Popular searches:
Month-by-month Martha's Vineyard weather: air temps, ocean temps, rain, snow, sunshine, humidity and wind. Plan your visit with real climate data.
Martha's Vineyard sits a few miles off the southern coast of Cape Cod in the Atlantic Ocean, and the water around it shapes the weather. The island's maritime climate keeps it a few degrees milder in winter and a few degrees cooler in summer than mainland Massachusetts. NOAA’s normals put Edgartown’s July high at 80°F against 82°F in Boston and 84°F in Providence, and its January high at 40°F against 37°F in Boston. Annual rainfall averages 47.7 inches, spread fairly evenly across all 12 months, and snowfall runs about 25 inches per year: significant, but nothing like inland New England.
It's a true four-season island, with warm, breezy summers, crisp fall days, wild winters and a late spring.
Filmed February 2026
The best time to visit guide adds crowd and price context to the weather.
Table of contents [Show]
Temperatures are in °F, ocean is NOAA’s monthly average for the Sound side, humidity is a rough all-day average, sunshine hours are rough estimates (no official sunshine record is kept on the island), and wind is NOAA’s average speed in mph at the island airport.
| Month | Avg High °F | Avg Low °F | Ocean °F | Rain Days | Snow Days | Sun Hrs/Day | Humidity % | Wind mph | What to Wear | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 40 | 26 | 38 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 73% | 11 | Heavy coat, hat, gloves, waterproof boots | Cold and quiet, the island at its most remote. |
| February | 42 | 27 | 36 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 71% | 11 | Heavy coat, hat, gloves, waterproof boots | Coldest ocean of the year; nor'easters possible; fewer rain days than January. |
| March | 46 | 32 | 39 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 71% | 12 | Warm layers, windproof jacket, waterproof boots | Windy and changeable, the island's most unpredictable month. |
| April | 55 | 40 | 46 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 70% | 11 | Light jacket, fleece, layers | The snow is gone, daffodils bloom, and the island slowly reopens for the season. |
| May | 65 | 49 | 54 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 74% | 10 | Layers, light jacket, comfortable walking shoes | Mild and green, with the most rain days of spring and lovely weather in between. |
| June | 74 | 58 | 64 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 79% | 9 | Shorts, t-shirts, light sweater for evenings, light rain layer | Long, warm days, though sea fog is common. |
The second half of the year brings summer's peak warmth, clear, settled fall skies in September and October, and then the slow return of winter. Ocean temperatures peak in August and hold warmth well into September.
| Month | Avg High °F | Avg Low °F | Ocean °F | Rain Days | Snow Days | Sun Hrs/Day | Humidity % | Wind mph | What to Wear | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July | 80 | 64 | 72 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 79% | 8 | Swimsuit, shorts, t-shirt, light sweater for evenings | Peak summer, with the fewest rain days of the year and water warm enough to swim. |
| August | 80 | 64 | 74 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 79% | 8 | Swimsuit, shorts, t-shirt, light sweater for evenings | The warmest water and calmest winds of the year, and the busiest month on the island. |
| September | 74 | 58 | 69 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 79% | 9 | Layers, light jacket for evenings, swimsuit still useful | Clear skies, warm water and thinner crowds; islanders love this month. |
| October | 64 | 48 | 62 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 76% | 10 | Fleece, light jacket, comfortable layers | Fall color, lots of sun, and water still swimmable early in the month. |
| November | 54 | 40 | 52 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 73% | 10 | Warm jacket, hat, layers | The off-season arrives; the wind picks up and most summer businesses close. |
| December | 46 | 31 | 43 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 74% | 11 | Heavy coat, hat, gloves, waterproof boots | Wettest month of the year; first snows possible; Christmas in Edgartown is the month's big weekend. |
For a fall trip
The Vineyard in the Fall, free
The Derby, the beaches that open to everyone and what closes when, date by date. Free with the island letter, together with our other three island guides.
One-click unsubscribe, and we never share your email.
The Sound side warms first and stays swimmable into September. The Atlantic beaches on the south shore run colder and rougher right through the season.
The island sits at the boundary between colder Gulf of Maine waters and the warmer offshore flow influenced by the Gulf Stream. The mix works as a thermal buffer: in summer the water runs far warmer than Maine's, and it never gets as warm as the Carolina coast.
The swimming season runs July through September only. On the Vineyard Sound side, NOAA’s monthly averages put the water at about 72°F in July and 74°F in August, warm enough for comfortable swimming, though still cooler than a heated pool; the south shore runs cooler. September holds at about 69°F, which most swimmers find perfectly acceptable. By October it drops to 62°F, which is for the brave, and November's 52°F calls for a wetsuit.
