Milton Blue Hill's 2026 Weather Report

February 2026 was generally cold with much more snowfall than normal and average sunshine. The approximated 24-hour mean temperature for the month of 26.1 deg F was 0.5 degrees colder than the 1891-2020 130-year average for February, and it was 3.1 degrees colder than the 1991-2020 30-year average. 

The average maximum temperature of 34.7 deg F was 2.3 degrees colder than the 30-year normal, and the average minimum temperature of 18.3 deg F was 1.2 degrees colder than the 30-year normal. 

After a cold start to the month during the first ten days, it remained close to average through the end of the month. The highest temperature was 51F on the 28th, and the lowest temperature was -2F on the 8th. 

February mean water vapor pressure, which is an absolute measure of water vapor in the air, was 3.4 mb, which corresponded to a mean dew point of about 20F. This amount was slightly below the long-term mean water vapor pressure for February of 3.7 mb, which equals a mean dew point of about 22F. The total precipitation was 2.97 inches, which was 1.03 inches less than the 30-year normal. 

There were frequent light to moderate snowfalls during the month, until the arrival of the very impactful Blizzard of 2026 on the 22nd-23rd. 

This storm brought 1.99 inches of liquid equivalent precipitation, which was the greatest in 24-hours for the month, and 24.8 inches of snowfall. Blizzard conditions with strong winds occurred for several hours at the Observatory.  

This storm was the fifth largest snowstorm ever observed in February at Blue Hill, and it tied as the eleventh largest snowfall for any month of the year. Parts of southeastern New England received all-time record amounts of snow of 30-38 inches. Snowfall rates reached 2-3 inches per hour at the Observatory and exceeded this rate at other locations. 

The February total snowfall was 35.9 inches, which was 17.7 inches more than average. 

Snow depth on the ground was 15 inches or higher all month, and the snow depth reached a season high of 28 inches on the morning of the 24th. The average 7 AM snow depth for February was 18.5 inches, which was the sixth highest on record for the month. 

The highest sea-level pressure during February was 30.22 inches on the 22nd, and the lowest sea-level pressure was 29.30 inches during the passage of the very intense ocean storm on the 23rd. The mean wind speed was 11.8 mph, which was the second lowest on record for the month, and the prevailing wind direction was from the northwest. 

The highest wind gust was 68 mph from the northeast during the blizzard on the 23rd. February sunshine was near average with 146.8 hours of bright sunshine, or 51 percent of possible, which was one percent more than the long-term average for the month.

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.