Monday, February 20, 2023

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

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2023
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0634E
SUNSET:  1723E

LOTS OF CLOUDS, BUT WARM (FOR FEBRUARY STANDARDS)….

Clouds have dominated the sky today with only a touch of
very filtered sunshine for a time. Regardless, temperatures
have risen nicely into the upper 50s here on the Hill.
It even felt a touch humid this morning with the dew point
in the mid 40s, however a sharp drop is occurring early this
afternoon with readings now in the low to mid 30s by the 1pm
observation.

The wind was steady, but generally 8-12mph this morning on
average, however it has picked up late this morning into
early this afternoon as a weak front has passed through.
Gusts are exceeding 30mph early this afternoon. The wind
was out of the southwest this morning, but has veered more
toward the west following the frontal passage.

Visibility has been limited all day due to haziness. It was
only around 15 miles early this morning, but has improved to
around 40 miles early this afternoon.

The high so far today is 58F, which is 20 degrees above the
normal maximum of 38F. The low since midnight is 44F, which
is 24 degrees above the normal low of 20F.

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Overcast altostratus, few stratocumulus distant NNE-E-SSE
Temperature: 45F; Dew Point: 44F; Relative Humidity: 95%
Wind: SW @ 10 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1008.4 mb; 29.78 in. Hg: falling, then more slowly
Visibility: 15 miles, thin fog
6-hr Max temp: 47F
6-hr Min temp: 45F
24-hr Precip:  0.00 ins.
24-hr Snowfall: 0.0 ins.
Snow Depth: 0 ins.
BHO SA 1155 E180 OVC 15 084/45/44/2210/978/ FEW SC DSNT NNE-E-SSE
THN F ALQDS/ 8/52/ 56032 10047 20045

10 A.M.
Weather: Overcast cirrostratus, few stratocumulus distant ESE-SSW,
few altostratus/altocumulus distant NW-N
Temperature: 50F; Dew Point: 43F; Relative Humidity: 77%
Wind: SW @ 7 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1006.3mb; 29.72 in. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 30 miles, hazy
3-hr Precip:  0.00 ins.
3-hr Snowfall: 0.0 ins.
BHO SA 1455 E200 OVC 30 063/50/43/2307/972/ FEW SC DSNT ESE-SSW
FEW AS/AC DSNT NW-N HAZY/ 8/577 58021

1 P.M.
Weather: Broken altocumulus, broken cirrostratus,
few stratocumulus all quadrants
Temperature: 56F; Dew Point: 33F; Relative Humidity: 40%
Wind: W @ 18G28 kts, peak wind W 32mph at 12:49 P.M.
Sea-level pressure: 1002.9 mb; 29.62 in. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 60 miles
6-hr Max temp: 58F
6-hr Min temp: 45F
6-hr Precip:  0.00 ins.
6-hr Snowfall: 0.0 ins.
Snow Depth: 0 ins.
BHO SA 1755 E75 BKN 200 BKN 60 029/56/33/2618G28/962/
FEW SC ALQDS PK WND 2628/49/ 8/578 58034 10058 20045

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SUMMARY FOR SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2023

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….44   NORMAL…..38
MIN…….30   NORMAL…..20
MEAN……37   NORMAL…..29

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL………+8
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH……………….+129 [+6.6 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2022 THRU JUN 2023)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………28  DEPARTURE……..-8
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..586  DEPARTURE……-129
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………3409  DEPARTURE……-709
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….3773  DEPARTURE……-364

PEAK WIND GUST (MPH):
Note: Instruments designated #1 = Main Tower, #2 = South Tower,
420C, Contacting, Merlin and Richards are all Main Tower.

420C (Official)…………32 S   @  4:22 P.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….35 S   @  4:43 P.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….33     @  5:02 P.M.
DAVIS #1……………….38 S   @  4:35 P.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………39 S   @  7:09 P.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..M
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..36 SSW @  5:03 P.M.
MERLIN…………………32 S
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……33     @  4:52 P.M.

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………25 S   @  4:54 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..26     @  4:36 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..26     @  5:03 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………26 S   @  4:36 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………30 S   @  5:03 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..M
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..27 SSW @  5:03 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE………25     @  4:36 P.M.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL……13.7 S [329 total miles] VECTOR #1…………….M
VECTOR #2…………….14.2
DAVIS #1……………..13.2 SW
DAVIS #2……………..14.7 SSW
RMY #1……………….M
RMY #2……………….14.3 SW
RICHARDS (C5C)………..M

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.00 DEPARTURE…..-0.15
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..0.07 DEPARTURE…..-2.54
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR……………6.86 DEPARTURE…..-0.25

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…………..0.0 DEPARTURE……-0.6
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH………………..0.2 DEPARTURE…..-12.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON (2022-2023)……15.1 DEPARTURE…..-31.1

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PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOW/SUN(MIN)/SUN(%)/PEAK GUST/VEC1/RMY GUST
VEC1: Vector #1 1-second gust
RMY:  R.M. Young wind gust recording system (Instantaneous)
TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day)
….: Data not yet available, records not finalized
M:    Missing data

2/1   30/18/24/-2/T/T/552/92              17 NW   VEC1 N/A    RMY 20
2/2   38/19/29/+3/0.00/0.0/518/86         25 SW   VEC1 N/A    RMY 29
2/3   28/-11/9/-17/T/T/557/92             56 WNW  VEC1 N/A    RMY 64
2/4   14/-14/0/-26/0.00/0.0/473/78        45 NW   VEC1 N/A    RMY 51
2/5   49/14/32/+5/0.00/0.0/359/59         38 SW   VEC1 N/A    RMY 43
2/6   47/30/39/+12/0.00/0.0/025/04        28 NE   VEC1 N/A    RMY 29
2/7   31/22/27/0/0.01/0.1/461/75          29 SSW  VEC1 N/A    RMY 33
2/8   46/31/39/+12/0.00/0.0/413/67        30 NW   VEC1 N/A    RMY 34
2/9   49/33/41/+14/T/0.0/149/24           31 SSE  VEC1 N/A    RMY 32
2/10  60/31/46/+19/0.00/0.0/603/97        43 W    VEC1 N/A    RMY 51
2/11  43/31/37/+10/0.00/0.0/625/100       41 WNW  VEC1 N/A    RMY 46
2/12  48/28/38/+10/0.00/0.0/339/54        22 SW   VEC1 N/A    RMY 24
2/13  42/33/38/+10/0.00/0.0/069/11        28 NE   VEC1 N/A    RMY 36
2/14  50/34/42/+14/0.00/0.0/…/..        30 NW   VEC1 33     RMY 35
2/15  56/35/46/+18/0.00/0.0/…/..        39 SSW  VEC1 44     RMY 49
2/16  61/50/56/+28/T/0.0/…/..           29 W    VEC1 31     RMY 34
2/17  56/23/40/+11/0.06/0.1/…/..        44 NNW  VEC1 46     RMY 46
2/18  39/19/29/0/0.00/0.0/…/..          41 NW   VEC1 42     RMY 47
2/19  44/30/37/+8/0.00/0.0/…/..         32 S    VEC1 35     RMY 36

2/20  The low since midnight is 44F, the daily normal low is 20F

DAILY RECORDS

02/03/2023: NEW RECORD MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF -11F,
THIS BEATS THE OLD RECORD OF -7F SET IN 1955

02/04/2023: NEW RECORD MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF -14F,
THIS BEATS THE OLD RECORD OF -4F SET IN 1886 AND 1908

02/10/2023: NEW RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 60F,
THIS BEATS THE OLD RECORD OF 56F SET IN 1909

02/16/2023: NEW RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 50F,
THIS BEATS THE OLD RECORD OF 41F SET IN 1976. THIS ALSO
TIES THE WARMEST MINIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR FEBRUARY SET
IN 2018

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

RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 20
HIGH 68F IN 2018
LOW -4F IN 1966
PRECIP 1.90 INCHES IN 1934
SNOWFALL 15.0 INCHES IN 1921,1934
PEAK GUST 78 MPH NW IN 1972

RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 21
HIGH 70F IN 2018
LOW -6F IN 1950
PRECIP 2.42 INCHES IN 1898
SNOWFALL 9.0 INCHES IN 1929
PEAK GUST 72 MPH WNW IN 1967

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas