Friday, August 20, 2021
BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2021
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
SUNRISE: 0457E
SUNSET: 1837E
BLEAK AND OVERCAST IN THE WAKE OF YESTERDAY’S STORM…
Rainfall associated with what was Tropical Storm Fred
deposited a total of 0.62 inches yesterday. The summit
received considerably less, however, compared to western
locations in southern New England due to a track northwest
of here. Those sites measured anywhere from 3-5+ inches
leading to widespread flash flooding. Auburn (MA) recorded
3.76 inches and South Windsor (CT) clocked in at 5.30 inches!
In its wake, winds cranked by the mid-afternoon peaking at
41 MPH from the south. This is the highest gust thus far this
month in what has been a fairly tranquil August atop the hill.
Today continues yesterday’s theme, minus the wind and rain.
Skies are gray and overcast. Temperatures hovered in the low 70s
for most of the morning before rising to the mid-70s by 1PM due
to a thinning overcast. Dew points remain muggy in the low-70s.
Visibility has been split: around 1/2 mile to 3 miles during
the AM, then reaching 70 miles into the afternoon thanks to a
rising ceiling.
As we turn the chapter to the weekend, we shift our attention
to Tropical Storm Henri. It is expected to strengthen to
category 1 status in the next 24 hrs and make a pass somewhere
along the southern New England coast. As always, we will
be stationed here recording everything from wind, temp, and
precipitation.
The high so far today is 76F, 4 degrees below the daily normal
maximum of 80F. The low so far today is 70F, which is 8 degrees
above the daily normal minimum of 62F.
Today’s Observations:
7 A.M.
Weather: Overcast Stratus, Fog
Temperature: 70F; Dew Point: 70F; Relative Humidity: 100%
Wind: NNW @ 10G16 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.86 in. Hg; Rising, then rising more rapidly
Visibility: 3 miles
6-hr Max temp: 72F
6-hr Min temp: 70F
24-hr Precip: 0.57 ins.
BHO SA 1155 10 OVC 3F 113/70/70/3310G18/986/ 8/6// 53010 70057 10072 20070
10 A.M.
Weather: Sky Obscured, Vertical Visibility 300 ft, Light Drizzle, Fog
Temperature: 71F; Dew Point: 70F; Relative Humidity: 96%
Wind: N @ 3 kts (wind light)
Sea-level pressure: 29.90 in Hg; Rising, unsteadily
Visibility: 1/2 mile
3-hr Precip: TRACE
BHO SA 1455 X W3 1/2L-F 124/71/70/3503/990/ L-B40 WND LGT/ 8/// 52011 6000/
1 P.M.
Weather: Overcast Stratocumulus
Temperature: 75F, Dew point: 71F; Relative Humidity: 87%
Wind: NW @ 3 kts (wind light)
Sea-level pressure: 29.89 in Hg; Steady, then rising
Visibility: 70 miles
6-hr Max temp: 76F
6-hr Min temp: 70F
6-hr Precip: 0.01 ins.
BHO SA 1755 20 OVC 70 122/75/71/3103/989/ L-E1550 WND LGT/ 8/8//
58002 6001/ 10076 20070
SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 2021
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….81 NORMAL…..80
MIN…….69 NORMAL…..63
MEAN……75 NORMAL…..71
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL………..+4
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH…………………..18 [+0.7 DEGREES/DAY]
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2021 THRU JUN 2022)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………….0 DEPARTURE………0
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………….0 DEPARTURE……..-5
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………..28 DEPARTURE…….+16
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……….1 DEPARTURE…….+27
COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JAN 2021 THRU DEC 2021)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………10 DEPARTURE……..+3
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..156 DEPARTURE…….+15
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………….535 DEPARTURE……..+8
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……..688 DEPARTURE……-153
PEAK WIND GUST (MPH):
Official……………….41 S @ 3:18 P.M.
AEROVANE (south tower)…..43 S @ 2:51 P.M.
VECTOR #2 (south tower)….46 @ 3:18 P.M.
DAVIS #2 (south tower)…..49 S @ 3:19 P.M.
ASOS………..OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
VECTOR #1……OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
DAVIS #1…….OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
RMY…………OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
MERLIN………OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………31 S @ 3:17 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..29 @ 3:17 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………32 S @ 3:17 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE…….OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE…OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE..OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY AVERAGE……..OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL……14.3 S [344 total miles]
VECTOR #2…………….14.6
DAVIS #2……………..14.4 S
RMY……………..OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
ASOS…………….OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
VECTOR #1………..OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
DAVIS #1…………OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…….0.57 DEPARTURE….+0.44
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH………….3.38 DEPARTURE….+0.92
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR………….38.35 DEPARTURE….+5.45
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR AUGUST CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/PEAK GUST/AERO/RMY GUST
AERO: Aerovane wind recording system gust
RMY: R.M. Young wind gust recording system
TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day)
….: Data not yet available, records not finalized
M: Missing data
08/01 77/58/68/-5/T/589/68 23 SSW AERO 24 SSW RMY N/A
08/02 78/61/70/-3/T/821/95 28 WNW AERO 28 WNW RMY N/A
08/03 76/60/68/-5/0.00/302/35 15 N AERO 16 N RMY N/A
08/04 75/61/68/-5/0.71/077/09 21 ESE AERO 21 ESE RMY N/A
08/05 68/61/65/-8/1.68/000/00 28 NE AERO 28 NE RMY N/A
08/06 85/62/74/+1/0.00/727/85 19 S AERO 20 WSW RMY N/A
08/07 88/66/77/+4/0.00/520/61 23 SW AERO 23 SW RMY N/A
08/08 80/67/74/+2/T/128/15 16 SW AERO 16 WNW RMY N/A
08/09 75/64/70/-2/0.25/076/09 22 ENE AERO 21 NE RMY N/A
08/10 78/63/71/-1/0.12/…/.. 19 S AERO 20 S RMY N/A
08/11 89/70/80/+8/0.00/…/.. 29 SSW AERO 28 SSW RMY N/A
08/12 91/71/81/+9/T/…/.. 36 WSW AERO 37 WSW RMY N/A TSTM
08/13 92/73/83/+11/0.00/…/.. 18 WSW AERO 18 WSW RMY N/A
08/14 87/69/78/+6/T/…/.. 25 W AERO 25 NNW RMY N/A
08/15 80/62/71/-1/0.00/…/.. 19 NNW AERO 20 NNW RMY N/A
08/16 78/59/69/-3/0.00/…/.. 15 S AERO 15 S RMY N/A
08/17 82/63/73/1/0.00/…/.. 22 SSW AERO 23 SSW RMY N/A
08/18 86/66/76/+5/0.00/…/.. 21 SSW AERO 22 SSW RMY N/A
08/19 81/69/75/+4/0.62/…/.. 41 S AERO 43 S RMY N/A
08/20 The low since midnight is 70F, the daily normal low is 62F
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated)
RECORDS FOR AUGUST 20
HIGH 93F IN 1937
LOW 48F IN 1896, 1905, 1949
PRECIP 2.71 INCHES IN 1970
PEAK GUST 47 MPH W IN 1983, 47 SSW IN 2010
RECORDS FOR AUGUST 21
HIGH 92F IN 1937, 1995
LOW 47F IN 1982
PRECIP 2.84 INCHES IN 1888
PEAK GUST 54 MPH WSW IN 2004
TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Andrew Swanson
