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January 2024 Summary – Fifth Wettest on Record

February 2, 2024

Blue Hill Observatory January 2024 Summary:  January was warm and very wet with more snowfall and much less sunshine than average. The…

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Fresh snow cover along the Great Blue Hill summit road on January 8, 2024. Photo by Amanda Joly.

Blue Hill Observatory January 2024 Summary: 

January was warm and very wet with more snowfall and much less sunshine than average. The approximated 24-hour mean temperature for the month of 29.8 deg F was 3.9 degree warmer than the 1891-2020 130-year average for January, and it was 2.6 degrees warmer than the 1991-2020 30-year average. The average maximum temperature of 36.4 deg F was 1.7 degrees warmer than the 30-year normal, and the average minimum temperature of 24.0 deg F was 5.7 degrees warmer than the 30-year normal. Twenty days during January were warmer than average, and the coldest period was in the middle of the month from the 15th-22nd. The warmest temperature reached 57F on the 13th, while a high of 53F and a low of 41F were observed during rain and wind on the 10th. The lowest temperature was 10F on the 20th and 21st, and this reading tied as the seventh warmest January monthly minimum temperature on record. The total precipitation was 9.24 inches, which was 4.74 inches more than the 30-year normal, and the month was the fifth wettest January on record. The largest storm brought 2.88 inches of rain, which started with a trace of snow and sleet, on the 9th-10th, and this amount was the greatest in 24 hours. During the heaviest rain and strongest winds of the month, a total of 0.61 inches of rain was recorded in a single hour during the passage of a squall line early on the 10th. The lowest sea-level pressure of the month, 28.97 inches, was observed during the storm on the morning of the 10th. Other notable storms brought 1.72 inches of rain on the 13th, which surpassed the previous record for the date of 1.54 inches in 1979, and 0.95 inches of liquid equivalent and 13.2 inches of snowfall on the 6th-7th, which was the greatest snowfall and the most in 24 hours during January. The total snowfall for the month was 20.6 inches, which was 2.0 inches more than average. Both Houghton’s Pond and Ponkapoag Pond froze over for the first time this winter on the 9th, which tied as the 3rd latest freeze date on record for Houghton’s Pond. The mean wind speed was 11.7 mph, which tied as the second lowest on record for January, and the prevailing wind direction was from the northwest. The highest wind gust was 70 mph from the south-southeast during the heavy rainfall and warmth on the 10th. With all the rain, January sunshine was much below average with 98.0 hours of bright sunshine, or 34 percent of possible, which was 12 percent less than the long-term average for the month.

BHO Highest January Monthly Minimum Temperature, deg F (1886-2024):

1) 18 in 2023
2) 17 in 2002
3) 12 in 1937
   12 in 1990
5) 11 in 1891
   11 in 1932
7) 10 in 1949
   10 in 1953
   10 in 2024

BHO Highest January Precipitation, inches (1886-2024):

1) 11.61 in 1979

2) 10.97 in 1958

3) 9.85 in 1978

4) 9.56 in 1956

5) 9.24 in 2024

6) 8.49 in 1996

7) 8.47 in 1999

8) 8.41 in 1936

BHO Latest Houghton’s Pond First Freeze Date (1885-2024):

1)  18 January 2007
2)  10 January 2022
3)  9 January 2012
   9 January 2024
5)  5 January 1974
   5 January 2016
7)  4 January 2013
8)  2 January 1924
   2 January 2009
10) 1 January 2015

BHO Lowest January Mean Wind Speed, mph (1886-2024):

1) 11.4 in 2023
2) 11.7 in 2021
   11.7 in 2024
4) 12.2 in 2001
5) 12.8 in 2011
   12.8 in 2020
7) 13.0 in 2022

Mike Iacono
Chief Scientist
Blue Hill Observatory
 

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Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center · Legal

Data Use & Privacy Policy

Please read the full Policy before accessing Observatory data · Effective January 1, 2025

