids playing in Roxbury Park, 1930
#22 Skaters put up shoes in baseball backstop at Franklin Field, 1933
#23 Snowstorm, Joy Street, Beacon Hill, 1933
#24 Crew shovels snow from Tremont St. near State House, 1933
#25 Snow-covered automobiles on Boston streets, 1934
#26 Beacon Street snow scene from State House, 1934
#27 Boys riding ice cakes in Dorchester Bay, 1935
#28 Snow-covered automobile, 1939
#29 Man digging out horse and cart, 1939
#30 Snowstorm scenes, 1939
#31 Snowstorm scenes, 1939
#32 Snow-covered automobile, 1939
#33 Children carry sleds down the streets of Beacon Hill neighborhood in Boston.
#34 An aerial view of a snow covered Boston looking towards South Station from the top of the Prudential Tower, 1969.
#35 Cars are abandoned in the snow on an exit on Route 128 in Massachusetts, February 1969.
#36 An airliner comes in for a snowy landing at Logan International Airport, Boston, Massachusetts, 1969.
#37 Snow covers Fenway Park’s center field in Boston, April 8, 1967.
#38 The Boston Common Frog Pond is covered in snow and lights, January 1967.
#39 Snow covers Boston’s Public Garden at night just before Christmas, December 1966.
#40 Snow covers the Public Garden in Boston at night,1966.
#41 Snow covers the Public Garden in Boston at night on Dec. 1,1966.
#42 Boston police officer George Floyd pushes a giant snowball out of the way of blocked traffic in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston on Jan. 14, 1966.
#43 The Arnold Arboretum in Boston is covered in snow on March 24, 1965.
#44 Players and officials checked the field, which was being cleared of snow before the game at Fenway Park.
#45 Snow covers Fenway Park in Boston, 1964.
#46 Snow covers the street and trees on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston on Dec. 6, 1964, following a weekend storm that dumped five inches of snow on the city.
#47 Snow blankets the display of carolers at the Boston Common after the early snow storm.
#48 A snow plow car gets ready to go along the tracks on Nov. 23, 1964.
#49 Snow covers the Commonwealth Avenue Mall In Boston on Feb. 8, 1964.
#50 A pedestrian walks through the snow in the Public Garden in Boston at 4 a.m. on Dec. 28, 1963.
#51 Snow on Chestnut Street in Boston on Feb. 6, 1961.
#52 Boys apply for shoveling job at Needham, 1961.
#53 Young residents along the Winthrop, Mass., shore drive play hazardous game with violent waves during a storm, 1961.
#54 Tremont Street is covered in snow after a near-record 12.2 inches covered Boston, 1961.
#55 A snowy runway that a jetliner veered off of at Logan Airport in Boston, 1960.
#56 Grove Street in Beacon Hill is covered in snow, 1960.
#57 People walk down a snow covered Washington Street in Boston, 1960.
#58 People on a train from Needham arrive at South Station in Boston, 1960.
#59 Cars abandoned in the snow block the entrance to Morrissey Boulevard from Kosciuszko Circle in Boston, 1960.
#60 People shovel snow on Everett Street in Dorchester in Boston, 1960, after a snowstorm.
#61 Washington Street in downtown Boston is covered in snow during a snow storm, 1960.
#62 Snow covers a street in the South End of Boston, 1960.
#63 Youngsters frolicking through the snow in Central Park as New York’s skyscrapers in the background form this picture postcard setting during today’s snowstorm.
#64 Boston’s famous steaming kettle bravely spouts a hot vapor March 24th, while a lone pedestrian bends into the 3rd snow storm to hit the city in a month.
#65 People walk through the snow down the street in Boston on Mar. 20, 1956.
#66 People walk through the snow down the street, 1956.
#67 Northeast blizzard halted all traffic here, as morning commuters take to walking.
#68 Three Boston youngsters join in a Christmas carol with three almost real singers (left) during the snowstorm.
