Friday, May 20, 2016

BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2016
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

MILKY LOOK TO THE SKY TODAY IS HIGH LEVEL SMOKE LAYER
FROM FOREST FIRE FAR AWAY IN CANADA
(SEE FORECASTERS DISCUSSION FROM TAUNTON)
SMALL CUMULUS FORMING IN SKY FAR BELOW SMOKE LAYER

Smoke from Canadian forest fires has spread across our
sky today not to be mistaken for high cirrostratus clouds
as the sky has a milky look.  Scattered cumulus have
been forming and some have moderate tops by late this
morning and afternoon.

Temperatures have risen from a morning low of 46F (normal is
now 49F), and our afternoon high temperatures is rising to the
low 70’s with relative humidity dropping into the 30% range.
So the air being quite dry allows good visibility with just
some light haze.

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Clear, high smoke layer aloft
Temperature: 54F; Dew Point: 50F; Wind: estimated NW at 6 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.20 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 70 miles
6-hr Max temp: 54F
6-hr Min temp: 46F
24-hr precip: 0.26 in.
BHO SA 1155 CLR 70 226/54/50/E3106/020/ K LYR ALF WND LGT/
51019 ASOS 70026 MANUAL 70026 10054 20046

10 A.M.
Weather: Clear, small cumulus forming in sky below smoke layer
Temperature: 64F; Dew Point: 46F; Wind: estimated NW at 5 kts,
Wind: Light
Sea-level pressure: 30.22 ins. Hg, rising, then more quickly
Visibility: 65 miles
BHO SA 1455 CLR 65 237/64/46/3105/022/ SML CU FRMG K LYR ALG WND LGT/
53011

1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered cumulus, high smoke layer aloft
Temperature: 70F; Dew Point: 46F; Wind: estimated NNW at 4 kts
Wind Direction: variable W-NNE
Sea-level pressure: 30.20 ins. Hg, falling, then more quickly
Visibility: 70 miles
6-hr Max temp: 71F
6-hr Min temp: 57F
BHO SA 1755 59 SCT 70 227/70/46/E3304/020/ K LYR ALF WND LGT WND 27V03/
8/100 58010 10071 20054

SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2016

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..66   NORMAL…..67
MIN…..50   NORMAL…..49
MEAN….58   NORMAL…..58

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL………………………0
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH…………………….-41 [-2.4 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………7   DEPARTURE……….-1
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH………….217   DEPARTURE………+31
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………..5216   DEPARTURE…….-1012
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……6365   DIFFERENCE……-1149

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY……………….23 WNW AT 11:46 P.M.
ASOS……………………24 WNW AT 11:48 P.M.
DAVIS…………………..23 WNW AT 11:47 P.M. RMY 25
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY…………………14 ESE AT 11:15 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE………………15 ESE AT 11:13 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE……………..13 W   AT 11:49 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION……………5.8 ENE
ASOS……………………6.1
DAVIS…………………..5.3 ENE [060 Deg.]

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.26  DEPARTURE……+0.12
ASOS…………..0.26
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH……….2.14  DEPARTURE……-0.21
ASOS…………..2.02
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR……….19.08  DEPARTURE……-1.82
ASOS………….19.02

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……….0.0  DEPARTURE……..0.0
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH…………..TRACE  DEPARTURE……..0.0
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON…………..57.5  DEPARTURE…….-5.7

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MAY 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

5/1 52/39/46/-7/0.08/T/000/00               21 S   AERO 22 SE  RMY 20
5/2 50/41/46/-7/0.31/0.0/000/00             20 NE  AERO 21 NE  RMY 18
5/3 48/43/46/-7/0.16/0.0/000/00             16 E   AERO 16 E   RMY 17
5/4 48/41/45/-9/0.53/0.0/000/00             33 NE  AERO 35 NE  RMY 34
5/5 44/41/43/-11/0.30/0.0/000/00            39 NNE AERO 41 NNE RMY 39
5/6 54/43/49/-5/0.13/0.0/348/42             28 ENE AERO 29 N   RMY 26
5/7 51/43/47/-8/…/0.0/000/00              25 NE  AERO 25 NE  RMY 23
5/8 60/46/53/-2/…/0.0/276/33              47 W   AERO 53 W   RMY 49
5/9 65/43/54/-1/0.00/0.0/720/86             40 W   AERO 44 W   RMY 40
5/10 69/40/55/0/0.00/0.0/774/93             22 W   AERO 25 WNW RMY 22
5/11 76/50/63/0.00/0.0/780/93               22 WNW AERO 23 WNW*RMY 22
5/12 75/54/65/0.00/0.0/792/94               23 NNE AERO 25 S   RMY 23
5/13 74/52/63/+7/0.21/0.0/078/09            27 S   AERO 27 S   RMY 26
5/14 78/54/66/+9/0.00/0.0/…/..            35 SSW*AERO 40 SSW RMY 37
5/15 60/40/51/-6/0.00/0.0/…/..            50 W   AERO 54 W   RMY 49
5/16 58/38/48/-9/0.00/0.0/…/..            45 W*  AERO 51 WNW RMY 49
5/17 69/47/58/+1/0.00/0.0/…/..            32 W   AERO 38 W   RMY 38
5/18 64/48/56/-2/0.00/0.0/…/..            24 NE  AERO 26 NNW RMY N/A
5/19 66/50/58/0/0.26/0.0/…/..             23 WNW AERO 26 WNW RMY 25

5/20 low temp since midnight is 46F; normal low now 49F

* Last of several occurrences

DAILY RECORDS FOR MAY 2016

5/1/16: DAILY RECORD SNOWFALL OF A TRACE,
TIES PREVIOUS RECORDS SET IN 1905, 1917, 1921, and 1995

DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):

RECORDS FOR MAY 20
HIGH 91F IN 1975,1996
LOW 37F IN 1948, 2002
PRECIP 1.65 INCHES IN 1969
PEAK GUST 57 MPH S IN 1963, WNW IN 1982

RECORDS FOR MAY 21
HIGH 92F IN 1921
LOW 35F IN 1907
PRECIP 1.61 INS IN 1954
PEAK GUST 74 MPH WSW IN 2006

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling/Cece Borries-Strigle