Has it rained enough in Boston?
Rain soaked properly in 2 days ago, and the ground is still holding some of it.
Boston has had 42.6mm of rain in the last 30 days. A normal August here brings 84.3mm, so the ground is roughly where it should be for the time of year.
Rain reaching the roots · 14 days
2 SeptToday
Rain in Boston through a normal year
Across a normal year Boston gets about 1151.4mm of rain, most of it in October (113.3mm) and least in February (83.9mm).
That makes Boston one of the drier places this site covers in the United States in August — 17th of 30, against Tampa at the wet end (191.8mm) and Sacramento at the dry end (1.8mm).
JFMAMJJASOND
Average rainfall by month, 1995–2024
What that means for what you grow
- Pots and hanging basketsWorst hit, and first to suffer. Very little soil, fully exposed, and nothing to fall back on — in this weather they can empty in a day.
- Salad and leafy vegShallow-rooted and quick to bolt once they run dry. First priority of anything in the ground.
- Beds and bordersA long soak that reaches the roots is worth more than a daily sprinkle, which only wets the surface and is gone by lunchtime.
- Established shrubs and treesFine as they are. They draw from far deeper than a dry spell reaches.
Your own garden, not the town average
This page is worked out for Boston as a whole. Your garden has its own soil, its own shade and its own planting, and the front page will use your exact location instead.
Check my garden