NYC Marathon forecast: Sunshine, light winds greet runners Sunday
Temperatures will climb from around 50 at the early starts to the lower 60s, making for one of the warmer recent races.
Marathon runners occasionally have to train or race in less-than-ideal weather conditions that might hinder their performance.
New York City Marathon runners can expect one of the warmest races in the past 10 years as thousands make their way through the city's five boroughs this weekend.
“Weather-wise, it's looking great for the marathon on Sunday. Runners should expect mostly sunny skies for the duration of the race, with relatively light winds,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bill Deger said.
2025 File image: Runners cross the finish line at the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon in Central Park on November 2, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Da Ping Luo/New York Road Runners via Getty Images)
The favorable forecast will accompany runners along the 26.2-mile course, which begins on Staten Island and winds through Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx before finishing in Manhattan.
Runners in the earliest groups can expect the coolest conditions, while those starting later or spending more time on the course will encounter rising temperatures.
“Temperatures will be close to the morning's forecast low around 50 for the early groups, and will gradually rise to near 60 by midday,” Deger said.
Warmest NYC Marathon in a decade
AccuWeather's New York City Marathon forecast for Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026.
The afternoon high is forecast to reach 63 degrees. If that temperature is reached, it would rank as the third-highest marathon-day temperature of the past decade. However, the daily high would come after the early groups begin racing, with temperatures closer to 50 at their starts.
Despite the warming trend, wind is expected to pose little difficulty along the course. Sunshine could make conditions feel slightly warmer than the air temperature.
“The wind will be light enough that it will not impact runners much, and have little effect on the AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperature, which may actually be a degree or two above the thermometer readings due to the sun,” Deger said.
The forecast is considerably cooler than the conditions recorded during the 2022 marathon, when Central Park reached 75 degrees. This Sunday’s combination of sunshine, light winds and temperatures rising into the lower 60s should also provide pleasant conditions for spectators lining the route.
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