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January 2022 Summary – Sixth Snowiest on Record

February 1, 2022

Blue Hill Observatory January 2022 Summary: January was colder and much snowier than average. The 24-hour adjusted mean temperature for the month…

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Blue Hill Observatory January 2022 Summary:

January was colder and much snowier than average. The 24-hour adjusted mean temperature for the month of 24.9 deg F was 1.0 degrees colder than the 1891-2020 130-year average for January, and it was 2.3 degrees colder than the 1991-2020 30-year average. After a warm start during the first week, the month finished with 18 days colder than average. The coldest mean temperature was just 7F on the 15th with a high of 13F and a low of 1F on that day. The highest temperature observed all month was 51F on the 1st, and the lowest temperature during January was 0F on the 16th. The total precipitation was 4.59 inches, which was only slightly more than the 130-year average and  the 1991-2020 30-year mean. The greatest liquid equivalent precipitation in 24 hours was 1.84 inches on the 28th-29th, during the Blizzard of 2022. Snowfall for the month totaled 45.4 inches, which was almost 30 inches more than the long-term average. Most of this snow, 27.6 inches, fell during the historic Blizzard of 2022 on the 28th-29th, which brought many hours of heavy snow, strong winds, and blizzard conditions to Blue Hill, including a peak wind gust to 55 mph from the north. This was the second greatest snowstorm ever observed in January at Blue Hill, and the calendar day snowfall of 27.1 inches on the 29th surpassed the previous record for the date of 8.0 inches in 1943 and it was the largest for any calendar day in January. The storm total of 27.6 inches was also the seventh greatest snowstorm ever measured at Blue Hill for any month of the year. Much of the rest of the monthly snowfall fell on the 7th during a storm that brought 15.7 inches of snow. The mean wind speed for the month was 13.0 mph, which was the fifth lowest on record for January, and the prevailing wind direction was from the northwest. The highest wind gust was 65 mph from the east-southeast during moderate rain on the morning of the 17th. January sunshine was above average with a total of 149.1 hours of bright sunshine, or 52 percent of possible, which was six percent more than the long-term average for January.

BHO Greatest January Snowfall, inches (1891-2022):

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) 45.4 in 2022
7) 44.8 in 2005
8) 44.5 in 1923
9) 42.9 in 2015
10) 38.3 in 1987

BHO Greatest January Snowstorms inches (1891-2022):

1) 30.8 on 26-28 Jan 2015
2) 27.6 on 28-29 Jan, 2022
3) 20.5 on 22-23 Jan, 2005
4) 19.0 on 20 Jan, 1978
5) 18.2 on 7-8 Jan 1996
6) 17.6 on 23-24 Jan, 1966
7) 16.7 on 22-24 Jan, 1935
8) 16.5 on 4 Jan, 2018
9) 16.3 on 2-4 Jan, 1996
10) 16.2 on 7-8 Jan, 1977
11) 15.5 on 15-17 Jan, 1965
12) 15.0 on 28 Jan 1897

BHO Greatest January Calendar Day Snowfalls, inches (1891-2022)

1) 27.1 on 29 Jan, 2022
2) 25.2 on 27 Jan, 2015
3) 19.0 on 20 Jan, 1978
4) 16.5 on 4 Jan, 2018
5) 16.0 on 7 Jan, 1977
6) 15.0 on 28 Jan, 1897
7) 14.6 on 23 Jan 1966
8) 14.0 on 16 Jan, 1965
9) 13.4 on 17 Jan, 1956
10) 13.0 on 18 Jan, 1948

BHO Greatest Snowstorms, inches (1891-2022):

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) 27.6 on 28-29 Jan, 2022
8) 26.6 on 8-9 Feb, 2013
9) 24.7 on 17-18 Feb, 2003
10) 24.3 on 5-7 Dec, 2003

BHO Lowest January Mean Wind Speed, mph (1885-2022):

1) 11.7 in 2021
2) 12.2 in 2001
3) 12.8 in 2011
   12.8 in 2020
5) 13.0 in 2022

Mike Iacono
Chief Scientist
Blue Hill Observatory

Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center · Legal

Data Use & Privacy Policy

Please read the full Policy before accessing Observatory data · Effective January 1, 2025

Notice: By accessing, downloading, or using any Blue Hill Observatory data or services, you unconditionally accept and agree to be bound by this Policy in its entirety. If you do not agree, you may not access or use Observatory data.
Effective January 1, 2025 · Milton, Massachusetts · bluehill.org
Part I — Data Use Policy
§ 01

Ownership and Proprietary Rights

All observational records, compiled datasets, metadata, database structures, and related materials provided by the Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center are the exclusive property of the Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center. The Observatory has maintained continuous weather observations at the summit of Great Blue Hill since 1885, and the entirety of that record — its compilation, structure, curation, and organization — constitutes a proprietary database protected under applicable United States law, including copyright law and common law database protections.

All rights not expressly granted in this Policy are reserved by the Observatory. No access to or use of Observatory data shall be construed as a waiver of any rights or as a license to use data beyond the scope expressly stated herein.

§ 02

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

This Policy shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. For interactions with international users, this Policy shall apply to the maximum extent permitted by applicable local law.

Any dispute arising from or related to this Policy shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. By accessing Observatory data, all users consent to personal jurisdiction in Massachusetts and waive any objection to the venue or inconvenience of such forum.

§ 03

Permitted Uses

Observatory data are made available for the following limited, non-commercial purposes only:

  • Personal study and analysis
  • Educational classroom use
  • Student projects
  • Non-commercial academic research
  • Publication of analyses, figures, models, or conclusions derived from the data, subject to the attribution requirements of Section 4

All other uses require prior written authorization from the Observatory.

§ 04

Attribution Requirement

Any use of Observatory data in any published, presented, or publicly distributed work must include the following verbatim acknowledgment:

“Data provided by the Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center, Milton, Massachusetts. Continuous weather observations since 1885.”

Failure to include proper attribution is a material violation of this Policy.

§ 05

Prohibited Uses

Unless explicitly authorized in writing, Users may not:

  • Resell, license, sublicense, or commercially exploit Observatory data in any form
  • Redistribute the dataset in whole or in part to any third party
  • Publish the dataset for download by third parties
  • Host, mirror, or archive the dataset on any external website, repository, or storage service
  • Upload the dataset to any public or institutional data repository
  • Provide the data through APIs, automated services, or subscription platforms
  • Incorporate the data into any commercial product, software, application, or service
  • Use the data for AI or machine learning systems intended for commercial use or external distribution
  • Use the data to create derivative datasets that enable reconstruction of the underlying observations
§ 06

Commercial Licensing

Organizations seeking to use Observatory data for commercial purposes must obtain a license prior to any such use. Licensing inquiries: data@bluehill.org.

§ 07

Automated Access

Automated scraping, bulk harvesting, or systematic downloading of Observatory data is strictly prohibited without prior written authorization.

§ 08

Enforcement and Remedies

Violation of this Policy may result in immediate revocation of data access, pursuit of legal remedies available under United States law, and referral to applicable authorities. The Observatory reserves all rights to seek injunctive relief, damages, and attorneys’ fees in connection with any unauthorized use of its data.

Part II — Privacy Policy
§ 09–10

Scope & Information Collected

This section governs the collection, use, storage, and disclosure of personal information from visitors to the Blue Hill Observatory website and users of its data services. The Observatory may collect contact information (name, email, organization) when voluntarily submitted, usage data including IP addresses and pages visited, and data download records.

§ 11–12

How We Use Information & Retention

Information is used solely for: responding to inquiries and licensing requests; monitoring and enforcing compliance with this Policy; improving website performance; and communicating Observatory news to opted-in users. The Observatory does not sell, rent, or share personal information with third parties for marketing purposes. Data access records may be retained indefinitely for compliance and enforcement purposes.

§ 13

International Users and Data Transfers

The Observatory is located in the United States. International users acknowledge their information will be processed in the United States under U.S. law. Users requiring specific data processing agreements under non-US law must contact data@bluehill.org before accessing data.

§ 14–16

Cookies, Security & Children’s Privacy

The Observatory website may use cookies for analytics and functionality. By continuing to use the site, users consent to cookie use. The Observatory implements reasonable measures to protect personal information but cannot guarantee absolute security. Observatory data services are not directed at children under 13.

Part III — General Provisions
§ 17–20

Modifications, Severability, Entire Agreement & Contact

The Observatory reserves the right to modify this Policy at any time. Updated versions will be posted at bluehill.org. Continued use of Observatory data following any modification constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy. This Policy constitutes the entire agreement between the User and the Observatory. Questions and licensing inquiries: Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center, Milton, Massachusetts — data@bluehill.org

By accessing, downloading, or using any Blue Hill Observatory data or services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Policy.
Effective January 1, 2025 · Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center · Milton, Massachusetts