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Blue Hill Observatory
February 2017 Summary:
February was generally very warm with a single week of wintry weather. The 24-hour mean temperature for the month of 33.8 deg F was 7.4 degrees warmer than the 120-year average for February and nearly five degrees warmer than the 1981-2010 30-year average, making the month the sixth warmest February on record and the warmest since 2012. The average maximum temperature for the month of 43.2 deg F tied for the third warmest on record, and the average minimum temperature of 25.5 deg F tied for the seventh warmest. Much of the month was warmer than average with an exceptionally warm three day period from the 23rd-25th, that included a new record high temperature for the month of February of 71F, which occurred on the 24th. This surpassed the previous record for the month of 68F set in 1985. Daily records were also set on the 23rd with a high of 67F and on the 25th with a high of 68F. In terms of maximum temperature, this interval was the warmest consecutive 3-day period for any winter month on record, though in terms of mean temperature, this period was the third warmest during winter. The low temperature on the 24th of 47F tied for the second highest daily February minimum temperature. A single week of cold and snowy weather occurred from the 9th to the 16th, and the lowest temperature of the month of 7F occurred on the 10th. February brought a total of 3.78 inches of precipitation, which was slightly less than both the long-term 120-year average and the 30-year mean. The greatest amount in 24 hours was 1.60 inches on the 9th, during a significant snow storm that also brought 16.9 inches of snow and the first thunderstorm of the year on that date. Several additional snowfalls followed over the next week, bringing about 30 inches of snow from the 9th-16th. Snowfall for the month totaled 31.5 inches, which was more than 15 inches more than the long-term mean and 17 inches more than the 30-year normal. This was the fourth of the last five February’s that brought more than 30 inches of snow. The mean wind speed was 14.0 mph, and the prevailing direction was from the west-northwest. The peak gust was 54 mph from the north-northeast during the snow storm on the 9th. February was sunnier than average with 153.2 hours, or 54 percent of the possible bright sunshine, which was four percent more than the long-term mean.
BHO Warmest February 24-Hour Mean Temperature, deg F (1885-2017)
1) 34.9 in 1984
2) 34.3 in 2012
3) 34.0 in 1998
4) 33.9 in 1954
33.9 in 1981
6) 33.8 in 2017
7) 33.7 in 1976
8) 33.6 in 1997
33.6 in 2002
BHO Warmest February Maximum Temperature, deg F (1885-2017)
1) 44.0 in 1976
2) 43.5 in 1981
3) 43.2 in 1984
43.2 in 2017
5) 43.0 in 2012
6) 42.9 in 1954
42.9 in 2002
8) 42.2 in 2016
BHO Warmest February Minimum Temperature, deg F (1885-2017)
1) 27.9 in 1998
2) 27.1 in 1984
3) 26.4 in 2012
4) 26.3 in 1925
5) 26.2 in 1954
6) 25.7 in 1981
7) 25.5 in 1997
25.5 in 2017
BHO Warmest February Daily Maximum Temperature, deg F (1885-2017)
1) 71 on 24 Feb 2017
2) 68 on 24 Feb 1985
68 on 25 Feb 2017
4) 67 on 26 Feb 1957
67 on 25 Feb 1976
67 on 23 Feb 2017
7) 66 on 20 Feb 1930
66 on 19 Feb 1981
9) 65 on 18 Feb 1981
65 on 01 Feb 1989
BHO Warmest February Daily High Minimum Temperature, deg F (1885-2017)
1) 49 on 20 Feb 1981
2) 47 on 28 Feb 1910
47 on 23 Feb 1990
47 on 24 Feb 2017
5) 46 on 26 Feb 1957
6) 45 on 22 Feb 1954
45 on 5 Feb 1991
45 on 21 Feb 2002
BHO Highest Winter 3-Day Cumulative Temperature Departure, deg F (1885-2017)
1) +98 on 14-16 Jan 1995 (65/45/55/+30, 64/54/59/+34, 63/55/59/+34)
2) +80 on 4-6 Jan 2007 (53/40/47/+21, 61/46/54/+28, 66/48/57/+31)
3) +79 on 23-25 Feb 2017 (67/40/54/+24, 71/47/59/+29, 68/44/56/+26)
4) +77 on 18-20 Feb 1981 (65/42/54/+25, 66/43/55/+26, 60/49/55/+26)
+77 on 3-5 Feb 1991 (58/37/48/+22, 62/41/52/+26, 65/45/55/+29)
6) +75 on 7-9 Jan 2008 (54/39/47/+21, 65/45/55/+29, 59/42/51/+25)
Mike Iacono
Chief Scientist
Blue Hill Observatory
