Boston is starting Sunday, May 31 on a bright note — partly sunny skies and a high near 69°F — but scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms arrive this afternoon, making timing critical. Check the Boston weather forecast before heading anywhere outdoors this afternoon.
Today’s Setup
A brief area of high pressure brings a dry, comfortable morning across the city. The Charles River Esplanade, Castle Island, and any Back Bay patio will be genuinely pleasant through late morning. The National Weather Service says a shortwave trough moving southward will build clouds and push enough moisture into the region by early afternoon to support scattered showers and a possible isolated storm — fueled in part by morning sunshine building marginal instability.
Best Window To Be Outside
Get outside before noon. After that, conditions deteriorate quickly. The NWS pinpoints the best storm chances running from 1–5 PM ET, with temperatures actually falling from near 69°F to around 62°F through the afternoon — unseasonably cool for the last day of May.
Rain and Storm Risk
Precipitation chance sits at 60%, with total rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch expected — scattered, not a soaker. The WPC’s Excessive Rainfall Outlook does not flag the Boston metro for any flooding concern today. Showers continue tonight with another 60% chance as the system exits; low near 49°F with northwest winds at 7 mph sweeping things out by morning.
What To Wear or Bring
Light waterproof jacket and layers — the afternoon temperature drop makes both essential. If you’re heading to Citizens House of Blues Boston for Iration tonight or catching The Beach Boys at Chevalier Theatre, arrive early during the drier window and keep an eye on the radar. Lawn mowing can wait — check outdoor gear deals for what’s worth stocking up on this spring instead.
This Week: Red Sox, Concerts, and Comedy
Mark your calendar: the Boston Red Sox host the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park on Tuesday, June 2 and Wednesday, June 3. Those games should land in the drier stretch after Monday’s showers clear out — the perfect excuse to grab a Boston Red Sox jersey and a Boston Red Sox fitted cap. Find tickets on StubHub or Get tickets on SeatGeek.
The concert calendar is stacked this week. 5 Seconds of Summer: EVERYONE’S A STAR! World Tour hits TD Garden on June 5 — a 5 Seconds of Summer t-shirt is the right call for the night. Chelsea Handler’s HIGH AND MIGHTY TOUR brings the laughs to Boch Center Wang Theatre the same night. And Summer Walker: Still Finally Over It Tour closes out the week at TD Garden on June 7.
Rainy Day Dinner Idea
A stormy Sunday is a textbook slow cooker chili afternoon. Load up a programmable slow cooker before noon and come home to dinner ready. An enameled cast iron Dutch oven works just as well for a big pot of beef stew or minestrone. Need ingredients? You can order groceries on Amazon and have everything for tonight’s dinner delivered to your door.
Next Few Days
Monday stays unsettled — scattered showers before 11 AM ET, then partly sunny with a cool high near 59°F. Monday night clears out nicely with mostly clear skies and a low near 48°F. The National Weather Service notes confidence decreases for late week but currently leans toward drier and warmer conditions by Thursday and Friday, with a potential coastal system worth watching late Thursday.
