Wednesday, February 25, 2015

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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

3.1 INCHES OF NEW SNOW PUSHES WINTER OF 2014-2015 INTO
SECOND PLACE ALL TIME AT 136.9 INCHES

Snow that began around midnight this morning quickly
dropped 3.1 inches of fluffy dry snow, bringing this
morning’s snow depth up to 39 inches of snow on the
ground. This quick storm also surpassed the former
second snowiest winter of all time, 1993-1994, when
136.0 inches had fallen. With 136.9 inches of snow
so far for this winter season, the snowiest season
on record, 1995-1996, is only 7.5 inches away.

Yesterday’s chill brought an average temperature of
6F, some 24 degrees below the daily norm. With 24 days
of February now completed, the monthly departure from
the norm now sits at 11.8 degrees below normal. Stay
tuned for statistics as the month draws to a close
Saturday to see where this month stacks up for coldest
Februarys.

By mid morning, skies were completely clear of clouds
with temperatures moderating into the 20s. By 1:00 PM EST
clear skies continued with only a few cumulus distant
to the W-NNW, with a maximum reading of 32F for the day
so far.

Snow for the season now totals 136.9 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) 83.0 in 2015 (through Feb 25 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) 125.9 in 2015 (through Feb 25 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: Clear, few altocumulus in all directions,
inversion present, estimated top 400 feet
Temperature: 15F; Dew Point: 12F; Wind: W at 14 KTS
Sea-level pressure: 29.71 ins. Hg, falling, then rising
Visibility: 40 miles, except 25 miles NW-NNE
6-hr max temp: 22F
6-hr min temp: 11F
24-hr precip: 0.07 inches
24-hr snowfall: 3.1 inches
Snow depth: 39 inches
BHO SA 1155 CLR 40 062/15/12/2814/971/ VSBY NW-NNE 25 MI FEW AC
ALQDS INVSN PRSNT ESTMD TOP 4 HND OVR CTY N NEW SNW PST 24 HRS
3.1 INS/ 8/030 4/039 55010 ASOS 60006 70007 MANUAL 70007 10022
20011

10 A.M.
Weather: Sky clear
Temperature: 24F; Dew Point: 13F; Wind: WNW at 10 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.75 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 35 miles, light distant haze
BHO SA 1455 CLR 35 074/24/13/2910/975/
SKC LGT DSNT HZ ALQDS/ 8/000 51012

1 P.M.
Weather: Clear, few cumulus distant W-NNW
Temperature: 31F; Dew Point: 13F; Wind: WNW at 12G20 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.71 ins. Hg, falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 40 miles, hazy
6-hr max temp: 32F
6-hr min temp: 13F
BHO SA 1755 CLR 40 062/31/13/2912G20/971/
FEW CU DSNT W-NNW LGT DSNT HZ ALQDS/ 8/100 58012 10032 20013
SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2015

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..18   NORMAL…..39
MIN…..-6   NORMAL…..21
MEAN…..6   NORMAL…..30

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL………………………-24
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH……………………..-278 [-11.8 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………..59  DEPARTURE……….+24
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………1175  DEPARTURE………+276
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………..4523  DEPARTURE……….+93
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……4403  DIFFERENCE……..+120

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY………………26 S     AT  5:13 P.M.
ASOS…………………..28 S     AT  5:12 P.M.
DAVIS………………….26 S     AT  5.13 P.M. RMY 27
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY………………..20 S     AT  5:40 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE……………..21 S     AT  5:41 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE…………….20 S     AT  5:41 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION…………9.9 S
ASOS…………………10.4
DAVIS………………..9.2 SSW [213 degrees] * last of several occurrences…

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.07  DEPARTURE…..-0.09
ASOS…………..0.07
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH……….6.13  DEPARTURE…..+2.71
ASOS……………N/A ***
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR……….11.30  DEPARTURE…..+3.66
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……….3.1  DEPARTURE……+2.6
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………83.0  DEPARTURE…..+71.0
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON………….136.9  DEPARTURE…..+91.8

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
2/24 18/-6/6/-24/…./…/…/..              26 S   RMY 27

2/25 morning low temp: 11F 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 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

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

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald