Thursday, January 29, 2026
BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2026
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0701E
SUNSET: 1654E
ABUNDANT SUNSHINE TODAY, BUT STILL WELL BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES….
Skies have been clear for the most part today save for some clouds
of various types and heights mainly in the distance. If not for
the very cold temperatures and the wind, it would be quite a
delightful day.
Temperatures remain well below normal for this time of year.
We started the day with a low of 5F, and have again only recovered
to the low-mid 20s by early this afternoon. The dew point has been
holding in the single digits all day, indicative of an arctic
air mass remaining in control of the region.
Winds have been steady through the day, averaging at around 11mph
out of a generally northwesterly direction. The peak gust for the
day so far is 22mph, which occurred just before 10am this morning.
Visibility has been somewhat limited all day due to haziness.
The view has been generally between 30-50 miles all day.
The maximum temperature so far today is 24 degrees, which is
10 degrees below the normal high of 34F. The minimum temperature
since midnight is 5F degrees, which is 12 degrees below the
normal low of 17F.
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Today’s Observations:
7 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few stratocumulus offshore distant NE-SE-SSW,
few altocumulus distant NW-E and distant SSW
Temperature: 5F; Dew Point: 1F; Relative Humidity: 82%
Wind: NW @ 10G15 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1015.2 mb; 29.98 in. Hg: rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 30 miles, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 9F
6-hr Min temp: 5F
24-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
24-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow Depth: 19 inches
BHO SA 1155 CLR 30 152/5/1/3110G15/998/ FEW SC OFFSHR DSNT NE-SE-SSW
FEW AC DSNT NW-E AND DSNT SSW HAZY/ 8/550 4/019 51008 10009 20005
10 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few stratocumulus offshore distant NE-ESE, few
altocumulus distant NNE-SE, few cirrus distant W and distant N-E
Temperature: 17F; Dew Point: 7F; Relative Humidity: 63%
Wind: NW @ 1019 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1016.2 mb; 30.01 in. Hg: rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 40 miles, hazy
3-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
3-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
BHO SA 1455 CLR 40 162/17/7/3210G19/001/ FEW SC OFFSHR DSNT NE-ESE
FEW AC DSNT NNE-SE FEW CI DSNT W AND DSNT N-E HAZY/ 8/551 51010
1 P.M.
Weather: Clear, few stratocumulus all quadrants, few altocumulus
distant ESE
Temperature: 23F; Dew Point: 8F; Relative Humidity: 52%
Wind: NW @ 8G15 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1014.7 mb; 29.96 in. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 50 miles
6-hr Max temp: 24F
6-hr Min temp: 5F
6-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
6-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow Depth: 18 inches
BHO SA 1755 CLR 50 147/23/8/3208G15/996/ FEW SC ALQDS FEW AC
DSNT ESE/ 8/550 4/018 58015 10024 20005
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SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2026
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….23 NORMAL…..34
MIN……..5 NORMAL…..17
MEAN……14 NORMAL…..26
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL……………-12
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH……………………….+1 [-0.2 DEGREES/DAY]
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2025 THRU JUN 2026)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………….51 DEPARTURE…….+12
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..1072 DEPARTURE……..-4
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………….3312 DEPARTURE…….+26
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……..3034 DEPARTURE……+278
PEAK WIND GUST (MPH):
Note: Instruments designated #1 = Main Tower, #2 = South Tower,
F420C, Contacting, Merlin, and Richards are all on Main Tower.
E=Estimated *=Last of multiple occurrences
F420C (Official)………..25 WNW @ 03:56 A.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….25 WNW @ 03:56 A.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….25 SW @ 03:56 A.M.
DAVIS #1……………….25 W @ 03:56 A.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………24 W @ 05:46 A.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..24 WNW @ 04:53 A.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..26 WSW @ 05:45 A.M.
MERLIN………………….M
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……24 WNW @ 03:56 A.M.
FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………19 WNW @ 05:26 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..17 WNW @ 03:58 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..19 WSW @ 05:47 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………18 W @ 05:49 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………19 WNW @ 05:47 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..16 WNW @ 04:32 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..19 WSW @ 05:47 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE………17 WNW @ 05:49 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL……..10.5 WNW [251 total miles]
VECTOR #1………………10.5
VECTOR #2………………11.3
DAVIS #1……………….11.0 WNW
DAVIS #2……………….11.0 WNW
RMY #1…………………10.0 WNW
RMY #2…………………11.0 W
RICHARDS (C5C)………….10.8
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.00 DEPARTURE…..-0.14
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH (JAN)……..3.62 DEPARTURE…..-0.47
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR (2026)……..3.62 DEPARTURE…..-0.47
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…………..0.0 DEPARTURE…..-0.7
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH (JAN)………….35.9 DEPARTURE….+19.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON (2025-2026)……42.8 DEPARTURE….+11.1
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PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JANUARY CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOW/SUN(MIN)/SUN(%)/PEAK GUST/VEC1/RMY GUST
PEAK GUST: F420C (Official)
VEC1: Vector #1 1-second gust
RMY: R.M. Young #1 wind gust recording system (Instantaneous)
TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day)
….: Data not yet available, records not finalized
M: Missing data
1/1 29/11/20/-9/0.15/2.7/264/48 43 NW VEC1 43 NW RMY 42
1/2 25/12/19/-9/0.00/0.0/397/72 26 W VEC1 26 W RMY 27
1/3 30/14/22/-6/0.00/0.0/342/62 31 WNW VEC1 31 WNW RMY 31
1/4 30/21/26/-2/0.03/0.4/171/31 26 NNW VEC1 27 NNW RMY 28
1/5 25/11/18/-10/0.04/0.2/249/45 23 SSE VEC1 22 NW RMY 23
1/6 32/22/27/-1/0.01/T/000/00 22 ENE VEC1 21 E RMY 23
1/7 36/30/33/+6/0.25/0.1/000/00 23 NW VEC1 21 ENE RMY 24
1/8 45/30/38/+11/0.00/0.0/500/90 26 NW VEC1 27 WNW RMY 27
1/9 50/32/41/+14/0.06/0.0/228/41 41 SW VEC1 42 SSW RMY 44
1/10 50/36/43/+16/0.36/T/022/04 33 W VEC1 31 W RMY 31
1/11 41/30/36/+9/0.06/0.0/079/14 43 WNW VEC1 41 WNW RMY 43
1/12 37/24/31/+4/0.00/0.0/303/54 47 WNW VEC1 46 WNW RMY 47
1/13 45/28/37/+11/0.00/0.0/457/81 35 SSW VEC1 35 SSW RMY 33
1/14 49/39/44/+18/T/0.0/017/03 36 SSW VEC1 36 SSW RMY 36
1/15 51/25/38/+12/T/0.0/340/60 39 SW VEC1 39 SW RMY 38
1/16 30/15/23/-3/0.00/0.0/483/85 46 W VEC1 46 W RMY 46
1/17 38/24/31/+5/0.02/T/040/07 39 SSW VEC1 39 SSW RMY 40
1/18 33/28/31/+5/0.44/4.4/000/00 22 S VEC1 22 S RMY 21
1/19 34/22/28/+2/0.11/2.2/132/23 35 WSW VEC1 33 WSW RMY 38
1/20 24/11/18/-8/0.00/0.0/564/98 33 W VEC1 33 W RMY 34
1/21 33/7/20/-6/0.01/0.1/387/67 33 SSW VEC1 34 SSW RMY 36
1/22 43/27/35/+9/0.02/0.2/348/60 38 W VEC1 38 W RMY 42
1/23 32/10/21/-5/0.00/0.0/552/95 46 WNW VEC1 46 WNW RMY 47
1/24 13/0/7/-19/0.00/0.0/554/95 48 NW VEC1 49 WNW RMY 52
1/25 26/3/15/-11/1.65/19.4/000/00 53 E VEC1 51 E RMY 57
1/26 27/11/19/-7/0.41/5.9/000/00 43 ENE VEC1 42 ENE RMY 45
1/27 22/4/13/-13/T/0.3/354/60 40 NW VEC1 40 NW RMY 37
1/28 23/5/14/-12/0.00/0.0/486/82 25 WNW VEC1 25 WNW RMY 24
1/29 The low since midnight is 5F, the daily normal low is 17F.
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JANUARY DAILY RECORDS TO DATE
1/25/26: DAILY RECORD SNOWFALL OF 19.4 INS,
SURPASSES THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 12.5 IN IN 1941
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DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated)
RECORDS FOR JANUARY 29
HIGH 66F IN 2002
LOW -11F IN 1888
PRECIP 1.79 INS. IN 2022
SNOWFALL 21.7 INS. IN 2022
PEAK GUST 72 MPH NW IN 1973
RECORDS FOR JANUARY 30
HIGH 60F IN 1914
LOW -8F IN 1948
PRECIP 1.12 INS. IN 1925
SNOWFALL 6.5 INS. IN 1986
PEAK GUST 76 MPH WNW IN 1962
TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas
