January 2015 Summary – Cold and Eighth Snowiest on Record

Blue Hill Observatory
January 2015 Summary:

The month was notable for being colder, wetter and much snowier than average.  The 24-hour mean temperature for the month of 23.3F was 2.4 degrees colder than the 120-year average for January, and this was about three degrees colder than the 1981-2010 30-year average.  The maximum temperature for the month was 51F on the 4th, and the coldest temperature was -5F on the 8th. There were no daily temperature records during the month. January was wetter than average with a precipitation total of 5.17 inches, which was nearly an inch more than both the 120-year average and the 1981-2010 mean. The big weather story of the month was the Blizzard of 2015, which occurred on 26-28 January and brought a storm total of 30.8 inches. This was the second largest snow storm in the last 130 years at Blue Hill and the largest ever to occur in January.  In addition the calendar day total of 25.2 inches on the 27th was a new record for any January day, and it was the second largest single day total for any month. The monthly snowfall of 42.9 inches was more than two feet above the long-term mean and this was the eighth snowiest January on record. The mean wind speed for January was 14.1 mph. The peak wind gust was 52 mph from the NW on the 31st, which just beat out the gust of 51 mph from the N during the blizzard on the 27th.

BHO Greatest Snowstorms, inches:

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) 26.6 on 8-9 Feb, 2013
8) 24.7 on 17-18 Feb, 2003
9) 24.3 on 5-7 Dec, 2003
10) 23.0 on 5-7 Mar, 2001

BHO Greatest January Snowstorms, inches

1) 30.8 on 26-28 Jan, 2015
2) 20.5 on 22-23 Jan, 2005
3) 19.0 on 20 Jan, 1978
4) 18.2 on 7-8 Jan 1996
18.2 on 12 Jan, 2011
6) 17.6 on 23-24 Jan, 1966
7) 16.7 on 22-24 Jan, 1935
8) 16.3 on 2-4 Jan, 1996
9) 16.2 on 7-8 Jan, 1977
10) 15.6 on 2-3 Jan, 2014

BHO Greatest Calendar Day Snowfalls, inches

1) 27.4 on 24 Feb, 1969
2) 25.2 on 27 Jan, 2015
3) 20.3 on 12 Dec, 1960
4) 20.0 on 17 Feb, 2003
5) 19.0 on 20 Jan, 1978
6) 18.6 on 16 Feb, 1958
7) 18.4 on 29 Dec, 1945
8) 18.2 on 12 Jan, 2011
9) 18.0 on 8 Mar, 2013
10) 17.6 on 19 Mar, 1956

BHO Greatest January Calendar Day Snowfalls, inches

1) 25.2 on 27 Jan, 2015
2) 19.0 on 20 Jan, 1978
3) 18.2 on 12 Jan, 2011
4) 16.0 on 7 Jan, 1977
5) 15.0 on 28 Jan, 1897
6) 14.6 on 23 Jan 1966
7) 14.0 on 16 Jan, 1965
8) 13.4 on 17 Jan, 1956
9) 13.0 on 18 Jan, 1948

BHO Snowiest Januarys, inches

1) 56.3 in 1948
2) 48.2 in 2011
3) 48.0 in 1904
4) 47.6 in 1996
5) 46.0 in 1966
6) 44.8 in 2005
7) 44.5 in 1923
8) 42.9 in 2015
9) 38.3 in 1987
10) 35.6 in 1978