February 2024 Summary – Sixth Driest on Record

Undercast of dense low fog below a nearly full Moon as observed from the summit of Great Blue Hill looking southwest early on the morning of February 27, 2024. Photo by BHO Chief Observer Matt Douglas.

Blue Hill Observatory February 2024 Summary: 

February was very warm and generally dry with much less snowfall and more sunshine than average. The approximated 24-hour mean temperature for the month of 32.7 deg F was 6.1 degree warmer than the 1891-2020 130-year average for February, and it was 3.5 degrees warmer than the 1991-2020 30-year average. The average maximum temperature of 40.9 deg F was 3.9 degrees warmer than the 30-year normal, and the average minimum temperature of 25.0 deg F was 5.5 degrees warmer than the 30-year normal. Twenty out of twenty-nine days during February were warmer than average including all of the first thirteen days. There was no significant cold during the month, and there was only one day, on the 14th, with a high temperature below freezing. The warmest temperature reached 62F on the 27th, which surpassed the record for the date of 61F set in 1976. The lowest temperature was 11F on the 25th, which tied as the third warmest February monthly minimum temperature on record. The total precipitation was 1.32 inches, which was 2.68 inches less than the 30-year normal, and the month was the sixth driest February on record. There were only eight days with measurable precipitation. The largest storm and the greatest in 24 hours was 0.65 inches of liquid equivalent precipitation in the form of snow on the 13th. The total snowfall for the month was 5.2 inches, which was 13.0 inches below the 30-year average. After first freezing very late on January 9th, Houghton’s Pond thawed on February 26th after only 48 days, and it was only partly frozen for most of that time. The mean wind speed was 12.0 mph, which tied as the second lowest on record for February, and the prevailing wind direction was from the south-southwest. The highest wind gust was 62 mph from the west-northwest during the passage of a strong cold front late on the 28th and early on the 29th. February sunshine was average with 175.8 hours of bright sunshine, or 59 percent of possible, which was nine percent more than the long-term average for the month. This sunshine amount was the most in February since 179.7 hours, or 61 percent of possible, was observed in 2012.

BHO Lowest February Precipitation, inches (1885-2024):

1) 0.71 in 1987
2) 1.04 in 1901
3) 1.07 in 1980
4) 1.08 in 2012
5) 1.12 in 1895
6) 1.32 in 2024
7) 1.58 in 1947
8) 1.61 in 1941

BHO Highest February Monthly Minimum Temperature, deg F (1885-2024):

1) 15 in 1960
2) 12 in 2012
3) 11 in 1957
   11 in 1997
   11 in 2024
6) 10 in 1919
   10 in 2010

BHO Lowest February Mean Wind Speed, mph (1885-2024):

1) 11.7 in 2021
2) 12.0 in 2020
   12.0 in 2024
4) 12.6 in 2014
   12.6 in 2023
6) 12.7 in 2005
   12.7 in 2012
8) 12.8 in 2018

Mike Iacono
Chief Scientist
Blue Hill Observatory