It surprises people that September ocean water is about 15°F warmer than May’s (about 69°F vs 54°F on the Sound side). The ocean takes months to absorb summer heat and gives it back slowly into fall. If swimming is a priority, September is a far better month than June despite having similar air temperatures.
Late spring and early summer bring the most fog to the island for exactly this reason. Warm, humid air moving off the land meets still-cool ocean water and makes sea fog that sometimes burns off by midday and sometimes hangs on all day. It's pretty, though it can rearrange a day's plans.
For more on timing your beach visit, see the Martha's Vineyard beach guide.
A plowed side street after a snowstorm, snowbanks along the picket fences. Snow that piles up like this is unusual here.
Real snow is rare here and seldom lasts. What the island does get is wind and the odd coastal storm, which can shut the ferries down for a day at a time.
Martha's Vineyard averages 25.3 inches of snow per year, though the maritime climate turns most winter precipitation into rain or a mix. A real accumulating snowstorm is a memorable event, not a weekly one.
The state emergency agency rides the VTA: a MEMA poster on a Route 13 bus in September 2026, mid hurricane season, with the three things it asks of everyone on the coast.
Nor'easters hit the island a few times most winters, typically between November and March. They come in from the northeast with strong wind, heavy precipitation and rough surf, and depending on the track they can drop 12–18 inches of snow or bring damaging rain and coastal flooding. The worst ones cancel ferries and close roads. The February 2026 blizzard dropped about 14 to 20 inches across the island, one of the heaviest single-storm totals in recent years.
Nor’easters are not only a winter thing. On Saturday, September 26, 2026, one arrived with a Coastal Flood Warning for the island, and Five Corners in Vineyard Haven went under: sandbags outside Martha’s Bike, an SUV wading through the intersection.
Hurricanes reach the island too. Hurricane Bob in 1991 is still the storm islanders measure others by, with 100+ mph gusts and heavy structural damage. The off-season guide covers storm preparedness for winter visitors.
July is the driest month with only about 8 days of measurable rain, one reason it's so popular for vacations. December is the wettest, with 12 rain days on average. The gap between the driest and wettest months is small next to inland climates, because the ocean keeps moisture coming all year.
Total annual rainfall of 47.7 inches is distributed fairly evenly, so no month is truly dry, and a light rain layer is useful any time of year.
Low sun over the Atlantic, a row of offshore wind turbines on the horizon. The same wind that turns them is why the island runs cooler than the mainland in summer.
A rainbow over the grassland after a passing shower. Rain days here are often brief, and the afternoon clears.
The rocky shore below the clay cliffs. The Vineyard is a windy place, and a layer earns its place even in July.
Out in the Atlantic, the island rarely gets a day without wind. It's what makes summer afternoons so pleasant and winter days so biting.
March is the windiest month on the island, with persistent westerly and northwesterly winds and frequent gusts. NOAA’s records at the airport put it at about 12 mph on average, just ahead of January, February and April at about 11 mph, and March's wind feels relentless because it comes with the slow turn from winter to spring. August is the calmest month, when the Bermuda High settles over the Atlantic and brings steady, gentle southwest breezes, good for sailing and the beach.
June and July are the sunniest months, with the longest days of the year. With a little over 15 hours of daylight around the solstice, even a foggy June morning often turns into a lovely afternoon. Clear, settled skies are common in September and October, too.
Daylight swings a lot over the year:
For June visits, the long evenings are the reward. In July and August, afternoon beach time catches the sea breeze at its strongest. September and October bring the clear fall light photographers wait for.
Edgartown in November, after the summer crowds have gone.
This is the island at full throttle. Every restaurant is open, every beach is staffed, ferries run at maximum frequency, and prices are at their highest. Air temperatures are reliably warm (highs in the mid-70s to low 80s), the ocean is swimmable, and the light is at its best. The catch is crowds: beaches fill by 10am on weekends, restaurants need reservations, and summer car spots on the ferry sell out months ahead, so booking early helps with everything. See the spring guide for advance planning tips that apply to summer bookings too.
Weather in May and early June is mild and green, with wildflowers blooming and restaurants running full menus without the summer crush. September and October bring the finest weather of the year, most years: clear skies, warm ocean (September), fall foliage (October), and hotel prices that usually come down from August peaks. Seasonal businesses start closing after Labor Day and close faster after mid-October, so hours are worth checking. The September guide and October fall foliage guide have full details on what's open and what to do.
This is the island as islanders live it. Year-round residents make up nearly the entire population, most summer businesses are closed, and the island looks raw and beautiful. Lodging prices drop a long way, and a handful of good restaurants stay open. Winter hiking, birding and storm-watching from the cliffs are reasons to come. The weather can change fast, ferries can be disrupted, and meals take some planning around shorter hours. The winter off-season guide has the details.
