Wednesday, May 18, 2022

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

WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0420E
SUNSET:  1902E

PICK OF THE WEEK – MILD, LOW HUMIDITY, EASING BREEZE….

After a recent stretch of exceptionally warm temperatures
and afternoon instability, a gorgeous day is unfolding.
High pressure is in control resulting in clear skies and a
mercury in the low-70s. Yesterday’s peak gust of 44 MPH
is a distant memory as winds have been easing throughout
the day.

Dew point readings have been slipping, too – beginning in the
upper 30s at the initial 7a observation to values in the
mid-20s this afternoon! With such low relative humidity, today
marks yet another day with elevated fire danger. Blue Hill
Reservation has recorded about half a dozen brush fires thus
far this year!

Visibility has been holding between 70-75 miles. If it wasn’t for
the pollen, visibility would likely be approaching 90 miles.

The high so far today is 70F, which is 3 degrees above the
normal maximum of 67F. The low since midnight is 49F, which
equals the normal minimum of 49F.

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 54F; Dew Point: 37F; Relative Humidity: 52%
Wind: WNW @ 16G30
Peak Wind: 35 MPH (30kts) WNW @ 6:48 AM
Sea-level pressure: 1010.9 mb; 29.85 in. Hg: Rising, then falling
Visibility: 75 miles
6-hr Max temp: 54F
6-hr Min temp: 49F
24-hr Precip:  Trace
BHO SA 1155 CLR 75 109/54/37/2916G30/985/ PK WND 2930/48/
8/000 50008 70000 10054 20049

10 A.M.
Weather: Clear (few cirrus distant S-NW)
Temperature: 62F; Dew Point: 33F; Relative Humidity: 33%
Wind: NW @ 15G25 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1012.6 mb; 29.90 in Hg: Rising unsteadily
Visibility: 70 miles
3-hr Precip: 0.00 ins.
BHO SA 1455 CLR 70 126/62/33/3115G25/990/ FEW CI S-NW/ 8/001 52017

1 P.M.
Weather: Clear (few cirrus distant SE-S-NW)
Temperature: 69F, Dew point: 27F; Relative Humidity: 20%
Wind: NW @ 14G22 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1010.9 mb; 29.63 in Hg, falling, then rising
Visibility: 70 miles
6-hr Max temp: 70F
6-hr Min temp: 54F
6-hr Precip:  0.00 ins.
BHO SA 1755 CLR 70 110/69/27/3114G22/985/ FEW CI DSNT SE-S-NW/ 8/001
57016 10070 20054

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SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2022

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….73     NORMAL…..67
MIN…….53     NORMAL…..49
MEAN……63     NORMAL…..58

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL…….+5
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH………………+16 [+0.7 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2021 THRU JUN 2022)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………..2  DEPARTURE……..-6
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………166  DEPARTURE……. -2
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON……….5530  DEPARTURE……-525
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…..5500  DEPARTURE…….+30

COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JAN 2022 THRU DEC 2022)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………..0  DEPARTURE……..-1
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH………….24  DEPARTURE…….+15
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………24  DEPARTURE…….+12
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……..1  DEPARTURE…….+23

PEAK WIND GUST (MPH):
Official (1-Sec AVG)…….44 W   @  3:51 P.M.
AEROVANE……………….N/A
VECTOR #2 (Instantaneous)..47     @  3:45 P.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………43 W   @  3:52 P.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..47 W   @ 11:43 A.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 #1………OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
MERLIN………OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………30 WNW @ 10:40 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..32     @  4:20 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………33 WNW @ 10:40 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..31 W   @  4:20 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 #1 AVERAGE……OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL……..17.2 W [413 total miles] VECTOR #2………………17.7
DAVIS #2……………….17.9 WNW
RMY #2…………………17.4 WNW
RMY #1……….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……TRACE  DEPARTURE…..-0.12
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH………….0.70  DEPARTURE…..-1.33
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR………….16.98  DEPARTURE…..-3.83

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
M:    Missing data

5/01  69/40/55/+2/0.00/786/93             25 SSE AERO 25 SSE RMY 27
5/02  58/42/50/-4/0.21/059/07             21 NE  AERO 19 NE  RMY 20
5/03  57/43/50/-4/0.23/229/27             23 ENE AERO 22 ENE RMY 24
5/04  52/45/49/-5/0.14/000/00             19 NW  AERO 18 SE  RMY 19
5/05  70/46/58/+3/0.00/666/78             23 NNW AERO 21 NNW RMY 23
5/06  63/49/56/+1/0.00/051/06             20 S   AERO 18 S   RMY 21
5/07  49/42/46/-9/0.00/112/13             48 ENE AERO 51 ENE RMY 50
5/08  51/40/46/-9/0.00/621/72             43 ENE AERO N/A    RMY 47
5/09  54/39/47/-9/0.00/838/97             43 ENE AERO N/A    RMY 46
5/10  57/43/50/-6/0.00/866/100            44 ENE AERO N/A    RMY 46
5/11  58/43/51/-5/0.00/182/21             36 NE  AERO N/A    RMY 38
5/12  68/48/58/+1/T/487/56                17 ENE AERO N/A    RMY 18
5/13  82/56/69/+12/0.00/619/71            33 SSW AERO N/A    RMY 34
5/14  85/63/74/+17/0.02/621/71            33 SW  AERO N/A    RMY 34
5/15  78/62/70/+13/0.03/394/45            23 SW  AERO N/A    RMY 24
5/16  83/58/71/+13/0.07/623/71            40 SSW AERO N/A    RMY 45
5/17  73/53/63/+5/T/…/..                44 W   AERO N/A    RMY 47

5/18  The low since midnight is 49F, the daily normal low is 49F

DAILY RECORDS

05/14/2022: NEW HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORD OF 63F,
PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 60F SET IN 1944.

05/14/2022: TIED RECORD HIGH OF 85F, PREVIOUSLY SET IN 1961

05/15/2022: NEW RECORD HIGH MINIMUM WAS SET OF 62F,
PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 58F set in 1896, 1961, and 2004.

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

RECORDS FOR MAY 18
HIGH 96F IN 2017(RECORD FOR MAY)
LOW 35F IN 2002
PRECIP 1.93 INS IN 2007
SNOW TRACE IN 2002 (Ice pellets)
PEAK GUST 64 MPH SSW IN 2000

RECORDS FOR MAY 19
HIGH 91F IN 1962
LOW 34F IN 2002
PRECIP 1.54 INCHES IN 1900
PEAK GUST 58 MPH NW IN 1964

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Andrew Swanson