Staff Spotlight · March 2026

Cheryl Cummings has spent more than two decades helping mission-driven organizations grow — building strategies, strengthening teams, and connecting people to causes worth believing in. For the past six years, she has brought that experience to bear at Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center, where she serves as Director of Strategic Partnerships.

Her path to the Observatory wound through some of Greater Boston’s most impactful nonprofits — from organizations fighting family homelessness and poverty to STEM education initiatives placing young adults in high-demand careers. Across all of them, the common thread was the same: a belief that well-run, well-funded organizations can change lives.

“Abbott Lawrence Rotch was fascinated by weather at a young age — and his determination to study the atmosphere placed him atop Great Blue Hill at just 24 years old. The students the Observatory serves today are kindred spirits. That connection across 141 years is what drew me here, and it’s what keeps me motivated every day.”
— Cheryl Cummings, Director of Strategic Partnerships

Building Organizations That Last

Cheryl’s work has always centered on helping leaders see further. Over a twenty-year career she has collaborated with CEOs and boards on strategic planning, fundraising, communications, and governance — the behind-the-scenes infrastructure that allows a great mission to actually take root and grow.

At the Observatory, that work has included developing multi-year investment strategies, strengthening donor relationships, and helping to build the organizational practices that support the Observatory’s growing educational and scientific programs. It’s the kind of work that doesn’t always make headlines — but without it, the institution can’t do what it’s here to do.

She has a particular passion for legacy and planned giving — the practice of connecting donors to the long arc of an institution’s work, and giving them a meaningful way to be part of it. It’s a natural fit for an organization whose climate record stretches back 141 years and whose most important work, in many ways, is still ahead.

“Fundraising is deeply rewarding work because, at its best, it brings together socially minded individuals across corporate, government, foundation, and nonprofit sectors to work toward a common purpose. Building those partnerships — and watching them strengthen an institution like the Observatory — is both meaningful and inspiring.”
— Cheryl Cummings, Director of Strategic Partnerships

Connecting People to What Matters

Beyond the Observatory, Cheryl is a long-time mentor with MentorNet and a committed advocate for climate action, economic empowerment, and education. She is a proud UMass Amherst graduate and an active voice in Greater Boston’s nonprofit and environmental community.

Those who work alongside her at Blue Hill Observatory will tell you she brings that same energy to every conversation — whether she’s talking with a first-time donor, a prospective corporate partner, or a longtime member who has been climbing this hill for decades.

Legacy Giving · Planned Giving

Blue Hill Observatory has stood on this hill since 1885 — through storms, seasons, and 141 years of unbroken daily observation. The people who built that record did so because they believed the work mattered beyond their own lifetimes. A bequest is one of the most meaningful ways to carry that belief forward.

By including Blue Hill Observatory in your will or estate plan, you help ensure that this extraordinary scientific and historic legacy continues for generations to come — that the climate record keeps growing, that students keep climbing this hill, and that the doors of the Observatory stay open to scientists, educators, and the curious public long into the future.

How to Include Blue Hill Observatory in Your Estate Plans

Including the Observatory in your will or estate plan is simpler than many people expect. Here are the steps:

Educational Programs · Spring & Summer 2026

From April break through the end of August, Blue Hill Observatory has programs for students of all ages — from week-long nature adventures for elementary schoolers to an intensive meteorology career program for high schoolers. Here’s everything coming up this spring and summer.

Events · Earth Day 2026

On April 18th, hundreds of community members will ascend Great Blue Hill together for one of Greater Boston’s most beloved Earth Day traditions. This year, the event has a new name — and a bigger idea behind it.

From “Climb for Climate” to “Climb for a Better Tomorrow”

For years, this event was known as the Climb for Climate — and climate remains at the heart of everything Blue Hill Observatory does. But as we looked at who was climbing with us, and who we wanted to climb with us, we realized the name was telling only part of the story.

People climb this hill for all kinds of reasons. Some climb for climate. Some climb for education, for the next generation, for the students who’ve never had access to a trail or a science lab. Some climb because they believe the world their kids inherit should be better than the one we have today. We wanted a name that held all of those people — and all of those reasons — at once.

“We wanted to climb to be better tomorrow than we are today — and invite everyone who shares that hope to join us.”

The new name, Climb for a Better Tomorrow, is an open invitation. Whatever brings you to the Hill on April 18th — your values, your curiosity, your kids, your community — there’s a place for you on this climb.

Event Details

What Awaits You at the Summit

This isn’t just a hike. The summit comes alive on Earth Day with a full lineup of activities for all ages.

Your Climb Funds the Future

Every registration and donation directly supports Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center’s mission to connect young people — especially those who haven’t had the opportunity — with science, nature, and climate.

Too many students grow up without access to inspiring outdoor spaces or real-world science experiences. Proceeds from the Climb fund field trips, internships, mentorship, and career pathways that open doors for young people who’ve been left out. We believe curiosity should grow into confidence — and confidence into opportunity.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Horizon Sponsor

Trail Sponsor

2790 Washington St, Canton

Friends of the Climb

100 Royall St, Canton, MA 02021

Joe Parlavecchio, CFA® CFP®

Milton, MA  |  617-698-1912

Climate Data · Monthly Summary

February 2026 was a cold and notably snowy month on Great Blue Hill, finishing 1.7°F below the long-term average and delivering nearly twice the normal snowfall — driven almost entirely by one extraordinary storm in the final week of the month.

Temperature

The average temperature for February was 26.5°F, about 1.7° below the long-term normal. Average highs reached 34.7°F while average lows dipped to 18.3°F. The warmest day of the month was February 28, which topped out at 51°F — a brief hint of early spring. The coldest reading came on February 8, when the thermometer fell to –2°F overnight.

Precipitation

Total liquid precipitation for February was 2.97 inches, running about 1.03 inches below the monthly normal. The month’s heaviest precipitation event occurred February 22–23, when 1.99 inches of liquid equivalent fell — nearly all of it as snow. Outside of that event, February was relatively dry.

Snowfall

Snowfall was the defining story of the month. February 2026 recorded 35.9 inches total — 17.7 inches above normal — with 24.8 inches falling in a single storm on February 22–23. A full account of the event and its historical context is available in our February 22–23 Storm Report.

Wind

Winds averaged 11.8 mph for the month, predominantly from the northwest — the signature direction of Arctic high-pressure systems that dominated February’s weather pattern. The peak gust of 68 mph occurred on February 23 during the height of the snowstorm, when tight pressure gradients produced near-blizzard conditions on the summit.

Sunshine

February recorded approximately 51% of the possible sunshine for the month — below the typical amount, consistent with the active storm pattern and persistent cloud cover that accompanied the cold air.

Significant Weather · Storm Report

On the evening of February 22nd, snow began falling over Great Blue Hill. By the time it ended late on the 23rd, the storm had written itself into the history books — not just for this winter, but for all 141 years of Blue Hill Observatory’s continuous weather record.

How the Storm Unfolded

Snow developed across the region during the afternoon of February 22nd and intensified overnight. The heaviest snowfall rates occurred in the pre-dawn hours of the 23rd, when near-blizzard conditions gripped the summit. Winds peaked at 68 mph as a tight pressure gradient drove Arctic air in behind the deepening storm system.

Total liquid precipitation for the event was 1.99 inches, nearly all falling as snow. By the time observations closed on the 23rd, the storm had deposited 24.8 inches on the summit — a figure that immediately demanded a look at the record books.

“24.6 inches in a single calendar day — only one February day in 141 years has ever produced more snow on this hill.”

Where It Ranks: Top February Snowstorms at Blue Hill

The February 22–23 event now ties as the 11th greatest snowstorm in Blue Hill Observatory history. Among February storms specifically, it ranks 5th largest ever — behind only four legendary events stretching back to 1969.

The Single-Day Record

Perhaps the most striking figure from this event is the single-day total. On February 23, 2026 alone, 24.6 inches fell at Blue Hill — making it the 2nd largest February calendar-day snowfall in the station’s history, and the 3rd largest single-day total across all months in 141 years of observation.

To put that in perspective: in any given year, the odds of a single day producing that much snow anywhere in the region — let alone at one station — are extraordinarily small. The fact that it happened in February, traditionally the heart of New England’s snow season, makes the climatological context all the richer.

What Makes This Record Meaningful

Records at Blue Hill Observatory carry special weight precisely because of the length and continuity of the dataset. When we say this storm ranks 5th among February snowstorms, we mean it ranks 5th among every February storm observed and recorded by human observers on this hill since 1885 — through two World Wars, the Great Depression, and 141 winters of New England weather.

That continuity is what makes a number like 24.8 inches more than just a measurement. It’s a data point in one of the most scientifically valuable climate records in the United States — and another chapter in a story that began when Abbott Lawrence Rotch first climbed this hill with his instruments.

Behind the Scenes · Instruments & Maintenance

The historic snowfall totals and wind records from February’s major storm didn’t happen by accident. Behind every data point in Blue Hill Observatory’s 141-year climate record is a network of carefully maintained instruments — and the people who keep them working, in all conditions, all year long.

This month, a team of tower climbers visited the Observatory to perform routine maintenance on two key pieces of our wind measurement equipment. It’s quiet, unglamorous work. But without it, the data doesn’t exist.

What Was Serviced This Month

Why This Work Matters

It might seem straightforward — oil a bearing, adjust a mount — but the stakes are higher than they appear. Blue Hill Observatory’s climate record is valuable precisely because of its consistency over 141 years. A miscalibrated anemometer, a stuck wind vane, or a missed reading doesn’t just affect today’s forecast. It creates a gap or an error in a dataset that scientists, researchers, and climatologists rely on to understand long-term trends.

The 68 mph peak gust recorded during the February 22–23 storm, for example, is only a reliable data point because our wind instruments were recently serviced and in proper working order. That number — and the storm records it helped document — now belong permanently to Blue Hill’s climate archive.

A Continuous Effort

Instrument maintenance at Blue Hill isn’t a once-a-year event. Our team monitors equipment performance continuously, and physical inspections and servicing happen throughout the year — on calm days and stormy ones alike. Tower climbers, observers, and technical staff all play a role in keeping the station running.

We’ll be sharing more behind-the-scenes updates like this one throughout the year. If you’re curious about how a specific instrument works, or what it takes to maintain an active weather station on an exposed summit, we’d love to hear from you.