January 2026 Summary – Colder and Snowier Than Average
Blue Hill Observatory January 2026 Summary:
January 2026 was generally cold with much more snowfall and more sunshine than average. The approximated 24-hour mean temperature for the month of 24.6 deg F was 1.3 degrees colder than the 1891-2020 130-year average for January, and it was 2.6 degrees colder than the 1991-2020 30-year average. The average maximum temperature of 32.7 deg F was 2.0 degrees colder than the 30-year normal, and the average minimum temperature of 17.4 deg F was 0.9 degrees colder than the 30-year normal. After a cool start to the month, it remained warm for nearly two weeks before Arctic air moved in on the 20th and remained through the end of the month. The highest temperature for the month was 51F on the 15th, and the lowest temperature was -1F on the 31st. January mean water vapor pressure, which is an absolute measure of water vapor in the air, was 3.5 mb, which corresponded to a mean dew point of about 20F. This amount was slightly below the long-term mean water vapor pressure for January of 3.8 mb, which equals a mean dew point of about 22F. The total precipitation was 3.62 inches, which was 0.88 inches less than the 30-year normal. Most of this liquid equivalent precipitation fell in frozen form, and the greatest amount in 24-hours was 1.88 inches during a major snowstorm on the 25th-26th, which was a highly impactful snow and ice storm over a large area across the southern and eastern United States. This storm brought a total of 25.3 inches of snow to the Observatory, and the greatest amount in 24 hours was 22.2 inches on the 25th-26th. Snowfall rates reached one to two inches per hour during the evening of the 25th. This storm was the third largest January snowstorm on record at Blue Hill, and it was the tenth largest snowstorm for any month of the year. The January total snowfall was 35.9 inches, which was 17.3 inches more than average. The highest sea-level pressure during January was 30.66 inches on the early morning of the 25th, and the lowest sea-level pressure was 29.31 inches during a period of warm air and strong southwest winds on the 15th. The mean wind speed was 12.5 mph, which was the fifth lowest on record for the month, and the prevailing wind direction was from the west-northwest. The highest wind gust was 53 mph from the east during the storm on the 25th. January sunshine was above average with 145.2 hours of bright sunshine, or 51 percent of possible, which was five percent more than the long-term average for the month.
BHO Greatest Snowstorms, inches (1885-2026):
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) 28.1 on 7-10 Feb 2015
8) 27.6 on 28-29 Jan 2022
9) 26.6 on 8-9 Feb 2013
10) 25.3 on 25-27 Jan 2026
BHO Greatest January Snowstorms, inches (1886-2026):
1) 30.8 on 26-28 Jan 2015
2) 27.5 on 28-29 Jan 2022
3) 25.3 on 25-27 Jan 2026
4) 20.5 on 22-23 Jan, 2005
5) 19.0 on 20 Jan, 1978
6) 18.2 on 7-8 Jan 1996
7) 17.6 on 23-24 Jan, 1966
8) 16.7 on 22-24 Jan, 1935
9) 16.5 on 4 Jan, 2018
10) 16.3 on 2-4 Jan, 1996
BHO Lowest January Mean Wind Speed, mph (1886-2026):
1) 11.4 in 2023
2) 11.7 in 2021
11.7 in 2024
4) 12.2 in July 2001
5) 12.5 in 2026
Mike Iacono
Chief Scientist
Blue Hill Observatory
