Sign In Become a Member
Donate
Home Page Reports

Winter 2025-2026 Summary: Colder and Snowier Than Average

March 4, 2026

Blue Hill Observatory Winter (Dec-Feb) 2025-2026 Summary:  Winter 2025-2026 was much colder and snowier than average with less total precipitation and more…

Agreement required — click “Accept & Continue” below to review and accept the Data Use & Privacy Policy

Access to this content requires acceptance of our Data Use & Privacy Policy.

Blue Hill Observatory Winter (Dec-Feb) 2025-2026 Summary: 

Winter 2025-2026 was much colder and snowier than average with less total precipitation and more sunshine than expected. The approximated 24-hour mean temperature for winter of 26.5 deg F was 1.0 degrees colder than the 1891-2020 130-year average for the season, and it was 3.2 degrees colder than the 1991-2020 30-year average. It was the coldest winter at Blue Hill since a mean of 25.3 deg F was observed in winter 2014-2015. The average maximum temperature of 34.5 deg F was 2.8 degrees colder than the 30-year normal, and the average minimum temperature of 18.9 deg F was 2.0 degrees colder than the 30-year normal. Except for a nine-day respite of above average temperatures in mid-January, winter 2025-2026 remained cold throughout with frequent outbreaks of Arctic air. Winter temperatures ranged from a high of 58F ahead of the arrival of an Arctic front on December 19th to a seasonal low of -2F on February 8th. The average water vapor pressure was 3.6 mb, which corresponded to a mean dew point of 21F. This value was lower than the long-term average vapor pressure for winter of 4.0 mb, which corresponds to an average dew point of 23F. The season was much drier than average, and the total liquid equivalent precipitation was 9.32 inches, which was 4.57 inches less than the 30-year normal. The greatest amount in 24 hours was 1.99 inches during the Blizzard of 2026 on February 22nd-23rd. This major ocean storm also brought 24.8 inches of snowfall, which was the fifth largest snowstorm ever observed during February at Blue Hill. The other significant storm of the season was a major snowstorm that brought 25.3 inches of snow on January 25th-26th, which was the third largest January snowfall on record. These storms were the tenth largest and tied for the eleventh largest snowstorms ever measured at Blue Hill, and they were only the third occurrence of two or more snowstorms of twenty inches or more in a single season. The total snowfall for winter was 78.6 inches, which was 29.2 inches more than normal, and it was the eleventh highest winter snowfall on record. The lowest sea-level pressure during winter was 29.30 inches during the blizzard on February 23rd, and the highest sea-level pressure was 30.66 inches on January 25th. The mean wind speed was 12.7 mph, which tied as the third lowest on record for winter, and the prevailing wind direction was from the west-northwest. The highest wind gust during winter was 79 mph from the south ahead of a strong cold front on December 19th, and another notable wind gust was 68 mph from the northeast during the blizzard on February 23rd. Winter sunshine was above average with 442.0 total hours of bright sunshine, or 52 percent of possible, which was four percent more than the long-term average for the season.

BHO Highest Winter (Dec-Feb) Snowfall, inches (1885-2026):

1) 128.8 in 2014-2015
2) 117.4 in 1947-1948
3) 91.2 in 1995-1996
4) 89.6 in 2010-2011
5) 89.0 in 1922-1923
6) 86.4 in 2004-2005
7) 85.8 in 2002-2003
8) 82.7 in 1903-1904
9) 81.9 in 1993-1994
10) 81.6 in 2013-2014
11) 78.6 in 2025-2026

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
11) 24.8 on 17-18 Feb 2003
   24.8 on 22-23 Feb 2026

BHO Lowest Winter (Dec-Feb) Mean Wind Speed, mph (1885-86 to 2025-26):

1) 11.6 in 2023-2024
2) 12.2 in 2020-2021
3) 12.7 in 2022-2023
   12.7 in 2025-2026
5) 12.8 in 2019-2020
   12.8 in 2021-2022

Mike Iacono
Chief Scientist
Blue Hill Observatory

facebookShare on Facebook
TwitterPost on X
FollowFollow us
PinterestSave
←
→
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
↓ Scroll to read the full Policy — the agreement checkbox will unlock at the bottom
Main Menu