Notice: By accessing, downloading, or using any Blue Hill Observatory data or services, you unconditionally accept and agree to be bound by this Policy in its entirety. If you do not agree, you may not access or use Observatory data.
Effective January 1, 2025 · Milton, Massachusetts · bluehill.org
Part I — Data Use Policy
§ 01

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All observational records, compiled datasets, metadata, database structures, and related materials provided by the Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center are the exclusive property of the Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center. The Observatory has maintained continuous weather observations at the summit of Great Blue Hill since 1885, and the entirety of that record — its compilation, structure, curation, and organization — constitutes a proprietary database protected under applicable United States law, including copyright law and common law database protections.

All rights not expressly granted in this Policy are reserved by the Observatory. No access to or use of Observatory data shall be construed as a waiver of any rights or as a license to use data beyond the scope expressly stated herein.

§ 02

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

This Policy shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. For interactions with international users, this Policy shall apply to the maximum extent permitted by applicable local law.

Any dispute arising from or related to this Policy shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. By accessing Observatory data, all users consent to personal jurisdiction in Massachusetts and waive any objection to the venue or inconvenience of such forum.

§ 03

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Observatory data are made available for the following limited, non-commercial purposes only:

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All other uses require prior written authorization from the Observatory.

§ 04

Attribution Requirement

Any use of Observatory data in any published, presented, or publicly distributed work must include the following verbatim acknowledgment:

“Data provided by the Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center, Milton, Massachusetts. Continuous weather observations since 1885.”

Failure to include proper attribution is a material violation of this Policy.

§ 05

Prohibited Uses

Unless explicitly authorized in writing, Users may not:

  • Resell, license, sublicense, or commercially exploit Observatory data in any form
  • Redistribute the dataset in whole or in part to any third party
  • Publish the dataset for download by third parties
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§ 06

Commercial Licensing

Organizations seeking to use Observatory data for commercial purposes must obtain a license prior to any such use. Licensing inquiries: data@bluehill.org.

§ 07

Automated Access

Automated scraping, bulk harvesting, or systematic downloading of Observatory data is strictly prohibited without prior written authorization.

§ 08

Enforcement and Remedies

Violation of this Policy may result in immediate revocation of data access, pursuit of legal remedies available under United States law, and referral to applicable authorities. The Observatory reserves all rights to seek injunctive relief, damages, and attorneys’ fees in connection with any unauthorized use of its data.

Part II — Privacy Policy
§ 09–10

Scope & Information Collected

This section governs the collection, use, storage, and disclosure of personal information from visitors to the Blue Hill Observatory website and users of its data services. The Observatory may collect contact information (name, email, organization) when voluntarily submitted, usage data including IP addresses and pages visited, and data download records.

§ 11–12

How We Use Information & Retention

Information is used solely for: responding to inquiries and licensing requests; monitoring and enforcing compliance with this Policy; improving website performance; and communicating Observatory news to opted-in users. The Observatory does not sell, rent, or share personal information with third parties for marketing purposes. Data access records may be retained indefinitely for compliance and enforcement purposes.

§ 13

International Users and Data Transfers

The Observatory is located in the United States. International users acknowledge their information will be processed in the United States under U.S. law. Users requiring specific data processing agreements under non-US law must contact data@bluehill.org before accessing data.

§ 14–16

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Part III — General Provisions
§ 17–20

Modifications, Severability, Entire Agreement & Contact

The Observatory reserves the right to modify this Policy at any time. Updated versions will be posted at bluehill.org. Continued use of Observatory data following any modification constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy. This Policy constitutes the entire agreement between the User and the Observatory. Questions and licensing inquiries: Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center, Milton, Massachusetts — data@bluehill.org

By accessing, downloading, or using any Blue Hill Observatory data or services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Policy.
Effective January 1, 2025 · Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center · Milton, Massachusetts
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