July in New England comes with hot, humid temperatures sometimes reaching into the 100 degree range. As people head to the beach, turn up the air conditioners, turn on the sprinklers or head for cooler climes, it's nice to remember just five short months ago Pembroke was buried in snow and temperatures were freezing ponds and pipes alike.
Pembroke was hit by several storms that dumped 60 to 70 inches of snow on the town. Of note:
- A major blizzard on February 22–24, 2026 dropped about 30 inches in Pembroke.
- During the storm, the Town of Pembroke reported:
- Over 24 inches by the evening of February 23.
- More than 30 inches by the end of the storm, prompting emergency operations and warming centers.
Because that one storm accounted for roughly 2½ feet of snow, and there were several additional snow events earlier in the season, the total seasonal snowfall for Pembroke was likely around 60–70 inches (Snow totals provided by WBZ News, Chat GPT).
Freezing temperatures also affected the local ponds and lakes.
For the second consecutive year Oldham Pond, bordered by Pembroke and Hanson, froze over, bringing out a multitude of residents and visitors for winter activities. The frozen water was littered with ice-fishing tents, hockey players, ice skaters and residents enjoying the winter weather.
Fiona Scheider age 4, and Jared Keenan enjoyed some cold, but fun ice fishing in February.
Some carved makeshift ice hockey rinks through the snow while others skated where wind had cleared the ice.
The frozen pond, snow and freezing temps in contrast to 100 degree, hot and humid recent weather, accentuates the wild range of weather in New England. New Englanders understand they may have a cold wet spring, a hot dry spring, snow in April, warm temps (Indian Summer) in December, 60 inches of snow in winter or no snow at all. It's all part of living in the northeast.
In 1879 Mark Twain said, "There is a sumptuous variety about the New England weather that compels the stranger’s admiration—and regret. The weather is always doing something there; always attending strictly to business; always getting up new designs and trying them on the people to see how they will go. But it gets through more business in spring than in any other season. In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours. Yes, one of the brightest gems in the New England weather is the dazzling uncertainty of it."
In other words, if you don't like the weather in New England, wait a bit, it's sure to change.
