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March 2022 Summary – Warmer and Drier Than Average

April 6, 2022

Blue Hill Observatory March 2022 Summary: March was much warmer and drier than average. The 24-hour adjusted mean temperature for the month…

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Blue Hill Observatory March 2022 Summary:

March was much warmer and drier than average. The 24-hour adjusted mean temperature for the month of 38.9 deg F was 4.4 degrees warmer than the 1891-2020 130-year average for March, and it was 3.1 degrees warmer than the 1991-2020 30-year average. The average maximum temperature of 49.6 deg F was 4.9 degrees warmer than the 30-year average, and it was the 12th warmest on record. The average minimum temperature of 29.5 deg F was 1.85degrees warmer than the 30-year average. The highest temperature observed was 73F on the 18th, which surpassed the previous record maximum temperature for that date of 72F set in 2012, The lowest temperature during the month of 10F was observed on the 4th. The total precipitation was 3.17 inches, which was about an inch and a half less than the 130-year average and two and a half inches less than the 1991-2020 30-year mean. The greatest precipitation in 24 hours was 1.07 inches on the 24th-25th. The total snowfall for the month was 4.1 inches, which was about eight inches less than the long-term average and nearly 11 inches less than the 30-year average. The greatest snowfall in 24 hours was 3.3 inches on the 9th-10th. Nearby Houghton’s Pond was considered thawed for the final time this season on March 11th. Counting from the initial freeze date of January 10th, the duration of the Houghton’s Pond freeze this winter was only 60 days, which was the seventh shortest freeze interval on record for this pond. The mean wind speed for the month was 13.0 mph, which was the fourth lowest on record for March, and the prevailing wind direction was from the west-northwest. The highest wind gust was 59 mph from the west-northwest on the 7th and again from the northwest on the 12th. March sunshine was above average with a total of 189.5 hours of bright sunshine, or 53 percent of possible, which was four percent more than the long-term average for March.

BHO Shortest Houghton’s Pond Winter Freeze Duration (1885-2022):

1) 45 days, 9 January 2012 – 23 February 2012
2) 51 days, 5 January 2016 – 25 February 2016
3) 54 days, 31 December 1996 – 23 February 1997
4) 56 days, 28 December 2001 – 22 February 2002
5) 56 days, 18 January 2007 – 15 March 2007
6) 58 days, 5 January 1974 – 4 March 1974
7) 60 days, 10 January 2022 – 11 March 2022
8) 62 days, 24 December 1959 – 24 February 1960

BHO March Lowest Mean Wind Speed, deg F (1885-2022):

1) 12.1 on 1995
2) 12.8 on 2012
3) 12.9 on 2020
4) 13.0 on 2022
5) 13.1 on 2014

Mike Iacono
Chief Scientist
Blue Hill Observatory

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

Ownership and Proprietary Rights

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

Permitted Uses

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

  • Personal study and analysis
  • Educational classroom use
  • Student projects
  • Non-commercial academic research
  • Publication of analyses, figures, models, or conclusions derived from the data, subject to the attribution requirements of Section 4

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
  • Host, mirror, or archive the dataset on any external website, repository, or storage service
  • Upload the dataset to any public or institutional data repository
  • Provide the data through APIs, automated services, or subscription platforms
  • Incorporate the data into any commercial product, software, application, or service
  • Use the data for AI or machine learning systems intended for commercial use or external distribution
  • Use the data to create derivative datasets that enable reconstruction of the underlying observations
§ 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

Cookies, Security & Children’s Privacy

The Observatory website may use cookies for analytics and functionality. By continuing to use the site, users consent to cookie use. The Observatory implements reasonable measures to protect personal information but cannot guarantee absolute security. Observatory data services are not directed at children under 13.

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