Historic Blizzard of 2022 Impacted New England with Strong Winds and Record Snowfall

GOES-East visible satellite image at 3:30 PM EST on 29 January 2022.

An historic blizzard that intensified to at least 969 mb (28.61 inches) as it passed offshore on Saturday, January 29th, 2022 brought strong winds and heavy snow to southeastern New England. The final storm total at the Observatory was 27.6 inches of snow. This is the second largest January snowstorm on record at Blue Hill. A storm total of 23.8 inches was measured through 4 PM, 16.1 inches was measured through 1 PM, 10.3 inches was recorded at 10 AM and about six inches was measured at 7 AM EST. Light snowfall began on Friday evening, and a total of 0.5 inches was observed through midnight on the 28th. The calendar day snowfall of 27.1 inches on January 29th was the highest ever measured in January at BHO. The storm total liquid equivalent precipitation was 1.84 inches, giving a storm average snow to water ratio of 15:1. The highest snowfall rate reached about three inches per hour during the afternoon, and blizzard conditions were observed for at least four consecutive hours on the summit.

Blue Hill Chief Observer Ben Turner and Assistant Chief Observer Matt Douglas were on duty at the Observatory taking careful measurements of this historic storm. You may also read our updates on the blizzard at our other social media outlets by following the links to the right of this post.

GOES-East visible satellite image at 1:00 PM EST on 29 January 2022.

A peak gust at Blue Hill to 55 mph from the N was measured at 12:19 PM. Wind gusts of 70-80 mph have been recorded along the New England coast from Cape Ann to Nantucket. The strong winds caused considerable drifting of the light, powdery snow, with drifts up to three feet in spots around the summit. With a temperature near 15F, the wind chill was below 0F for much of the day. As of 7 PM EST, the surface pressure was rising as the storm began moving out to sea, and the lowest sea-level pressure at Blue Hill of about 29.28 inches was measured at around 1:30 PM EST.

Surface analysis as of 7 PM EST on 29 January, 2022.

Surface analysis as of 1 PM EST on 29 January, 2022.

Surface analysis as of 7 AM EST on 29 January, 2022.

The snowfall today was the second largest January snowstorm and the highest January calendar day snowfall total on record. The previous daily record snowfall for January 29th of 8.0 inches set in 1943 was also surpassed. The calendar day liquid equivalent precipitation on January 29th was 1.79 inches, which was also a new record for the date surpassing 1.48 inches set in 1973. The Blizzard of 2022 was also the seventh greatest snowstorm at Blue Hill for any month of the year.

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

Mike Iacono
Chief Scientist
Blue Hill Observatory