Anytime you set out to sea, and certainly if you are on a Boston Harbor fishing charter, you need to know the prevailing weather and tide situation as well as the forecast for both. Safety is the first priority. Beyond this, the weather and tide have a huge impact on fishing. The more you know, the better you will be prepared.

Weather

Tides

Tides are easy to forecast. In this part of the world we experience semi-diurnal tides so we have two instances of high and low water per day. The tide will shift about fifty minutes later from one day to the next. You can use a tide table to determine the tide state at any given time on any given day. A day of fishing will often be planned around the tide.

Boston Harbor Tide Table

Tides are a result of lunar and solar gravitational forces acting on the earth's ocean waters. High tides are produced by the "heaping" action resulting from the horizontal flow of water toward two regions of the earth where maximum net forces are acting. Low tides are created by the withdrawal of water midway between these humps. The rotation of the earth during the day "under" these humps and depressions results in the tides we experience. It is interesting to note that there are actually two forces at play here. The humps are caused by the net difference between gravitational and centrifugal forces. The centrifugal force is produced by the revolutions of the earth and moon around their common center of gravity (and to a lesser extent the revolutions of the earth and sun around their common center of gravity). On the side of the earth turned towards the moon there is a net tide producing force which acts toward the center of the moon. On the side of the earth opposite the moon, the net force is in the direction away from the moon. Read Our Restless Tides for a full explanation.

The critial factor in weather if often the wind, its strength and direction. While fishing in a steady rain may not be much fun, a light rain, drizzle, or showers are not really a problem. Wind on the other hand, if it is too strong, creates unsafe conditions and often shuts down the fishing. However, moderate wind can be good as it can help trap bait up against structure and make fish less likely to be spooked while sight fishing.

AccuWeather

Weather Underground

National Weather Service

Boston 7 Day Forecast

NWS Radar Boston

Boston 15 Day Forecast

Boston 5 Day Forecast

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TDWR Radar Boston

Marine Weather

Marine weather forecasts include wave height, more detailed wind information, water temperature, and small craft advisories among other things.

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National Weather Service

Boston Harbor

Coastal Waters

Northeast Buoy Data

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Boston Marine Point

Harbor Web Cams

Downtown View

Boston from Swampscott

Boston Harbor Cam

Nantasket Beach

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