BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02186
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2010  
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME 
 
OVERCAST SKY TODAY AND FEW FLAKES OF SNOW
TEMPS. RISE TO 37 DEGREES WITH INCREASING E WINDS
A SUNNY MONTH WITH 61% OF POSSIBLE BRIGHT SUNSHINE
 
After a very sunny day yesterday we have a completely
overcast sky today with a few flakes of snow which were
observed early this afternoon as part of the leading  
edge of the northward advance of a storm system to our
south.
Temperatures continue to average above normal as has
been the case for the past two weeks. A total positive
temperature departure of 45 degrees over the past
two weeks brought a monthly average of plus 3 degrees
for the 14-day period and left February one above the
30-year normal.  Only 2 two days were slightly
below normal and one day just normal since 8 February.   
The month has been much drier and sunnier than average.
Eight-six percent of the possible sunshine yesterday
brought the monthly sunshine up to 61%.  The long-term
average is 50%. 
 
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Broken stratocumulus, overcast altostratus and
altocumulus, few cumulus/lower stratocumulus NNW-NE,
higher clouds visible NE-S and small break in the
overcast east-southeast 
Temperature: 33F, Dew point: 28F, Wind: E at 12G18 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.90 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 30 miles, except 45 miles northeast,
light haze except NE-SE 
6-hour minimum temp: 31F
6-hour and 24 hour precip: 0.00
Average snow depth: 1 in.
BHO SA 1155 E28 BKN 70 OVC 30 146/33/28/0812G18/996/
FEW LWR SC/CU NNW-NE HIER CLDS VSB NE-S SML BINOVC ESE
VSBY NE 45 LGT HZ XCPT NE-SE/ 8/87/
4/001 56001 10033 20031
 
10 A.M. 
Weather: Overcast stratocumulus with few lower cumulus
below stratocumulus layer NW-NE, few moderate cumulus north
higher clouds visible to the north, virga north to northeast    
Temperature: 37F, Dew point: 28F, Wind: E at 8 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 29.98 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 35 miles
BHO SA 1455 E24 OVC 35 154/37/28/0808/998/
HIER CLDS VSBY NW-NE CU NW-NE FEW MDT CU N VIRGA N-NE/
8/8// 51008 
 
1 P.M.
Weather: Overcast stratocumulus, higher clouds visible
NW-NE, few cumulus and moderate cumulus NW-NE, very
light snow shower began 12:54 p.m.
Temperature: 36F, Dew point: 29F, Wind: ENE at 14G24 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 29.96 inches Hg, falling 
Visibility: 35 miles except 25 miles WSW-W in precipitation
6-hour max. temp: 37F
6-hour precip: trace
6-hour snowfall: trace
BHO SA 1755 E19 OVC 35SW- 147/36/29/0714G24/996/
HIER CLD VSBY NW-NE CU/FEW MDT CU NW-NE
VSBY WSW-W 25 PCPN SB54 PCPN VRY LGT/
8/8// 58007 MANUAL 6000/ 10037 20033
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....45     NORMAL.....38
MIN.....25     NORMAL.....22
MEAN....35     NORMAL.....30
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR AVERAGE.............+5
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.............+24 [+0.9 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY............30    DEPARTURE........-6
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH...........798    DEPARTURE.......-29
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON.........4224    DEPARTURE......-139
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE....4336    DIFFERENCE.....-112
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............27 WNW AT  4:38 A.M. *
                   AEROVANE..............24 WNW AT  8:04 A.M.  
                   ASOS..................26 WNW AT  8:13 A.M.   
                   DAVIS.................29 WNW AT  8:09 A.M.   
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........21 WNW AT  6:52 A.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............21 WNW AT  6:55 A.M.    
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE...........23 WNW AT  6:54 A.M.   
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.......12.2 W   
                   ASOS................12.0
                   DAVIS...............12.3 NW [310 DEG]
 
* last of several occurrences....
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M... 0.00   DEPARTURE....-0.15
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........1.16   DEPARTURE....-2.00
                         ASOS..............1.13 
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........5.19   DEPARTURE....-2.75
                         ASOS..............5.13
 
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M........  0.0  DEPARTURE.....-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH...............10.2  DEPARTURE.....-2.8
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............54.7  DEPARTURE....+12.3
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY 2010 CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOW/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/AERO GUST
AERO: Aerovane wind recording system gust when significant
TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day)
....: Data not yet available, records not finalized
 
2/1  32/18/25/-1/0/0/582/97         31 WSW
2/2  30/17/24/-2/0/0/343/57         22 WSW  
2/3  31/22/27/+1/0.02/0.4/024/04    20 W    
2/4  31/20/26/0/0/0/589/97          33 WNW   AERO 35 MPH WNW
2/5  33/17/25/-2/0/0/427/70         24 W
2/6  23/14/19/-8/T/0.2/000/00       30 NNW
2/7  30/10/20/-7/0/0/615/100        36 WNW   AERO 37 MPH WNW
2/8  32/17/25/-2/0/0/531/86         36 W    
2/9  38/17/28/+1/0/0/552/89         31 WNW
2/10 33/26/30/+3/0.53/4.0/000/00    46 NNE
2/11 37/26/32/+5/T/T/531/85         35 NW    AERO 38 MPH NNW
2/12 36/20/28/0/0/0/615/98          29 WNW
2/13 34/16/25/-3/0/0/265/42         31 W 
2/14 38/21/30/+2/0/0/430/68         44 W     AERO 43 MPH W  
2/15 38/28/33/+5/0/0/133/21         36 WSW
2/16 32/27/30/+2/0.61/5.6/000/00    30 WNW
2/17 34/22/28/-1/T/T/353/55         31 NW
2/18 44/28/36/+7/0/0/374/58         39 W
2/19 41/28/35/+6/T/T/440/68         40 W     AERO 38 MPH W
2/20 47/29/38/+9/0/0/636/98         32 WNW   AERO 30 MPH WNW 
2/21 39/27/33/+4/0/0/398/61         35 WNW   AERO 35 MPH WNW
2/22 45/25/35/+5/0/0/562/86         27 WNW 
 
2/23 our morning low temp: 31F; the normal low is now 22F 
 
NEW DAILY RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 2010
None.
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 23
HIGH 62F IN 1990
LOW -8F IN 1907
PRECIP 1.48 INCHES IN 1967
SNOWFALL 10.6 INCHES IN 1967
PEAK GUST 73 MPH WNW IN 1974
 
RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 24
HIGH 68F IN 1985 [RECORD FOR MONTH]
LOW -11F IN 1894
PRECIP 3.10 INCHES IN 1969
SNOWFALL 27.4 INCHES IN 1969 [HIGHEST CALENDAR DAY AMOUNT ON RECORD]
PEAK GUST 63 MPH NE IN 1998
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling