Epic Winter of 2014-2015 Becomes Se ...

Epic Winter of 2014-2015 Becomes Second Snowiest Season on Record

bho_14Feb2015_6The unprecedented snowfall across New England since the last week of January continues with additional light snowfall on 24-26 February, 2015 and 1-2 March.  The final snowfall total on the 24th-25th was 3.1 inches of very light and fluffy snow.  The liquid equivalent precipitation was 0.07 inches, which gives a snow to water ratio of more than 40 to 1.  Another 0.6 inches of snow was measured on February 26th.  A total of 2.9 inches of snow occurred on 1-2 March. This latest snowfall pushes the seasonal total to within four inches of the snowiest season on record.
The snow depth on the summit of Great Blue Hill reached a high of 46 inches on the morning of Feb. 15th. This surpassed the previous record for the greatest average snow depth ever measured at the Observatory, which was 43 inches in March 1969. The snow depth on the summit stands at 39 inches as of Feb. 25th.  The liquid equivalent of water in all of the snow on the ground remains approximately nine inches or more.
The final snowfall for February was 83.6 inches, which is a new monthly snowfall record for February and for any month. The combined January-February snowfall was 126.5 inches, which is a new record, surpassing the previous total of 77.9 inches in 1948. The combined snowfall for the winter months (December-February) was 128.8 inches, which is a new record, surpassing the previous total of 117.4 inches in 1947-1948.  The snowfall for the entire season so far has climbed to 140.4 inches, which is now second on the top ten list of snowiest seasons. The snow depth on the ground has exceeded 20 inches for 28 consecutive days (through Mar 2nd), which is the fourth longest duration on record. This interval is sure to grow longer, since the current very deep snow depth will not diminish quickly with cold air remaining in place into early March.
In addition to the excessive snow, the last month was remarkably cold, with a stretch of 27 consecutive days of below normal daily temperature coming to an end on February 22nd. This is the second longest period of colder than average weather since 1950. In addition, the month of February was the third coldest on record over the last 130 years at Blue Hill as well as the fifth coldest for any month of the year. The average minimum temperature for February was the second coldest on record for February and for any month of the year.
Here are the current snowfall lists updated through 1 PM on March 2nd:
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 Months, inches (1885-2015):
1) 83.6 in Feb, 2015
2) 65.4 in Feb, 1969
3) 56.3 in Jan, 1848
4) 52.0 in Mar, 1956
5) 51.3 in Feb, 2003
6) 48.2 in Jan, 2011
7) 48.0 in Jan, 1904
8) 47.6 in Jan, 1996
9) 46.0 in Jan, 1966
BHO Snowiest Februarys, inches (1885-2015):
1) 83.6 in 2015
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) 126.5 in 2015
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 Snowiest December-February, inches (1886-2015):
1) 128.8 in 2014-2015
2) 117.4 in 1947-1948
3) 91.2 in 1995-1996
4) 89.6 in 2010-2011
5) 89.0 in 1922-1923
6) 86.4 in 2004-2005
7) 85.8 in 2002-2003
BHO Greatest Snow Depth, inches (1895-2015):
1) 46 in Feb, 2015
2) 43 in Mar, 1969
3) 42 in Jan, 1948
4) 41 in Feb, 1969
5) 39 in Feb, 1948
6) 38 in Feb, 1920
7) 33 in Feb, 1978
33 in Jan, 1996
9) 31 in Feb, 2003
31 in Feb, 2011
11) 30 in Mar, 1960
30 in Mar, 1978
BHO Snowiest Seasons, inches (1885-2015):
1) 144.4 in 1995-1996
2) 140.4 in 2014-2015 (through 1 PM Mar 2)
3) 136.0 in 1947-1948
4) 119.4 in 2004-2005
5) 113.1 in 2002-2003
6) 111.5 in 1915-1916
7) 109.6 in 1966-1967
8) 106.8 in 1955-1956
9) 103.4 in 1903-1904
10) 102.5 in 1922-1923
BHO Longest Duration of 20″+ Snow Depth, (1885-2015):
1) 53 days, 27 Dec, 1947 – 17 Feb, 1948
2) 34 days, 5 Feb – 9 Mar, 1920
34 days, 7 Feb – 12 Mar, 1978
4) 28 days, 3 Feb – 2 Mar, 2015 (through 1 PM Mar 2)
5) 23 days, 25 Feb – 19 Mar, 1969
6) 21 days, 27 Jan – 16 Feb, 2011
7) 11 days, 15-25 Mar, 1916
11 days, 5-15 Jan, 1961
BHO Longest Period of Consecutive Days Below Normal Daily Temperature (1950-2015):
1) 32 days on 29 Nov to 30 Dec 1989
2) 27 days on 26 Jan to 21 Feb 2015
3) 21 days on 8 Jan to 28 Jan 1982
4) 20 days on 30 Dec 1980 to 18 Jan 1981
20 days on 7 Feb to 26 Feb 1968
6) 19 days on 18 Jan to 5 Feb 1961
19 days on 2 Apr to 20 Apr 2007
BHO Coldest Months, deg F (1885-2015)
1) 13.5 in Feb, 1934
2) 15.5 in Jan, 1920
3) 16.3 in Jan, 1888
4) 16.4 in Feb, 1885
5) 17.0 in Feb, 2015
6) 17.1 in Feb, 1923
BHO Coldest Februarys, deg F (1885-2015)
1) 13.5 in 1934
2) 16.4 in 1885
3) 17.0 in 2015
4) 17.1 in 1923
5) 17.8 in 1907
6) 18.3 in 1979
7) 18.6 in 1904
BHO Coldest Monthly Average Minimum Temperature, deg F (1885-2015)
1) 4.2 in Feb 1934
2) 6.8 in Feb 2015
3) 8.1 in Jan 1888
4) 8.6 in Feb 1885
8.6 in Jan 1920
6 ) 9.1 in Jan 1981
7) 9.4 in Dec 1989
BHO Coldest February Average Minimum Temperature, deg F (1885-2015)
1) 4.2 in 1934
2) 6.8 in 2015
3) 8.6 in 1885
4) 10.2 in 1907
5) 10.6 in 1904
10.6 in 1923