#69 Snow covers the Back Bay Fens in Boston on Jan. 9, 1954.
#70 Snow covers the Back Bay Fens in Boston, 1951.
#71 The Public Garden in Boston is covered with untouched snowed following a storm, 1951.
#72 The Back Bay Fens in Boston is covered in snow, 1948.
#73 The third snowstorm in 10 days halted air transport operations at Logan Airport in Boston.
#74 Concord Street is covered in snow, December 1947.
#75 A man shovels snow off Fish Pier in Boston, February 1947.
#76 Two horse-drawn carts race towards the finish line in Lyndonville, Vt., February 1946.
#77 Plop, plop, plop goes the snow from trolley tracks at 168th
#78 A horse drawn carriage moves through the snow passed Faneuil Hall after a 1945 winter storm.
#79 A fierce snow battle in progress at the Public Garden in Boston during a break in sledding.
#80 Snow is higher than the tops of cars in places along Route 27 in Medfield, 1940.
#81 Ski enthusiasts take advantage of heavy snowfall to enjoy the slopes at Franklin Park in Boston in March 1939.
#82 Mrs. Patricia Mortimore, of Brookline, Mass., cleans snow off windshield to start home, 1936.
#83 A man walks past the statue of Wendell Philips at the snow-covered Public Garden in Boston, 1936.
#84 The first storm of spring in Boston brings snow, 1935.
#85 Snow covers the Back Bay Fens in Boston on March 6, 1933.
#86 A car is covered in snow in Boston, Jan. 23, 1935.
#87 Pedestrians on their way to lunch cross through the slush at Congress and Water Streets in Boston at noon on April 13, 1933.
#88 Boston Common, looking towards Park Street Church, is covered in snow, 1933.
#89 Workmen clear snow away from Harvard Stadium’s field at Harvard University in Boston in November 1929, in preparation for a game against Yale University.
#90 Snow covers the George Washington statue and entrance to Boston’s Public Garden on Feb. 21, 1929.
#91 Outdoorsmen Camping in Central Park, 1960s
#92 Front right view of Massachusetts State House, equestrian statue in foreground, snow on ground, Boston, Massachusetts, 1906.
#93 View of State House in distance, taken from Common, snow on ground, Boston, Massachusetts, 1906.
#94 Front right view of State House, equestrian statue in foreground, snow on ground, Boston, Massachusetts, 1906. (
#95 Night view of Shaw Memorial from behind, snow on ground, Boston, Massachusetts, 1906.
#96 Boston’s Custom House, several horse-drawn carriages on snowy street in foreground, Fruit and Produce Exchange on right, Boston, Massachusetts, 1906.
#97 Winter view of colonnaded exterior of Museum of Fine Arts through trees, Boston, Massachusetts, 1906. Snow, shrubs in foreground.
#98 Night winter view of snowy Chestnut Street, a few rowhouses lit from within, Boston, Massachusetts, 1906.
#99 Winter snow scene in Boston Common, children with sled in front of large tree, Boston, Massachusetts, 1906.
#100 Blurred night view down snowy Pinckney Street, townhouses along left, Boston, Massachusetts, 1906.
#101 Winter scene of Boston Common with snow on ground, many pigeons on ground, Boston, Massachusetts, 1906.
#102 Snow-covered Old Granary Burying Ground, church spire in background, Boston, Massachusetts, 1906.
#103 Car buried in huge drifts of snow in Boston’s business section, the result of New England’s worst blizzard in years.
#104 Vehicles are snowbound on Route 128 South in Mass. in the aftermath of a massive blizzard.
#105 It’s a wintry scene on Summer Street, as people use cross-country skis to get around Boston on Feb. 7, 1978, during a record-breaking blizzard.
#106 Car owners, MDC workers and the National Guard dig out cars buried in snow on Day Boulevard in South Boston after the “Blizzard of 78”
#107 A snow drift on Preble Street near Ward Street in South Boston covers a car up to its windows, 1978.
#108 A highway in Massachusetts was buried in snow on Feb. 6, 1978, following the historic “Blizzard of 78”.
#109 Boston’s Washington Street is buried in snow, 1978, following the historic “Blizzard of 78”.
#110 People walk down Washington Street near Bromfield Street in Boston, 1978, during a record-breaking blizzard.
#111 Snow piled high in a street in Boston Massachusetts, after a 21-inch snowfall during the Northeastern United States blizzard of 1978.
#112 Workers maintenance railroad tracks near Massachusetts Avenue on Jan. 23, 1978, three days after a blizzard that dropped 21.4 inches of snow on the city.
#113 South Boston residents dig their cars out of the snow on Farragut Road, 1978, following a massive storm over the previous weekend.
#114 Belton Street in Boston’s Dorchester is plowed out, 1978, two days after a severe snow storm that approached the record snowfall on the city for a 24-hour period.
#115 Lyon Street in Boston’s Dorchester is impassable on Jan. 22, 1978, two days after a severe snow storm that approached the record snowfall on the city for a 24-hour period.
#116 Revere Beach Boulevard in Revere, is covered in snow, 1978.
#117 An ambulance, a fire truck, and snow shovelers all occupy Putnam Street in East Boston, 1978.
#118 Boston’s Public Garden is covered in snow and ice at night, 1977.
#119 A pedestrian walks down a slushy path in the Public Garden in Boston, 1977.
#120 The view from the 24th floor of One Beacon St. in Boston looks out over a the steeple and roof of the Park Street Church, Tremont Street and snowy Boston Common, 1977.
#121 A stool saves a parking spot on a snowy Marine Street in South Boston, 1977.
#122 Cars encounter snowy, icy conditions on the roads near the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood on Jan. 12, 1977.
#123 Dorchester Street in South Boston is a wide street made narrow by snow and ice, 1977.
#124 Parking and parking meters are hard to find along a snow-covered Newbury Street in Boston, 1977.
#125 A man hacks at ice on a rutted Soley Street in Boston’s Charlestown, 1977.
#126 People shovel and walk along, trying to get their cars out of the snow on Hereford Street in Boston’s Back Bay, 1977.
#127 The old-fashioned street lamps along Commonwealth Avenue in Boston are covered in snow, 1977.
#128 Snow plowing on Charles Street, Beacon Hill, downtown Boston, Massachusetts, 1977.
#129 A line of snow-covered cars is pictured along Pinckney Street in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston, 1976.
#130 Snow removal on East 6th Street in South Boston after a winter storm, Jan. 13, 1976.
#131 Woodbine Street in Roxbury is still unplowed at 3 p.m., 1976.
#132 Stephen Bagley, 8, is king of the mountain of snow blocking Grew Avenue in Boston’s Roslindale area, 1975.
#133 Snow Hill Street in Boston’s North End lives up to its name, covered in a layer of fresh snow at 4 a.m., 1975.
#134 The grounds crew clears yesterday’s snow off the playing field at Fenway Park in Boston, 1975.
#135 Tony Blaides,15, and Robert Landry, 13, shovel snow away from basketball court in Eustis Park as their friends couldn’t wait for the rest of the area to be cleared after a winter storm, Feb. 7, 1975.
#136 The snowy scene on Boylston Street at Boston’s Public Garden during a winter storm, 1975.
#137 Commuters wait for the bus in the snow at South Station in Boston, 1975.
#138 On a snowy day, school buses follow a police car along G Street to South Boston High School in Boston, 1974.
#139 Ground crew members at Fenway Park get assistance from the blades of a helicopter.
The grounds crew had been working since 2:30 a.m. clearing off snow from the field and the helicopter spent five hours drying the field just to get in the home opener. Unfortunately, the Orioles won 7-6 in 11 innings as Tommy Harper struck out leaving two men on base.