Wind and surf on a rocky stretch of shore. Even in summer the breeze off the water calls for a layer.
For the full packing breakdown, see the Martha's Vineyard packing list. The short version:
Plan Your Martha's Vineyard Visit
Explore guided island tours, sunset cruises, and seasonal experiences. Browse all tours →
If you book through this link we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. It helps keep our guides free.
Step 1 · WhenMonth PickerTwelve months compared on NOAA numbers, crowds, prices and what is open. 
Step 2 · DaysDay-by-Day Trip PlannerMorning, afternoon and evening sketched for every day, events dropped in, emailed to you. 
Step 3 · CostTrip Cost CalculatorFerry, beds with the rooms tax, meals, getting around and activities in one price range. Sometimes, and it rarely lasts. The island averages about 25 inches a year, but the maritime climate turns most winter precipitation into rain or a mix. A real accumulating storm, like February 2026, is a memorable event rather than a weekly one.
The water. Martha’s Vineyard sits a few miles off the Cape, and the ocean cools the island in summer and warms it in spring and fall. In NOAA’s normals that is a couple of degrees cooler than Boston in July (a high of 80°F against 82°F), and a later, longer autumn.
August, at about 74°F on the Sound side, with July close behind at about 72°F and September at about 69°F. The water crosses the 65°F comfort line in late June and drops back below it in October.
There is no official fog count for the island, but sea fog is most common in late spring and early summer, when warm air meets the still-cold water. The fog is part of the island’s look, but it can hide the views you came for and it slows the ferries. Clear, settled skies are common in September and October.
Yes, for a day at a time when the wind is up, mostly in the nor’easter months from October through March and during hurricane season, which officially runs June 1 to November 30. The Steamship Authority posts cancellations before you leave for the boat, and our live advisory banner carries the current travel and weather notices.
Martha's Vineyard in December 2026: First Friday on December 4, Light Up Oak Bluffs on December 5, Christmas in Edgartown December 10 to 13, 4:15 sunsets, one ferry into Vineyard Haven, and what stays open through Christmas.
Halloween on Martha's Vineyard 2026, town by town: Edgartown's Happy Haunting on Sunday, October 25, Halloween in Oak Bluffs on Saturday, October 31, the museum's Halloween on the Hill, the library events, haunted Edgartown walks and Circuit Arts' revue at the Grange, plus how the Vineyard Haven puppet parade ran in past years (set for October 31 at 4 PM).
The Hamptons or Martha's Vineyard? A New York scene two to three hours away by Jitney or train, with ocean beaches behind a $750 season permit, against a six-town island reached by an hour's flight or a day's train and boat, where thirteen beaches are free to all, the bus is free and the nights are quiet. Getting there, beaches, beds, towns, nightlife, children and cost, honestly.
Newport or Martha's Vineyard? A drivable Gilded Age city with the Breakers ($32), the free 3.5-mile Cliff Walk, festival weekends at Fort Adams and a late harbor front, against a six-town island reached by an $11 ferry with twenty beaches, a free bus and quiet nights. Getting there, sights, beds, nights, children, weddings, and doing both from Rhode Island.
Block Island vs Martha's Vineyard, honestly: a 9-square-mile island with one village and a $12 year-round ferry from Point Judith against 90 square miles, six towns and an $11 boat from Woods Hole. Size, ferries (the car fare gap is huge), beds, beaches, the week versus the weekend, and which one fits your trip from Rhode Island.
New Year's Eve on Martha's Vineyard: the $150 dinner over the lit harbor, the two-seating table in Edgartown, live music at the Ritz, the family First Night at the Playhouse, where the lights are, what runs on the holiday (the ferry does, the reservation office does not), what is open on New Year's Day, and the empty January that begins the week you leave. 2026–2027 dates.
Island tip of the day Timing No. 61 of 79 New tip at midnight, island time
Visit Edgartown on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Same beautiful town, maybe 30% of the weekend crowds. Most restaurants have availability without reservations.
The free island library · 2026
Beach reports, events worth a day, ferry heads-ups. Sent when there is something worth telling. The Beach Guide, The Vineyard in the Fall, Where to Stay and What It Really Costs arrive with your welcome email.
Get the free guides
Island prices, hours and details change often. Please verify with businesses before you go. Full disclaimer
The island right now
4:23 AM island time
The free island library
Four guides to the whole island
The Beach Guide, The Vineyard in the Fall, Where to Stay and What It Really Costs. No spam, one-click unsubscribe.
