Tuesday, April 7, 2015
BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2015
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
SHOWERS, CLOUDS AND COLD TEMPS CONTINUE
Light showers this morning dropped 0.02 inches of rain
before sunrise this morning, before giving way to generally
cloudy and humid conditions. An overnight low of 36F failed
to climb much higher throughout today, as temperatures reached
39F by the 1:00 PM EST observation with light rain beginning
at 12:20 PM EST.
Both ponds remain mostly frozen, with Houghton’s pond at 90%
and Ponkapoag Pond at nearly 100% still. Both ponds have not
completely thawed yet, meaning as of today, April 7th,
both ponds are in the top ten latest thaws on record (see list
below).
The month of March averaged 4.3 degrees colder than normal,
and also finished 2.33 inches of total liquid precipitation
drier than normal. Snowfall however, was just about normal,
with 13.3 inches falling, just 0.6 inches above the norm.
Seasonal snowfall was a new record at 150.8 inches.
A cold March along with an even colder January through
February have resulted in the coldest start to any
year since 1934, and the third coldest average minimum
temperature on record:
BHO Coldest Jan-Mar Mean Temperature, deg F (1885-2015)
1) 21.4 in 1885
2) 22.1 in 1923
3) 22.8 in 1904
4) 23.2 in 1888
5) 23.5 in 1920
23.5 in 1934
7) 23.6 in 1893
23.6 in 1912
9) 23.8 in 2015
10) 24.2 in 1916
BHO Coldest Jan-Mar Average Minimum Temperature, deg F (1885-2015)
1) 13.4 in 1885
2) 14.9 in 1923
3) 15.0 in 2015
4) 15.2 in 1888
15.2 in 1934
6) 15.3 in 1904
7) 16.6 in 1920
8) 16.7 in 1912
9) 16.8 in 1887
16.8 in 1893
BHO Greatest Seasonal Snowfall, inches (1885-2015):
1) 150.8 in 2014-2015 (through 1 PM April 7th)
2) 144.4 in 1995-1996
3) 136.0 in 1947-1948
4) 119.4 in 2004-2005
5) 113.1 in 2002-2003
6) 111.5 in 1915-1916
7) 109.6 in 1966-1967
8) 106.8 in 1955-1956
9) 103.4 in 1903-1904
10)102.5 in 1922-1923
Latest Houghton’s Pond Thaw Date, (1886-2014)
1) April 14, 1926
2) April 10, 1887
April 10, 1888
4) April 9, 1923
5) April 8, 1993
6) April 7, 1899
April 7, 1956
8) April 6, 1916
April 6, 1917
April 6, 1924
April 6, 1940
Latest Ponkapoag Pond Thaw Date, (1886-2014)
1) April 10, 1926
2) April 9, 1923
3) April 6, 1940
4) April 5, 1916
April 5, 1924
6) April 4, 1967
April 4, 1994
——————————————————-
PRELIMINARY STATS FOR MARCH 2015
TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 39.6 [-4.8]
Avg. Min. 22.8 [-3.8]
Mean 31.2 [-4.3]
Corrected mean: 31.0
Max. for month: 55 on 3/11
Min. for month: 5 on 3/6
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units: 1035 [+119]
Total for the season: 5743 [+259]
Total for last season: 5627
PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 3.25 [-2.33]
Greatest in 24 hrs: N/A
SNOWFALL, Inches
Total: 13.3 [+0.6]
Greatest in 24 hrs: N/A
WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 13.0
Avg. corrected wind speed: 13.4
Prevailing wind direction: NW @ 16%
Peak gust and direction: 53 NW on the 17th
SUNSHINE:
Astronomical total minutes: 11107/22218 or 50%
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 10758/21516 or 50%
For more information about this historic winter, visit our
web site at bluehill.org.
——————————————————-
Today’s Observations:
7 A.M.
Weather: Broken stratocumulus, overcast altocumulus
Temperature: 38F; Dew Point: 37F; Wind: estimated N at 5 kts
Wind Speed: Light
Sea-level pressure: 30.26 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 10 miles, except 2 miles SSW, fog in all directions
6-hr Max temp: 38F
6-hr Min temp: 36F
24-hr precip: 0.02 inches
Snow depth: Trace
BHO SA 1155 E2 BKN 140 OVC 10 248/38/37/E3505/026/ VSBY SSW 2 MI
FG ALQDS WND LGT/ 8/53/ 53017 ASOS 60002 70002 MANUAL 70002 10038
20036
10 A.M.
Weather: Overcast stratus
Temperature: 39F; Dew Point: 36F; Wind: NE at 8 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 30.30 ins. Hg, rising, then more quickly
Visibility: 10 miles, except 15 miles SW, fog in all directions
BHO SA 1455 E5 OVC 10 261/39/36/0508/030/ VSBY SW 15 MI FG ALQDS/
8/6// 53013
1 P.M.
Weather: Light rain, overcast nimbostratus
Temperature: 37F; Dew Point: 37F; Wind: NE at 7G16 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.31 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 8 miles, obscured by light rain
6-hr Max temp: 39F
6-hr Min temp: 37F
6-hr precip: 0.01 inches
BHO SA 1755 E10 OVC 8R- 265/37/37/0407G16/031/ R-B20/ 8/6//
51004 MANUAL 60001 10039 20037
SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..48 NORMAL…..52
MIN…..33 NORMAL…..34
MEAN….41 NORMAL…..43
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL…………………..-2
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH…………………..+1 [+0.0 DEGREES/DAY]
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………..24 DEPARTURE………..+2
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH………….138 DEPARTURE………..-0
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………..5881 DEPARTURE………+259
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……5759 DIFFERENCE……..+122
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY………………18 NE AT 2:08 P.M.*
ASOS…………………..18 NE AT 2:08 P.M.
DAVIS………………….17 NE AT 1:12 P.M. RMY 18
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY………………..12 NNE AT 2:15 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE……………..14 E AT 6:33 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE…………….13 NNE AT 2:18 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION…………6.7 NE
ASOS…………………7.1
DAVIS………………..6.0 E [077 degrees]
* Last of several occurrences…
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…..0.02 DEPARTURE…..-0.15
ASOS……………0.02
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH………..0.36 DEPARTURE…..-0.66
ASOS……………0.36
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR………..14.95 DEPARTURE…..+0.06
ASOS…………….N/A ***
*** ASOS annual totals not available due to erroneous readings
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M………..0.0 DEPARTURE…..-0.2
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………..0.0 DEPARTURE…..-1.1
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON…………..150.8 DEPARTURE….+90.0
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MARCH AND APRIL CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOWFALL/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/RMY 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
3/1 29/14/22/-9/0.24/2.7/000/00 25 SSW RMY 25
3/2 35/22/29/-2/0.02/0.2/480/71 44 WNW RMY 48
3/3 32/13/23/-9/0.34/2.8/340/50 33 S RMY N/A
3/4 41/32/37/+5/0.04/0.0/000/00 33 SW RMY 36
3/5 36/16/26/-6/0.02/0.2/000/00 28 NW RMY 29
3/6 26/5/16/-16/0.00/0.0/681/99 28 NW RMY 25
3/7 38/13/26/-7/0.00/0.0/567/82 30 WSW RMY 30
3/8 41/25/33/0/T/T/208/30 38 WNW RMY 41
3/9 45/28/37/+4/0.00/0.0/565/81 40 W RMY 39
3/10 52/32/42/+9/…./0.0/252/36 28 S RMY 27
3/11 55/38/47/+13/…./0.0/604/86 37 WNW RMY N/A
3/12 38/23/31/-3/0.00/0.0/677/96 44 N RMY 48
3/13 40/18/29/-5/0.00/0.0/581/82 23 SSW RMY 26
3/14 41/29/35/0/0.84/0.0/000/00 23 SSW RMY 23
3/15 41/24/33/-2/0.03/0.6/021/03 39 NW RMY 39
3/16 44/23/34/-1/0.00/0.0/516/72 28 NW RMY N/A
3/17 48/25/37/+1/0.17/T/173/24 53 NW RMY 63
3/18 30/19/25/-11/0.00/0.0/700/97 51 NW RMY 56
3/19 31/15/23/-13/0.00/0.0/696/96 37 NW RMY 39
3/20 32/19/26/-11/…./…/102/14 17 NNW RMY 15
3/21 41/25/33/-4/…./…/000/00 36 WNW RMY N/A
3/22 36/17/27/-10/0.00/0.0/712/97 50 W RMY 55
3/23 31/14/23/-15/0.00/0.0/700/95 36 WNW RMY 35
3/24 39/16/28/-10/0.00/0.0/636/86 20 NNW RMY N/A
3/25 48/25/37/-1/0.08/0.0/572/77 32 S RMY 31
3/26 54/35/45/+6/…./…/052/07 32 SSW RMY 32
3/27 41/36/39/+0/…./0.0/000/00 22 NNE RMY N/A
3/28 36/26/31/-8/0.44/5.0/000/00 30 NNW RMY 30
3/29 40/21/31/-9/0.00/0.0/701/93 26 NW RMY N/A
3/30 43/28/36/-4/T/T/091/12 36 SSW RMY 39
3/31 46/32/39/-2/0.00/0.0/479/63 28 W RMY 30
4/1 44/26/35/-6/0.00/0.0/…/.. 30 WNW RMY 31
4/2 59/29/44/+3/T/0.0/…/.. 39 SSW RMY 43
4/3 56/47/52/+10/0.02/0.0/…/.. 36 SW RMY N/A
4/4 49/32/41/-1/…./0.0/…/.. 54 NW RMY 64
4/5 47/30/39/-4/…./0.0/…/.. 40 W RMY 45
4/6 48/33/41/-2/0.00/0.0/…/.. 18 NE RMY 18
4/7 low since midnight is 36F normal low is 35F
DAILY RECORDS FOR MARCH 2015
3/28- NEW RECORD DAILY SNOWFALL: 5.0 INCHES;
surpasses the previous record of 3.0 ins. in 1932
DAILY RECORDS FOR APRIL 2015
4/3 – NEW RECORD DAILY HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE: 47F
surpasses the previous record of 46F in 1892
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
RECORDS FOR APRIL 7
HIGH 90 IN 2010
LOW 13 IN 1982
PRECIP 1.72 IN. IN 1924
SNOWFALL 4.5 IN. IN 1967, 1996
PEAK GUST 65 MPH WNW IN 1982
RECORDS FOR APRIL 8
HIGH 87 IN 1991
LOW 17 IN 1888
PRECIP 1.78 IN. IN 1956
SNOWFALL 9.3 IN. IN 1956
PEAK GUST 70 MPH S IN 2000
TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald
