January 2014 Summary – 10th Snowiest on Record

Blue Hill Observatory
January 2014 Summary:

The month was notable for very variable temperatures and for bringing significant snowfall.  The 24-hour mean temperature for the month of 24.8F was about one degree colder than the 120-year average for January, and the month was one half degree colder than the 1981-2010 30-year normal.  Daily temperatures were highly variable (following a pattern that started in December) with 17 days having double-digit temperature departures with eight of these being positive and nine being negative. The variability of daily maximum and minimum temperatures, as represented by the standard deviation, was among the largest on record for January, though there were no daily temperature records. After a cold start, the middle of the month was very warm, then the last ten days were generally cold.  The maximum temperature for the month was 57F on the 6th and 11th, and the coldest temperature of -4F was observed on the 4th.  This was the coldest temperature on Blue Hill since -7F on January 24th, 2011. The total precipitation for January of 4.62 inches was slightly above average for the month.  Snowfall for January was more than 17 inches above the long-term average at 33.1 inches, with about half of this, 15.6 inches, occurring in a single snowstorm on the 2nd-3rd. This monthly total is the 10th highest on record for January. The greatest snowfall in 24 hours was 14.3 inches on the 2nd-3rd. The mean wind speed for January was 14.5 mph with a prevailing direction of W. The peak wind gust for January was 60 mph from the SSW during a brief warm-up ahead of a strong cold front on the 25th.  The month was on the sunny side, with a bright sunshine total of 48 percent of possible, which is two percent more than average.