BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
SUNDAY, JANUARY 8, 2012 
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
TEMPERATURES COOLER TODAY, HOWEVER STILL ABOVE NORMAL
 
After yesterday's shot of spring-like weather, temperatures are
back down into the low 40s by early this afternoon, however still
above normal for this time of year. Yesterday's maximum temperature
of 59F fell 1 degree shy of tying the current record maximum
temperature of 60F for that day set back in 1930. Visibility has
been very clear today with minimal haze, allowing Grand Monadnock
to be seen from the Observatory. Varying cloud coverage has been
observed throughout the day. Winds have been out of the west but
have varied in both speed and direction as of mid-morning.
 
A cold front will sweep through the region tonight, bringing
temperatures down into the upper teens. However once this front
passes through, tomorrow's temperatures will once again be able to
reach high 30s in most areas.
 
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M. 
Weather: Clear, few altocumulus ENE-S, few altocumulus standing
lenticularis all quadrants, few thin cirrus NE-E, few dense cirrus
NNE-SSW, light haze
Temperature: 34F, Dew point: 27F, Wind: W at 10 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.04 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 50 miles, visibility W-NNW 30 miles, light haze
6-hour min. temp: 34F
BHO SA 1155 CLR 50 174/34/27/2810/004/ FEW AC ENE-S FEW ACSL ALQDS FEW
THN CI NE-E FEW DNS CI NNE-SSW LGT HZ VSBY LWR W-NNW 30/ 8/041 52027
10040 20034
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, scattered dense cirrus, broken thin
cirrus, few cumulus/cumulus fractus all quadrants, cumulus band distant
offshore NNE-NE, few altocumulus cumulogenitus all quadrants except
E-SSE, few altocumulus standing lenticularis E-SE, contrails WSW and
NW-N, thin smoke layer SSE-S, light distant haze WNW-NW
Temperature: 40F, Dew Point: 27F; Wind: W at 9 kts,
Wind: Direction variable WSW-NNW
Sea-level pressure: 30.12 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 80 miles, visibility WNW-NW 60 miles, light distant haze
BHO SA 1455 140 SCT 200 SCT E300 –BKN 80 201/40/27/2709/012/ FEW CU/CUFRA
ALQDS CU BAND DSNT OFFSHR NNE-NE FEW ACCU ALQDS XCPT E-SSE FEW ACSL E-SE
CONTRAILS WSW AND NW-N THN K LYR SSE-S LGT DSNT HZ WNW-NW VSBY LWR WNW-NW
60 WND 24V34/ 8/261 51027
 
1 P.M. 
Weather: Scattered cumulus/mediocris, scattered dense cirrus, scattered
thin cirrus, few cumulus mediocris overhead, contrail SE and NW, virga
N and NNE, light distant haze
Temperature: 41F, Dew Point: 24F; Wind: WSW at 10 kts,
Wind: Direction variable SSW-WNW
Sea-level pressure: 30.10 inches Hg, falling 
Visibility: 80 miles, light distant haze
6-hour max. temp: 43F
BHO SA 1755 40 SCT 200 SCT 250 –SCT 80 194/41/24/2510/010/ FEW CU
MEDIOCRIS OVD CONTRAIL SE AND NW VIRGA N AND NNE LGT DSNT HZ WND 20V29/
8/201 58007 10043 20034
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR SATURDAY, JANUARY 7
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....59    NORMAL.....34
MIN.....39    NORMAL.....18
MEAN....49    NORMAL.....26
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.....................+23
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.....................+48  [+6.7 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY.............16   DEPARTURE........-23
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH............223   DEPARTURE........-44
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON..........1976   DEPARTURE.......-620
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.....2482   DIFFERENCE......-506
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............29 WSW AT 3:30 P.M. *
                   AERO..................29 SW  AT 2:12 P.M.
                   ASOS..................30 SW  AT 2:12 P.M.
                   DAVIS.................28 W   AT 3:32 P.M. RMY 30
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........23 WSW AT 3:33 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............23 W   AT 3:32 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE...........21 W   AT 3:31 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.......12.2 WSW
                   ASOS................11.5
                   DAVIS...............11.0 WSW [255 deg.]
* Last of several occurrences
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00  DEPARTURE..........-0.14
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.04  DEPARTURE..........-0.96
                         ASOS..............0.04
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........0.04  DEPARTURE..........-0.96
                        ASOS...............0.04
     
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.0  DEPARTURE..........-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................0.1  DEPARTURE..........-3.4     
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON...............8.6  DEPARTURE..........-8.5
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 2012 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
RMY:  RMY = R.M. Young wind gust recording system added 8/9/2011
TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day)
....: Data not yet available, records not finalized
 
1/1  51/35/42/+16/0.01/0.0/494/90   35 S   AERO 35 MPH S   RMY 37
1/2  48/30/39/+12/0.02/T/.../..     36 W   AERO 36 MPH W   RMY 37
1/3  30/11/21/-5/0.00/0.0/.../..    39 NW  AERO 38 MPH NW  RMY 39
1/4  26/7/17/-9/0.00/0.0/.../..     28 NW  AERO 25 MPH NW  N/A
1/5  35/20/28/+2/T/T/.../..         27 W   AERO 25 MPH W   RMY 26
1/6  47/23/35/+9/T/T/.../..         26 S   AERO 25 MPH S   RMY 27
1/7  59/39/49/+23/0.00/0.0/.../..   29 WSW AERO 29 MPH SW  RMY 30
 
1/8  overnight low temp: 34F; the normal low is now 18F
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR JANUARY 2012
None so far.
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR JANUARY 8
HIGH 65F IN 2008
LOW -8F IN 1968
PRECIP 1.70 INS. IN 1958,1979
SNOWFALL 12.5 INS. IN 1996
PEAK GUST 77 MPH NNW IN 1958
 
RECORDS FOR JANUARY 9
HIGH 62F IN 1937
LOW -9F IN 1968
PRECIP 3.00 INS. IN 1956
SNOWFALL 10.0 INS. IN 1904
PEAK GUST 101e MPH SE IN 1978 [RECORD FOR MONTH]
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: George A. Tabeek