Sunday, February 22, 2015
BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2015
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
SNOW THIS MORNING GIVES WAY FOR ABOVE FREEZING
TEMPS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE FEB 5TH
Rain changed back to snow early this morning and continued
to add to our record breaking 79.9 inches of snow for
February, with 2.4 inches falling through 1:00 PM EST
this afternoon.
Yesterday’s max of 32F and min of 3F, averaging 18F,
marks the 27th consecutive day of below normal
temperatures. This is the longest such streak since
December 1989. Today marks the best chance we have to break
that streak, which lasted for just over a month. If we do not,
that streak of 32 consecutive days below average is well within
reach.
Visibility was low with snow and fog at this morning’s 7:00
AM EST observation. Temperatures were just below freezing with
humidity at 100%. Overnight temperatures actually warmed, going
above freezing for 4 hours before dropping below freezing by the
observation. While temperatures remained cool for much of the day,
they began to rise quickly by the 1:00 PM EST observation with
temperatures above freezing at 34.7F. A maximum reading of
36F has been recorded so far today, with sunshine and warmth
on the increase.
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. 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 22 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 22 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: Light Snow and Fog
Temperature: 31F; Dew Point: 31F; Wind:Estimated W at 5 kts,
Wind speed: Light
Sea-level pressure: 30.13 ins. Hg, decreasing, then increasing
Visibility: 1/4 miles, except Northeast to East Northeast 1/2 mile
and West Northwest to Northwest 3 miles. Fog in all directions
6-hr max temp: 33F
6-hr min temp: 31F
24-hr precip: 0.34
24 hr snowfall: 2.2
Snow depth: 40 inches
BHO SA 1155 W4 X 1/4S-F 204/31/31/E2605/013/ VSBY NE-ENE
1/2 MI WNW-NW 3 MI NEW SNW PST 24HRS 1.9 INS WND LGT/ 8////
4/040 53006 ASOS 60004 70034 MANUAL 70034 10033 20031
10 A.M.
Weather: Very Light Snow and Fog
Temperature: 31F; Dew Point: 31F; Wind: Estimated WNW at 3 kts
Wind Speed: Light
Sea-level pressure: 30.16 ins. Hg, decreasing then increasing
Visibility: 4 miles, except South to Southwest 1 mile
3-hr precip: 0.02 inch
3-hr snowfall: 0.2 inch
BHO SA 1455 9 SCT E70 OVC 4S- 214/31/31/E2903/016/ VSBY
S-SW 1 MI PRCP VRY LGT NEW SNW PST 3 HRS 0.2 INS WND LGT/
8/6/// 51010 ASOS 60003 MANUAL 60002
1 P.M.
Weather: Broken Stratocumulus, Broken Altocumulus, Broken Cirrus
Temperature: 35F; Dew Point: 29F; Wind: Estimated WNW at 5 kts
Wind Speed: Light
Sea-level pressure: 30.14 ins. Hg, decreasing then increasing
Visibility: 25 miles, light fog in all directions
6-hr max temp: 36F
6-hr min temp: 30F
6-hr precip: 0.02
6-hr snowfall: 0.2
Snow depth: 40 inches
BHO SA 1755 E20 BKN 90 BKN 250 BKN 25 208/35/29/E2605/014/
LGT FG ALQDS NEW SNW PST 3 HRS TRACE WIND LGT/ 8/531/ 58006
ASOS 60003 MANUAL 60002 10036 20030
SUMMARY FOR SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2015
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..32 NORMAL…..38
MIN……3 NORMAL…..20
MEAN….18 NORMAL…..29
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL………………………-11
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH……………………..-243 [-11.8 DEGREES/DAY]
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………..47 DEPARTURE……….+11
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………1034 DEPARTURE………+241
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………..4382 DEPARTURE……….+59
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……4323 DIFFERENCE………+47
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY………………39 SSW AT 12:03 A.M.
ASOS…………………..42 SSW AT 12:03 A.M.
DAVIS………………….40 SSW AT 9:40 A.M. RMY 40
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY………………..33 SSW AT 2:51 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE……………..32 SSW AT 2:51 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE…………….31 SSW AT 9:40 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION………….16.3 SSW
ASOS………………….16.2
DAVIS…………………15.2 SSW [203 degrees]
* last of several occurrences…
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.34 DEPARTURE…..+0.19
ASOS……………N/A ***
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH……….6.04 DEPARTURE…..+3.08
ASOS……………N/A ***
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR……….11.21 DEPARTURE…..+4.03
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……….2.2 DEPARTURE……+1.7
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………79.7 DEPARTURE…..+69.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON………….133.6 DEPARTURE…..+90.1
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 morning low temp: 31F since midnight, normal low is now 20
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 22
HIGH 63F IN 1997
LOW -1F IN 1918
PRECIP 1.38 INCHES IN 1900
SNOWFALL 8.0 INCHES IN 1893
PEAK GUST 74 MPH S IN 1974
RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 23
HIGH 62F IN 1990
LOW -8F IN 1907
PRECIP 1.48 INCHES IN 1967
SNOWFALL 10.6 INCHES IN 1967
PEAK GUST 73 MPH WNW IN 1974
TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald/Robert Millette
