BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2015  
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
TEMPERATURES DROP BELOW ZERO FOR 6TH DAY THIS MONTH
GUSTY WINDS DIMINISH OVERNIGHT AFTER GUSTS TO OVER 40 MPH 
YESTERDAY
SNOW DEPTH ON GROUND REMAINS WELL OVER 30 INCHES
 
The minimum temperature dropped to near zero by midnight last
night as the very gusty NW winds of yesterday steadily diminished.
The thermometer then settled down to 6 below this morning making 
this the 6th day of zero or below during this very cold February.
Yesterday's high of 28 degrees occurred just after midnight in
the very early morning hours.  The afternoon high was only 22F.
Snow depth on the ground had only settled one inch to 37 inches
by this morning's early observation. 
 
Longest Period of Consecutive Days Below Normal Daily Temperature 
(1950-2015):

1) 32 on 29 Nov to 30 Dec 1989
2) 27 on 26 Jan to 21 Feb 2015
3) 21 on 8 Jan to 28 Jan 1982
4) 20 on 30 Dec 1980 to 18 Jan 1981
    20 on 7 Feb to 26 Feb 1968
6) 19 on 18 Jan to 5 Feb 1961
    19 on 2 Apr to 20 Apr 2007
 
Snow for the season now totals 133.8 inches, placing
this season at Blue Hill firmly in third place on the
list of snowiest seasons on record. February 2015 is also
the snowiest February on record, as well as the
snowiest month on record. This past storm brings us even closer
to second place and continues to push our monthly record higher.
 
See below:
 
 
BHO Greatest Snowstorms, inches (1885-2015):
 
1) 38.7 on 24-28 Feb, 1969
2) 30.8 on 26-28 Jan, 2015
3) 30.3 on 3-5 Mar, 1960
4) 30.1 on 6-7 Feb, 1978
5) 30.0 on 31 Mar - 1 Apr, 1997
6) 29.8 on 6-8 Mar, 2013
7) 27.7 on 7-10 Feb, 2015
8) 26.6 on 8-9 Feb, 2013
9) 24.7 on 17-18 Feb, 2003
10) 24.3 on 5-7 Dec, 2003
11) 23.0 on 5-7 Mar, 2001
12) 22.2 on 16-17 Feb, 1958
13) 21.6 on 14-15 Feb, 2015
14) 21.0 on 9-10 Feb, 1969
 
BHO Greatest February Snowstorms, inches (1885-2015):
 
1) 38.7 on 24-28 Feb, 1969
2) 30.1 on 6-7 Feb, 1978
3) 27.7 on 7-10 Feb, 2015
4) 26.6 on 8-9 Feb, 2013
5) 24.7 on 17-18 Feb, 2003
6) 22.2 on 16-17 Feb, 1958
7) 21.6 on 14-15 Feb, 2015
8) 21.0 on 9-10 Feb, 1969
 
BHO Snowiest February, inches (1885-2015):
 
1) 79.9 in 2015 (through Feb 24 at 1:00 PM EST)
2) 65.4 in 1969
3) 51.3 in 2003
4) 45.2 in 1967
5) 40.4 in 1920
6) 39.7 in 2013
7) 37.0 in 1893
 
BHO Snowiest January-February, inches (1886-2015):
 
1) 122.8 in 2015 (through Feb 24 at 1:00 PM EST)
2) 77.9 in 1948
3) 70.2 in 2005
4) 68.7 in 1904
5) 67.5 in 1920
6) 66.9 in 1994
 
BHO Greatest Snow Depth, inches (1895-2015):
1) 46 in February 2015
2) 43 in March 1969
3) 42 in January 1948
4) 41 in February 1969
5) 39 in February 1948
6) 38 in February 1920  
7) 33 in February 1978
   33 in January 1996
9) 31 in February 2003
   31 in February 2011
11)30 in March 1960
   30 in March 1978
 
Today's Observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Thin scattered cirrus clouds, few stratocumulus and some
Arctic sea smoke observed along and offshore NE-E
Temperature: -4F; Dew Point: -13F; Wind: W at 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.28 ins. Hg, falling slightly
Visibility: 40 miles, distant haze
6-hr max temp: -1F
6-hr min temp: -6F
Snow depth: 37 inches
BHO SA 1155 250 –SCT 40 253/-4/-13/2708/028/ SC/ARCTIC SEA SMOKE
ALG/OFFSHR NE-E HAZY ALQDS / 8/501 4/037 56005 11001 21006
 
10 A.M.
Weather: High cirrostratus overcast, break in overcast NE-SE-SW,
few stratocumulus offshore distant E
Temperature: 6F; Dew Point: -10F; Wind: WSW at 6 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.27 ins. Hg, about steady
Visibility: 35 miles, hazy, haze increasing
BHO SA 1455 E220 OVC 35 252/6/-10/2406/027/ FEW SC OFFSHR DSNT E
BINOVC NE-SE-SW HAZY/HZ INCRSNG/ 8/507 58001  
 
1 P.M.
Weather: Broken dense cirrostratus, overcast higher cirrostratus,
thin spots in the overcast 
Temperature: 17F; Dew Point: -2F; Wind: S at 10 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.21 ins. Hg, falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 35 miles hazy
6-hr max temp: 17F
6-hr min temp: -4F
BHO SA 1755 E220 BKN 250 OVC 35 229/17/-2/1910/021/ OVC PTLY THN
HAZY/ 8/007 58023 10017 21004
 

SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2015
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....28   NORMAL.....39
MIN......1   NORMAL.....21
MEAN....15   NORMAL.....30
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL...........................-15
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH..........................-254 [-11.2 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............50  DEPARTURE..........+15
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH............1116  DEPARTURE.........+252    
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........4464  DEPARTURE..........+70
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......4368  DIFFERENCE.........+96
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..................38 WNW   AT  7:44 A.M.
                   ASOS.......................45 NW    AT  7:45 A.M.
                   DAVIS......................39 W     AT  7.44 A.M. RMY 44
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY....................28 WNW   AT  7:45 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.................29 WNW   AT  7:45 A.M.    
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE................26 WNW   AT  7:45 A.M.      
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION............15.9 WNW     
                   ASOS.....................15.0  
                   DAVIS....................13.5 WNW [302 degrees]
* last of several occurrences...

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00  DEPARTURE.....-0.16
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........6.06  DEPARTURE.....+3.12 [corrected]
                         ASOS...............N/A ***
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........11.23  DEPARTURE.....+4.07
                         ASOS...............N/A ***
*** ASOS February and annual totals not available due to erroneous readings
on February 9-10th and 14-15th
 
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.0  DEPARTURE......-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH...............79.9  DEPARTURE.....+68.4
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON.............133.8  DEPARTURE.....+89.2 
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOWFALL/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/RMY GUST
RMY:  R.M. Young wind gust recording system
TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day)
....: Data not yet available, records not finalized
 
 
2/1  28/8/18/-8/0.00/0.0/.../..               29 WNW RMY N/A
2/2  29/8/19/-7/1.53/16.5/000/00              44 NE  RMY 46
2/3  21/0/11/-15/0.00/0.0/.../..              31 NW  RMY N/A           
2/4  36/14/25/-1/0.00/0.0/.../..              31 S   RMY 33
2/5  34/4/19/-7/0.15/3.5/.../..               38 NW  RMY 39
2/6  19/-2/9/-17/0.00/0.0/.../..              28 NW  RMY 27   
2/7  25/14/20/-7/..../.../.../..              25 WSW RMY N/A
2/8  29/11/20/-7/..../.../000/00              30 NNE RMY 29
2/9  19/12/16/-11/..../.../000/00             29 N   RMY 28
2/10 28/12/20/-7/..../.../.../..              29 N   RMY 29
2/11 24/15/20/-7/0.03/1.4/.../..              30 N   RMY 29
2/12 28/14/21/-6/0.02/0.6/.../..              31 NW  RMY N/A
2/13 20/2/11/-17/0.00/0.0/.../..              35 NW  RMY 35
2/14 26/1/14/-14/..../.../.../..              24 NW  RMY N/A
2/15 18/-6/6/-22/..../.../.../..              53 NW  RMY 59
2/16 17/-8/5/-23/0.00/0.0/.../..              43 NW  RMY N/A
2/17 21/5/13/-15/0.12/2.0/.../..              18 NW  RMY 16
2/18 28/15/22/-7/..../.../.../..              17 W   RMY N/A
2/19 26/6/16/-13/0.02/0.3/.../..              40 W   RMY 43
2/20 15/0/8/-21/0.00/0.0/.../..               38 W   RMY 40
2/21 32/3/18/-11/..../.../.../..              39 SSW RMY 42
2/22 39/27/33/+4/..../.../.../..              25 WSW RMY N/A
2/23 28/1/15/-15/0.00/0.0/.../..              38 WNW RMY 44
 
2/26 morning low temp: -6F since midnight, normal low is now 21
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 2015
 
- NEW DAILY RECORD SNOWFALL FOR 2 FEBRUARY 2015
SNOWFALL 16.5 INS. surpasses previous record:
5.5 ins. in 1916, 1934
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):   

RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 24
HIGH 68F IN 1985 [RECORD FOR MONTH]
LOW -11F IN 1894
PRECIP 3.10 INCHES IN 1969
SNOWFALL 27.4 INCHES IN 1969 [HIGHEST CALENDAR DAY AMOUNT ON RECORD]
PEAK GUST 63 MPH NE IN 1998
 
RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 25
HIGH 67F IN 1976
LOW -10F IN 1894
PRECIP 2.40 INCHES IN 1981
SNOWFALL 13.6 INCHES IN 1966
PEAK GUST 75 MPH S IN 1965
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling