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BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2015
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS END LATE MORNING-
ALL TIME SNOW DEPTH RECORD BROKEN AT 46 INCHES-
STORM TOTAL OF 21.6 INCHES- MORE RECORDS BROKEN
Snow, which began yesterday in the early afternoon
began to ramp up overnight, bringing 3.0 inches
by 7:00 PM EST on Saturday. A prolonged break in
the snow overnight was promptly ended as heavy snow
bands brought over 12 inches in just a three hour
span. The ASOS precipitation gauge measure 0.36 inches
from 5:00 AM through 6:00 AM, suggesting with liquid
equivalents close to 20:1 that an excess of 5 inches
fell in one hour early this morning at Blue Hill.
By the 10:00 AM EST observation, a storm total of
21.2 inches had been recorded as snow was beginning to
wind down, while winds began to ramp up.
By the 1:00 PM EST observation the final 0.4 inches
of snow fell, finishing the storm at 21.6 inches of
snow total, with a liquid equivalent of 1.17 inches
of water. Skies were overcast with blowing snow
visible for miles in every direction. A peak gust
of 35 knots, or 40 MPH was recorded so far.
Snow surveys conducted in different sites across
the summit of Great Blue Hill have indicated an
average snow dept of 46 inches, which is now the
greatest snow depth ever measured in our 130 year
existence. This record beats out the old record of
43 inches set back in March of 1969 during another
epic winter.
Snow for the season now totals 125.2, placing
this season at Blue Hill firmly in third place
for the snowiest season on record. Following today’s
storm, February 2015 is also the snowiest February on
record, as well as the snowiest month on record. This
latest storm has also made it onto the list of
single greatest storm totals in February and all time.
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) 71.3 in 2015 (through Feb 15 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) 114.2 in 2015 (through Feb 15 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: Heavy snow, fog and blowing snow
Temperature: 18F; Dew Point: 16F; Wind: NNW at 16G23 kts,
Peak Wind: 28 kts NNW @ 6:27 AM EST
Sea-level pressure: 29.33 ins. Hg, falling then rising, now higher
Visibility: 1/4 of a mile, obscured by heavy snow, fog
and blowing snow
6-hr max temp: 18F
6-hr min temp: 14F
24-hr precip: 0.96 inches
24 hr snowfall: 19.1 inches
Snow depth: 45 inches
BHO SA 1155 W4 X 1/4S+F 933/18/16/3416G23/933/
BLSN ALQDS NEW SNW PST 24 HRS 19.1 INS PK WND 3428/27/
8//// 4/045 53009 ASOS 60069 70102 MANUAL 70096 10018 20014
10 A.M.
Weather: Light snow, fog and blowing snow
Temperature: 16F; Dew Point: 13F; Wind: NNW at 23G31 kts
Peak Wind: 31 knots NNW @ 9:49 AM EST
Sea-level pressure: 29.42 ins. Hg, rising, then more quickly
Visibility: 1/4 of a mile, obscured by light snow, fog
and blowing snow
3-hr precip: 0.18 inches
3-hr snowfall: 2.1 inches
BHO SA 1455 W4 X 1/4S-F 962/16/13/3423G31/942/
BLSN ALQDS NEW SNW PST 3 HRS 2.1 INS PK WND 3431/49/
8//// 53029 ASOS 60017 MANUAL 60018
1 P.M.
Weather: Overcast altostratus, few cumulus fractus E-SW,
blowing snow in all directions and distant below summit,
sun dimly visible
Temperature: 15F; Dew Point: 8F; Wind: NW at 24G31 kts
Peak Wind: 33 kts NW @ 12:37 PM EST
Sea-level pressure: 29.50 ins. rising then more slowly
Visibility: 30 miles, blowing snow in all directions
6-hr max temp: 18F
6-hr min temp: 15F
6-hr precip: 0.21 inches
6-hr snowfall: 2.5 inches
BHO SA 1755 E85 OVC 30 991/15/8/3224G31/950/
FEW CUFRA E-SW BLSN ALQDS AND BLO SMT SUN DMLY VSBL
NEW SNW PST 3 HRS 0.4 INS STORM TOTAL 21.6 INS PK WND 3233/37/
8/71/ 51029 ASOS 60020 MANUAL 60021 10018 20015
SUMMARY FOR SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2015
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..26 NORMAL…..37
MIN……1 NORMAL…..19
MEAN….14 NORMAL…..28
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL………………………-14
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH……………………..-131 [-9.6 DEGREES/DAY]
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………..51 DEPARTURE……….+14
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH………….667 DEPARTURE………+130
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………..4015 DEPARTURE……….-53
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……4071 DIFFERENCE………-56
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY………………24 NW AT 11:08 P.M.
ASOS…………………..25 NW AT 10:51 P.M.
DAVIS………………….21 SSE AT 1:38 P.M. RMY 32
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY………………..19 NW AT 11:09 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE……………..20 NW AT 11:07 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE…………….17 ESE AT 6:45 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION…………10.9 W
ASOS…………………11.6
DAVIS………………..10.0 S [176 degrees]
* last of several occurrences…
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.96 DEPARTURE…..+0.82
ASOS…………..1.02
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH……….5.26 DEPARTURE…..+3.34
ASOS……………N/A ***
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR……….10.43 DEPARTURE…..+4.29
ASOS……………N/A ***
*** ASOS February and annual totals not available due to erroneous readings
on February 9-10th.
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M………19.1 DEPARTURE…..+18.6
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………68.8 DEPARTURE…..+61.9
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON………….122.7 DEPARTURE…..+82.7
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 morning low temp: 14F since midnight, normal low is now 19
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 15
HIGH 60F IN 1954
LOW -18F IN 1943
PRECIP 1.28 INCHES IN 1950
SNOWFALL 11.2 INCHES IN 1940
PEAK GUST 94e MPH WNW IN 1946
RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 16
HIGH 62F IN 1954
LOW -16F IN 1943
PRECIP 1.91 INCHES IN 1958
SNOWFALL 18.6 INCHES IN 1958
PEAK GUST 78 MPH W IN 1967
TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald
