BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY 
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015   
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

UNSEASONABLE COLD CONTINUES, CLOUDS THICKEN OVERNIGHT
WITH SNOW ENTERING THE REGION BY LATE MORNING

Yesterday's maximum temperature of 32F was not enough
to stop February's unseasonable cold trend, with another
day falling below average. The average temperature for the
month now sits at 11.6 degrees below normal. With little
warm up in sight before the end of the month, February 2015
will likely end up in the top 10 coldest months on record
here at Blue Hill Observatory. Through the 25th, the 24-hour
corrected mean temperature for the month is 17.0 deg F.  
The list of coldest months follows below:

BHO Coldest Months, deg F (1885-2014)

1) 13.5 in Feb, 1934
2) 15.5 in Jan, 1920
3) 16.3 in Jan, 1888
4) 16.4 in Feb, 1885
5) 17.1 in Feb, 1923 
6) 17.2 in Jan, 1912
   17.2 in Jan, 1918
   17.2 in Jan, 2004
9) 17.4 in Jan, 1893
   17.4 in Dec, 1989


Snow that began at 11:29 AM EST this morning had become
continuously light by the 1:00 PM EST observation, with
0.5 inches of new snow recorded. The maximum temperature
at that time was 21F.

Snow for the season now totals 137.4 inches, placing
this season at Blue Hill firmly in second place on
the list of snowiest seasons. 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 first 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) 83.5 in 2015 (through Feb 26 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) 126.4 in 2015 (through Feb 26 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: Overcast altostratus, few cumulus distant offshore ENE
Temperature: 16F; Dew Point: 9F; Wind: NNE at 7G14 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.06 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly 
Visibility: 40 miles, light distant haze
6-hr max temp: 17F
6-hr min temp: 15F
24-hr precip: none
24-hr snowfall: none
Snow depth: 38 inches 
BHO SA 1155 E120 OVC 40 179/16/9/0307G14/006/ FEW CU DSNT OFFSHR 
ENE LGT DSNT HZ ALQDS/ 8/12/ 4/038 51007 10017 20015

10 A.M. 
Weather: Overcast altostratus, few stratocumulus
distant offshore NNE-SE
Temperature: 18F; Dew Point: 8F; Wind: N at 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.06 ins. Hg, rising slightly
Visibility: 35 miles, except 30 miles WSW, light distant haze
BHO SA 1455 E70 OVC 35 180/18/8/3608/006/ VSBY WSW 30 MI FEW SC 
DSNT OFFSHR NNE-SE LGT DSNT HZ ALQDS/ 8/52/ 50001   

1 P.M.
Weather: Light snow, overcast nimbostratus, sun dimly visible
Temperature: 21F; Dew Point: 17F; Wind: N at 7 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.99 ins. Hg, falling, then more rapidly 
Visibility: 3/4 of a mile, obscured by light snow
3-hr precip: 0.03 inches
3-hr snowfall: 0.5 inches
6-hr max temp: 21F
6-hr min temp: 15F
BHO SA 1755 E10 OVC 3/4S- 156/21/17/3507/999/ SUN DMLY VSBL 
NEW SNW PST 3 HRS 0.5 INS/ 8/6// 58024 ASOS 60004 MANUAL 60003 
10021 20015

 
SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....32   NORMAL.....39
MIN.....11   NORMAL.....21
MEAN....22   NORMAL.....30

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL............................-8
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH..........................-286 [-11.6 DEGREES/DAY] 
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............43  DEPARTURE...........+8
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH............1218  DEPARTURE.........+284     
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........4566  DEPARTURE.........+102
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......4446  DIFFERENCE........+120

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..................35 W     AT  4:27 P.M.* 
                   ASOS.......................37 W     AT  4:27 P.M. 
                   DAVIS......................35 W     AT  4.26 P.M. RMY 36
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY....................29 W     AT  2:14 P.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.................28 W     AT  2:13 P.M.     
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE................24 W     AT  1:51 P.M.       
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION............13.1 W  
                   ASOS.....................13.1   
                   DAVIS....................11.5 W [283 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..........6.13  DEPARTURE.....+2.55  
                         ASOS...............N/A ***  
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........11.30  DEPARTURE.....+3.50
                         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...............83.0  DEPARTURE.....+70.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON.............136.9  DEPARTURE.....+91.3 

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/-8/0.00/0.0/582/97               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/-15/0.00/0.0/593/98              31 NW  RMY N/A            
2/4  36/14/25/-1/0.00/0.0/164/27              31 S   RMY 33
2/5  34/4/19/-7/0.15/3.5/000/00               38 NW  RMY 39
2/6  19/-2/9/-17/0.00/0.0/392/64              28 NW  RMY 27    
2/7  25/14/20/-7/..../.../000/00              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/..../.../081/13              29 N   RMY 29
2/11 24/15/20/-7/0.03/1.4/000/00              30 N   RMY 29
2/12 28/14/21/-6/0.02/0.6/000/00              31 NW  RMY N/A
2/13 20/2/11/-17/0.00/0.0/630/100             35 NW  RMY 35
2/14 26/1/14/-14/..../.../241/38              24 NW  RMY N/A
2/15 18/-6/6/-22/..../.../000/00              53 NW  RMY 59
2/16 17/-8/5/-23/0.00/0.0/606/95              43 NW  RMY N/A
2/17 21/5/13/-15/0.12/2.0/064/10              18 NW  RMY 16
2/18 28/15/22/-7/..../.../039/06              17 W   RMY N/A
2/19 26/6/16/-13/0.02/0.3/116/18              40 W   RMY 43
2/20 15/0/8/-21/0.00/0.0/630/97               38 W   RMY 40
2/21 32/3/18/-11/..../.../462/71              39 SSW RMY 42
2/22 39/27/33/+4/..../.../327/50              25 WSW RMY N/A
2/23 28/1/15/-15/0.00/0.0/.../..              38 WNW RMY 44
2/24 18/-6/6/-24/..../.../.../..              26 S   RMY 27
2/25 32/11/22/-8/..../.../.../..              35 W   RMY 36

2/26 morning low temp: 15F 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 26
HIGH 67F IN 1957
LOW -7F IN 1928
PRECIP 2.24 INCHES IN 1979
SNOWFALL 11.1 INCHES IN 1933
PEAK GUST 66 MPH W IN 1961

RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 27
HIGH 61F IN 1976
LOW -8F IN 1900
PRECIP 1.43 INCHES IN 2013
SNOWFALL 6.0 INCHES IN 1922
PEAK GUST 67 MPH W IN 1985

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald