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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2015   
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

HISTORIC JANUARY BLIZZARD BECOMES 2ND LARGEST
SNOWSTORM OF ALL TIME AT BLUE HILL

The historic blizzard that engulfed the region
from Monday through the early hours of Wednesday
morning officially brought 30.8 inches of snow, with
a liquid equivalent of 2.44 inches of water. Yesterday's
calendar day total of 25.2 inches is likely to break
records for midnight to midnight storm totals, though
these records are not as well established. Yesterday
did set a new daily record snowfall as well for the date,
beating out 11.7 inches that fell in 2011.

30.8 inches just barely beats out the Blizzard of
1978 which brought 30.1 inches of snow, and another major
storm of 30.3 inches of snow March of 1960. Yesterday's
blizzard still fell well short of the all time record
of 38.7 inches that fell from the 24th of February through
the 28th in 1969, snowing for more than 100 consecutive 
hours.

Snow for January is now up to 40.7 inches, which moves 
January 2015 into 8th place for snowiest January. With
more snow forecast for Thursday-Friday, we can still
stand to move further up the list:

1) 56.3 in 1948
2) 48.2 in 2011
3) 48.0 in 1904
4) 47.6 in 1996
5) 46.0 in 1966
6) 44.8 in 2005
7) 44.5 in 1923
8) 40.7 in 2015
9) 38.3 in 1987
10) 35.6 in 1978

Once again, here is the list of storms total over 20 inches
here at Blue Hill Observatory's history dating back to 1885,
with the new storm update:

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) 26.6 on 8-9 Feb, 2013
8) 24.7 on 17-18 Feb, 2003
9) 24.3 on 5-7 Dec, 2003
10) 23.0 on 5-7 Mar, 2001
11) 22.2 on 16-17 Feb, 1958
12) 21.0 on 9-10 Feb, 1969
13) 20.5 on 22-23 Jan, 2005
14) 20.3 on 12 Dec, 1960
15) 20.0 on 31 Jan - 1 Feb, 1898

Conditions this morning improved immensely just after sunrise,
with a layer of scattered altocumulus lingering through the
morning. Sunshine had finally returned for the first time since
the early morning hours of Monday.

By the 1:00 PM EST observation skies were mostly cloudy with
a layer of altocumulus aloft, along with altocumulus lenticularis
distant to the N. Visibility had improved to 70 miles and a 
maximum temperature of 19F had been recorded so far today.

Finally, here is a detailed look of each storm measurement:

Jan. 26 2015
7:00 AM to 10:00 AM: Trace
10:00 AM to 1:00 PM: 0.1 snow, 0.01 liquid
1:00 PM to 7:00 PM: 0.9 snow, 0.09 liquid
7:00 PM to 12:00 AM: 4.6 snow, 0.40 liquid

Jan. 27 2015
12:00 AM to 7:00 AM: 9.9 snow, 1.08 liquid
7:00 AM to 10:00 AM: 3.7 snow, 0.39 liquid
10:00 AM to 1:00 PM: 6.3 snow, 0.29 liquid
1:00 PM to 7:00 PM:  4.2 snow, 0.16 liquid
7:00 PM to 12:00 AM: 1.1 snow, 0.02 liquid

Jan. 28 2015
12:00 AM to 7:00 AM: trace snow, trace liquid
 

Today's Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Overcast stratus, showers distant NE-ESE
Temperature: 9F; Dew Point: 4F; Wind: NW at 9 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.86 ins. Hg, rising, then more quickly                    
Visibility: 60 miles, except 40 miles NE-ESE, obscured by showers
6-hr max temp: 9F
6-hr min temp: 8F
24-hr precip: 0.86 in. 
24 hr snowfall: 15.3 ins. 
Total snow on ground: 22 inches 
BHO SA 1155 33 OVC 60 112/9/4/3109/986/ VSBY NE-ESE 40 MI 
SHWRS DSNT NE-ESE NEW SNW PST 24 HRS 15.3 INS/ 
8/6// 4/022 53035 ASOS 70103 MANUAL 70086 10009 20008

10 A.M. 
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, scattered cirrus,
few stratocumulus distant offshore NNE-ESE
Temperature: 14F; Dew Point: 5F; Wind: NW at 13G19 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.95 ins. Hg, rising, then more quickly       
Visibility: 70 miles, except 50 miles NNE-ESE
3-hr precip: 0.00 
3-hr snowfall 0.0 
BHO SA 1455 120 SCT 250 SCT 70 141/14/5/3113G19/995/ 
VSBY NNE-ESE 50 MI FEW SC DSNT OFFSHR NNE-ESE/ 8/531 51029

1 P.M. 
Weather: Broken altocumulus, altocumulus lenticularis 
distant N-NE, few stratocumlus distant offshore NE-SE
Temperature: 17F; Dew Point: 6F; Wind: NW at 11 kts, 
Sea-level pressure: 29.97 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly  
Visibility: 70 miles
6-hr max. temp: 19F
6-hr min. temp: 9F
6-hr precip: 0.00 ins
6-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins
BHO SA 1755 E140 BKN 70 149/17/6/3111/997/ FEW SC DSNT OFFSHR 
NE-SE ACSL DSNT N-NE/ 8/530 51008 10019 20009  


SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....17   NORMAL.....34
MIN.....10   NORMAL.....17
MEAN....14   NORMAL.....25

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.........................-11
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.........................-34 [-1.5 DEGREES/DAY] 
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............51  DEPARTURE..........+11
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH............1103  DEPARTURE..........+35     
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........3163  DEPARTURE.........-210
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......3338  DIFFERENCE........-175

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..................51 N     AT  5:47 A.M.   
                   ASOS.......................MISSING** 
                   DAVIS......................46 N     AT  5:46 A.M. RMY 52
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY....................33 N     AT  3:55 A.M.     
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.................33 N     AT  3:55 A.M.    
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE................30 N     AT  3:55 A.M.    
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION............23.4 N  
                   ASOS.....................MISSING**    
                   DAVIS....................19.4 N [347 degrees] 
* last of several occurrences...
** ASOS WIND SENSOR FAILED APPROXIMATELY 4:00 AM EST 1/27/15
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.86  DEPARTURE.....+0.73 
                         ASOS..............1.03
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........5.04  DEPARTURE.....+1.23 
                         ASOS..............5.30  
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........5.04  DEPARTURE.....+1.23
                         ASOS..............5.30  

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M.........15.3  DEPARTURE.....+14.7
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH...............40.7  DEPARTURE.....+25.7
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............51.7  DEPARTURE.....+20.7  

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 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

1/1  31/18/25/-2/0.00/0.0/544/99              29 SSW RMY 30 
1/2  37/26/32/+5/0.00/0.0/314/57              35 WSW RMY 38
1/3  34/21/28/+2/0.67/2.5/017/03              25 SE  RMY 26   
1/4  51/33/42/+16/0.48/0.0/000/00             30 SSW RMY N/A
1/5  46/13/30/+4/0.00/0.0/542/98              48 W   RMY 54
1/6  15/10/13/-13/0.02/0.4/000/00             29 W   RMY N/A
1/7  22/01/12/-14/0.01/0.3/394/71             43 WNW RMY 47  
1/8  16/-5/6/-20/0.00/0.0/539/97              39 WNW RMY N/A 
1/9  27/16/22/-4/0.08/0.9/201/36              35 WSW RMY 38  
1/10 22/11/17/-8/0.00/0.0/541/97              26 WNW RMY 27
1/11 31/9/20/-5/45/0.00/0.0/123/22            26 SSW RMY N/A 
1/12 36/31/34/+9/0.23/T/000/00                29 NNW RMY N/A
1/13 33/11/22/-3/0.00/0.0/524/93              30 NNW RMY 29
1/14 22/11/17/-8/T/T/000/00                   18 NNW RMY 16
1/15 27/20/24/-1/0.09/0.8/000/00              20 WSW RMY 22 
1/16 35/12/24/-1/T/T/341/60                   46 WSW RMY 50
1/17 21/5/13/-12/0.00/0.0/558/98              30 WNW RMY N/A 
1/18 50/19/35/+10/0.16/0.0/000/00             47 SE  RMY 52
1/19 44/28/36/+11/T/0.0/304/53                33 W   RMY 36
1/20 36/23/30/+5/0.00/0.0/495/86              28 W   RMY 28
1/21 30/17/24/-1/0.00.0.0./358/62             21 WNW RMY N/A 
1/22 36/25/31/+6/T/T/.../..                   20 WNW RMY 20 
1/23 36/18/27/+2/0.00/0.0/.../..              25 SSW RMY 26
1/24 32/27/30/+5/0.84/5.0/000/00              24 SSW RMY N/A
1/25 34/17/26/+1/0.00/0.0/.../..              31 W   RMY 33
1/26 26/9/18/-7/0.50/5.6/.../..               45 N   RMY N/A
1/27 17/10/14/-11/1.94/25.2/000/00            51 N   RMY 52

1/28 morning low temp: 8F since midnight; normal low is now 17F

DAILY RECORDS FOR JANUARY 2015

-NEW DAILY RECORD SNOWFALL FOR 27 JANUARY 2015
SNOWFALL 25.2 INS. IN 2015

DAILY EXTREMES 
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):     

RECORDS FOR JANUARY 28
HIGH 59F IN 1916
LOW -9F IN 1888, 1924
PRECIP 2.18 INS. IN 1897
SNOWFALL 15.0 INS. IN 1897
PEAK GUST 78e MPH SSE IN 1977

RECORDS FOR JANUARY 29
HIGH 66F IN 2002
LOW -11F IN 1888
PRECIP 1.48 INS. IN 1973
SNOWFALL 8.0 INS. IN 1943
PEAK GUST 72 MPH NW IN 1973

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald