MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013

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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

SNOWFALL ON SUNDAY JUST UNDER ONE INCH
COLD, GUSTY W-WNW WINDS TODAY

The light snow which began early Sunday morning had accumulated
only to a half inch by early afternoon. The light density snow
continued to slowly accumulate into the evening with a final
total for the day of 1.2 inches and only 0.08 inch of water.
Today’s gusty W-WNW winds of 30 to 45 MPH are adding quite a
chill factor with actual temperatures struggling only in the
mid to upper 20’s.

The drier than normal weather of January is now continuing
into February with no important precipitation events
expected this first week of the month.

Driest Januarys, inches (1885-2013)
1) 0.89 in 1955
2) 0.97 in 1980
3) 1.00 in 1989
4) 1.07 in 1970
5) 1.25 in 1981
6) 1.31 in 1985
7) 1.42 in 2013

JANUARY 2013 PRELIMINARY STATISTICS:

TEMPERATURE:
Average Max Temp: 36.8F [+3.0F] Average Min Temp: 21.8F [+4.7F] Mean Temp: 29.3F [+3.8F] 24-hr. Corr. Mean Temp: 29.5F [+3.3F] Max Temp: 59F on 14th, 30th
Min Temp: 0F on 24th
Total heating degree day units (month): 1,097 [-129] *NCDC method
Total heating degree day units (season): 3,125 [-406] *start July 1 (NCDC)

PRECIPITATION:
Total precipitation: 1.42 ins. [-2.93 ins.] Greatest 24-hr precipitation: 0.45 ins. on 16th, 30th/31st
Total snowfall: 6.1 inches [-9.9 ins.] *using 1890-2010 mean
Greatest snow depth: 4 ins. on 1st

WIND:
Avg wind speed: 13.6 MPH
Avg corrected wind speed: 14.0 MPH
Prevailing wind direction: WNW [23%] Peak gust: 74 MPH S on 31st
Peak fastest mile: 62 MPH S on 31st

SUNSHINE: (FINAL)
Campbell-Stokes sunshine card minutes: 9438/17130 or 55%
Astronomical minutes totaled: 9824/17702 or 55%

Today’s observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Clear, stratocumulus, few moderate tops distant offshore
ENE-ESE, altocumulus/few lenticularis distant N-E-SSW
Temperature: 18F; Dew Point: 12F; Wind: WNW at 14G22 kts.
Sea-level pressure: 29.75 ins. Hg, rising then more rapidly
Visibility: 25 miles, hazy
24-hour snowfall: 0.8 inch
24-hour precip: 0.04 inch
6-hour min. temp: 17F
Snow depth: 1 inch
BHO SA 1155 CLR 25 075/18/12/2914G22/975 SC/FEW MDT TPS DSNT ENE-ESE
AC/FEW ACSL DSNT N-E-SSW HZY TOTAL NEW SNW PST 24 HRS 0.8 IN/ 8/540
4/001 53014 ASOS 70002 MANUAL 70004 10021 20017

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered cumulus fractus, cumulus forming all quadrants
Temperature: 24F; Dew Point: 11F; Wind: WNW at 17G27 kts,
Wind: Peak wind WNW @ 29 kts at 9:32 A.M.
Wind: Direction variable W-NNW
Sea-level pressure: 29.77 ins. Hg, rising then falling
Visibility: 55 miles, distant haze
BHO SA 1455 36 SCT 55 082/24/11/3017G27/977/ CUFRA/CU FRMG ALQDS
DSNT HZ PK WND 2929/32/ WND 26V33/ 8/100 50007
BHO SA 1455 36 SCT 55 082/24/11/3017G27/977/ CUFRA/CU FRMG ALQDS
DSNT HZ PK WND 2929/32/ WND 26V33/ 8/100 50007

1 P.M.
Weather: Broken variable scattered cumulus/stratocumulus formed by the
spreading out of cumulus, showers of snow distant WSW-NW, patches of
virga all quadrants
Temperature: 28F; Dew Point: 8F; Wind: W at 17G27 kts,
Wind: Peak wind from W at 38 kts W @ 12:02 P.M.
Wind: Direction variable WSW-WNW
Sea-level pressure: 29.75 ins. Hg, falling slightly
Visibility: 50 miles, distant haze, snow showers
6-hr max temp: 29F
BHO SA 1755 E55 BKN 50 076/28/8/2717G27/975/ 55 BKN V SCT SHSN DSNT WSW-NW MOVG E
PTCHS VIRGA ALQDS PK WND 2738/02/ WND 25V30/
8/400 58006 10029 20018

WEATHER SUMMARY FOR SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 3

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..26 NORMAL…..35
MIN…..19 NORMAL…..17
MEAN….23 NORMAL…..26

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL…………………-3
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH……………….,.-6 [-2.2 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………42 DEPARTURE………+3
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH………..123 DEPARTURE………+6
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………3206 DEPARTURE……..-403
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE….2867 DIFFERENCE…….+381

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY……………21 WSW AT 12:34 A.M. *
AERO………………..20 WSW AT 12:08 A.M.
ASOS………………..23 WSW AT 11:55 P.M.
DAVIS……………….21 WSW AT 12:35 A.M. RMY N/A
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY………….
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE…………..15 WSW AT 11:55 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE………….15 WSW AT 12:35 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION………..6.9 NNW
ASOS………………..6.7
DAVIS……………….6.5 NW [320 deg.] * last of several occurrences…

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.04 DEPARTURE………..-0.09
ASOS…………..0.02
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH……….0.08 DEPARTURE………..-0.32
ASOS…………..0.05
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR………..1.50 DEPARTURE……….-3.25
ASOS…………..1.53

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M………0.8 DEPARTURE…………+0.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………1.2 DEPARTURE…………+0.2
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON………….22.7 DEPARTURE………..-11.4

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 2013-FEBRUARY 2013 CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/AERO GUST
AERO: Aerovane wind recording system gust
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 35/18/27/0/0.00/0.0/313/57 44 WNW AERO 44 MPH WNW RMY 45
1/2 29/11/20/-7/0.00/0.0/457/83 35 WNW AERO 35 MPH WNW RMY 33
1/3 23/2/13/-13/0.00/0.0/529/96 24 WNW AERO 23 MPH WNW RMY 23
1/4 38/19/29/+3/0.00/0.0/320/58 35 W AERO 36 MPH W RMY 36
1/5 40/27/34/+8/0.00/0.0/536/97 36 WNW AERO 37 MPH WNW RMY 38
1/6 42/27/35/+9/T/0.1/471/85 29 SW AERO 29 MPH SW RMY 29
1/7 38/27/33/+7/0.00/0.0/538/97 29 NW AERO 27 MPH NW RMY N/A
1/8 45/27/36/+10/0.00/0.0/428/77 39 SW AERO 42 MPH SW RMY 41
1/9 42/31/37/+11/T/0.0/033/06 40 W AERO 39 MPH W RMY N/A
1/10 45/32/39/+14/0.00/0.0/548/98 47 WNW AERO 48 MPH WNW RMY 50
1/11 38/29/34/+9/0.15/0.0/050/09 23 SE AERO 21 MPH SE RMY 23
1/12 43/35/40/+15/0.02/0.0/000/00 21 SE AERO 18 MPH SE RMY 15
1/13 50/41/46/+21/0.01/0.0/000/00 30 SW AERO 30 MPH SW RMY N/A
1/14 59/40/50/+25/T/0.0/175/31 36 S AERO 37 MPH S RMY 39
1/15 40/33/37/+12/T/0.0/045/08 17 N AERO 16 MPH NNW RMY 17
1/16 33/29/31/+6/0.45/3.5/000/00 16 NNE AERO 14 MPH N RMY 15
1/17 39/28/34/+9/0.00/0.0/519/91 36 WNW AERO 35 MPH WNW RMY 32
1/18 28/16/22/-3/0.00/0.0/566/99 39 NW AERO 39 MPH NW RMY 43
1/19 47/21/34/+9/0.00/0.0/350/61 46 SSW AERO 45 MPH SSW RMY 48
1/20 52/26/39/+14/0.00/0.0/408/71 48 SW AERO 52 MPH SW RMY 51
1/21 26/18/22/-3/0.06/0.9/144/25 35 WNW AERO 32 MPH WNW RMY N/A
1/22 23/10/17/-8/T/T/544/94 35 WNW AERO 30 MPH WNW RMY 35
1/23 15/4/10/-15/0.00/0.0/569/98 39 W AERO 35 MPH W RMY 37
1/24 17/0/9/-16/0.00/0.0/583/100 43 WNW AERO 39 MPH WNW RMY 44
1/25 22/4/13/-12/0.05/0.6/386/66 33 WNW AERO 27 MPH WNW RMY 32
1/26 23/9/16/-9/0.01/0.1/488/83 35 WNW AERO 31 MPH WNW RMY 33
1/27 29/9/19/-6/0.00/0.0/590/100 32 NW AERO 28 MPH NW RMY 31
1/28 29/17/23/-2/0.16/0.9/000/00 20 WNW AERO 14 MPH WNW RMY N/A
1/29 33/25/29/+4/0.06/0.0/000/00 17 SSE AERO 14 MPH SSE RMY N/A
1/30 59/33/46/+20/0.08/0.0/006/01 50 SSW AERO 48 MPH SSW RMY N/A
1/31 58/29/44/+18/0.37/0.0/228/38 74 S AERO 81 MPH S RMY N/A

2/1 32/19/26/0/T/T/…/… 39 WSW AERO 38 MPH W RMY 42
2/2 30/15/23/-3/0/0/…/… 28 SSW AERO 23 MPH SSW RMY 28
2/3 26/19/23/-3/0.08/1.2/…/.. 22 WSW AERI 21 NOG WSW RNT N/A

2/4 this morning’s low was 17F; the normal low is now 17F

DAILY RECORDS FOR JANUARY 2013
1/31 – TIED DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 58F;
ties the record of 58F in 1913, 1947

DAILY RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 2013
None so far.

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

RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 4
HIGH 63F IN 1991
LOW -4F IN 1886, 1908
PRECIP 1.80 INS. IN 1926
SNOWFALL 15.0 INS. IN 1961
PEAK GUST 89 MPH SSE IN 1972

RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 5
HIGH 65F IN 1991
LOW -14F IN 1918
PRECIP 1.55 INS. IN 2001
SNOWFALL 16.0 INS. IN 1907
PEAK GUST 67 MPH WNW IN 1969

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling/Patrick Peters