Wednesday, February 18, 2015

BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2015
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

LIGHT SNOW ADDS 2.0 INCHES TO MAKE SEASONAL TOTAL
NOW 127.2 INCHES

Snow, which fell lightly over the course of several
hours brought an additional 2.0 inches to an already
deep snowpack. At this morning’s 7:00 AM EST observation
snow depth sat at 44 inches.

Skies were briefly clear this morning prior to stratus
and stratocumulus overspreading the area, along with
decreasing visibility. An overnight low of 15F was
recorded, following another below average temperature
day. Temperature departure for the month now stands at
-11.4 degrees F per day.

Snow for the season now totals 127.2 inches, placing
this season at Blue Hill firmly in third place
on the list of snowiest seasons. Following last weekend’s
storm, February 2015 is also the snowiest February on
record, as well as the snowiest month on record. This
latest storm has also made it onto the list of
single greatest storm totals in February and all time.
See below:
BHO Greatest Snowstorms, inches (1885-2015):

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) 27.7 on 7-10 Feb, 2015
8) 26.6 on 8-9 Feb, 2013
9) 24.7 on 17-18 Feb, 2003
10) 24.3 on 5-7 Dec, 2003
11) 23.0 on 5-7 Mar, 2001
12) 22.2 on 16-17 Feb, 1958
13) 21.6 on 14-15 Feb, 2015
14) 21.0 on 9-10 Feb, 1969

BHO Greatest February Snowstorms, inches (1885-2015):

1) 38.7 on 24-28 Feb, 1969
2) 30.1 on 6-7 Feb, 1978
3) 27.7 on 7-10 Feb, 2015
4) 26.6 on 8-9 Feb, 2013
5) 24.7 on 17-18 Feb, 2003
6) 22.2 on 16-17 Feb, 1958
7) 21.6 on 14-15 Feb, 2015
8) 21.0 on 9-10 Feb, 1969

BHO Snowiest February, inches (1885-2015):

1) 73.3 in 2015 (through Feb 18 at 1:00 PM EST)
2) 65.4 in 1969
3) 51.3 in 2003
4) 45.2 in 1967
5) 40.4 in 1920
6) 39.7 in 2013
7) 37.0 in 1893

BHO Snowiest January-February, inches (1886-2015):

1) 116.2 in 2015 (through Feb 18 at 1:00 PM EST)
2) 77.9 in 1948
3) 70.2 in 2005
4) 68.7 in 1904
5) 67.5 in 1920
6) 66.9 in 1994

BHO Greatest Snow Depth, inches (1895-2015):
1) 46 in February 2015
2) 43 in March 1969
3) 42 in January 1948
4) 41 in February 1969
5) 39 in February 1948
6) 38 in February 1920
7) 33 in February 1978
33 in January 1996
9) 31 in February 2003
31 in February 2011
11)30 in March 1960
30 in March 1978

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus, broken cirrus
Temperature: 16F; Dew Point: 8F; Wind: N at 8 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 29.93 ins. Hg, falling, then rising
Visibility: 80 miles, except 40 miles ESE-SW, distant haze
6-hr max temp: 18F
6-hr min temp: 15F
24-hr precip: 0.12 inches
24 hr snowfall: 2.0 inches
Snow depth: 44 inches
BHO SA 1155 42 SCT E250 BKN 80 135/16/8/3608/993/
VSBY ESE-SW 40 MI LGT DSNT HZ ESE-SW NEW SNW PST 24 HRS 2.0 INS/
8/501 4/044 53003 ASOS 70011 MANUAL 70012 10018 20015

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus, overcast stratus
Temperature: 24F; Dew Point: 12F; Wind: estimated NNE at 6 kts
Wind Speed: Light
Sea-level pressure: 29.92 ins. Hg, rising, then falling
Visibility: 8 miles, except 10 miles NNW-NE, obscured by light snow
BHO SA 1455 30 SCT E37 OVC 50 131/24/12/E0206/992/
LGT DSNT HZ ALQDS WND LGT/ 8/6// 58004

1 P.M.
Weather: Broken stratocumulus, overcast stratus
Temperature: 27F; Dew Point: 16F; Wind: estimated NE at 6 kts
Wind Speed: Light
Sea-level pressure: 29.83 ins. falling then more quickly
Visibility: 50 miles, light distant haze
6-hr max temp: 28F
6-hr min temp: 16F
6-hr precip: none
6-hr snowfall: none
BHO SA 1755 E20 BKN 40 OVC 50 101/27/16/E0506/983/
LGT DSNT HZ ALQDS WND LT/ 8/6// 58030 10028 20016
SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2015

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..21   NORMAL…..37
MIN……5   NORMAL…..19
MEAN….13   NORMAL…..28

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL………………………-15
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH……………………..-191 [-11.4 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………..52  DEPARTURE……….+15
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH………….838  DEPARTURE………+190
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………..4186  DEPARTURE………..+8
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……4179  DIFFERENCE……….-7

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY………………18 NW  AT 12:30 A.M.*
ASOS………………….. MISSING **
DAVIS………………….17 WNW AT 12:00 A.M. RMY N/A
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY………………..15 NW  AT 12:28 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE…………….. MISSING **
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE…………….13 NW  AT 12:28 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION………….7.9 NNW
ASOS………………… MISSING **
DAVIS………………..6.9 NNW [337 degrees] * last of several occurrences…
**ASOS SENSOR CURRENTLY DOWN

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.12  DEPARTURE…..-0.03
ASOS…………..N/A ***
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH……….5.59  DEPARTURE…..+3.23
ASOS……………N/A ***
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR……….10.76  DEPARTURE…..+4.18
ASOS……………N/A ***
*** ASOS February and annual totals not available due to erroneous readings
on February 9-10th.

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……….2.0  DEPARTURE……+1.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………73.3  DEPARTURE…..+64.9
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON………….127.2  DEPARTURE…..+85.7

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOWFALL/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/RMY GUST
RMY:  R.M. Young wind gust recording system
TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day)
….: Data not yet available, records not finalized

2/1  28/8/18/-8/0.00/0.0/…/..               29 WNW RMY N/A
2/2  29/8/19/-7/1.53/16.5/000/00              44 NE  RMY 46
2/3  21/0/11/-15/0.00/0.0/…/..              31 NW  RMY N/A
2/4  36/14/25/-1/0.00/0.0/…/..              31 S   RMY 33
2/5  34/4/19/-7/0.15/3.5/…/..               38 NW  RMY 39
2/6  19/-2/9/-17/0.00/0.0/…/..              28 NW  RMY 27
2/7  25/14/20/-7/…./…/…/..              25 WSW RMY N/A
2/8  29/11/20/-7/…./…/000/00              30 NNE RMY 29
2/9  19/12/16/-11/…./…/000/00             29 N   RMY 28
2/10 28/12/20/-7/…./…/…/..              29 N   RMY 29
2/11 24/15/20/-7/0.03/1.4/…/..              30 N   RMY 29
2/12 28/14/21/-6/0.02/0.6/…/..              31 NW  RMY N/A
2/13 20/2/11/-17/0.00/0.0/…/..              35 NW  RMY 35
2/14 26/1/14/-14/…./…/…/..              24 NW  RMY N/A
2/15 18/-6/6/-22/…./…/…/..              53 NW  RMY 59
2/16 17/-8/5/-23/0.00/0.0/…/..              43 NW  RMY N/A
2/17 21/5/13/-15/0.12/2.0/…/..              18 NW  RMY N/A

2/18 morning low temp: 15F since midnight, normal low is now 20

DAILY RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 2015

– NEW DAILY RECORD SNOWFALL FOR 2 FEBRUARY 2015
SNOWFALL 16.5 INS. surpasses previous record:
5.5 ins. in 1916, 1934

DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):

RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 18
HIGH 65F IN 1981
LOW -10F IN 1958
PRECIP 1.97 INCHES IN 1887
SNOWFALL 9.2 INCHES IN 1952
PEAK GUST 70 MPH S IN 2008

RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 19
HIGH 66F IN 1981
LOW -5F IN 1923
PRECIP 2.73 INCHES IN 1972
SNOWFALL 12.0 INCHES IN 1893
PEAK GUST 76 MPH ENE IN 1972

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald