Boston's Wild Winds: A Blustery Year in Review

Boston had a rough year in 2025, with winds that seemed to never quit. The city experienced the strongest average wind gusts since records began in 1936, with an average of 30. 6 mph. That's a big jump from the usual 23 mph. In fact, there were 165 days with gusts hitting 30 mph or more. That's a lot of windy days! These strong winds caused quite a bit of trouble. The National Weather Service issued 44 wind advisories, which is a lot but not the most ever. Wind advisories are issued when winds are strong enough to cause damage, like sustained winds of 30 mph or gusts of 40-45 mph.But why was it so windy? The jet stream, which directs storms, was set up in a way that brought more storms over New England. Plus, the Gulf of Maine was extra warm, which made storms stronger as they passed over. This combination led to more windy days. Boston wasn't the only city feeling the wind. Nearly every city in New England saw strong winds in 2025. It's hard to say if 2026 will be as windy, but with global warming, we might see more of these extreme weather patterns.