Friday, January 26, 2024

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

FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 2024
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0704E
SUNSET:  1650E

A RAINY, DAMP DAY WITH PERSISTING FOGGY CONDITIONS
ON BLUE HILL TODAY….

The overnight hours left us with 0.33 inches of rain in
the gauge with an additional 0.34 inches by 1pm. That brings
our total rain for the month above 8″, which is nearly 4.5″
over the normal! It is very obvious that we are saturated here,
as most areas around the observatory and the instrument
enclosure have puddles or standing water.

Temperatures today are slightly above normal, though it doesn’t
feel that way with the sun out of sight and the rain and wind
working in overdrive. The most significant anomaly has been
the low temperature, which has been more than 10 degrees above
normal since Tuesday.

The wind has been steady and generally from the east, with
an occasional shift from the ESE and NE during the late
morning hours. By the afternoon, the wind shifted back to an
easterly direction. The average speed for the day so far is
around 10mph. The current peak gust is around 23mph, which
occurred just after 6am this morning.

Visibility has been impacted greatly by the fog and rainy
conditions. The sky has been obscured throughout the day
and we have had less than half a mile visibility for all of
today’s scheduled observations.

The maximum temperature so far today is 38F degrees, this is
4 degrees above the normal high of 34F. The minimum temperature
so far since midnight is 35F degrees, this is 18 degrees above
the normal low of 17F.

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Sky obscured, light drizzle
Temperature: 35F; Dew Point: 35F; Relative Humidity: 100%
Wind: E @ 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1022.4 mb; 30.19 in. Hg: falling, then
more slowly
Visibility: 1/8 mile, fog
6-hr Max temp: 38F
6-hr Min temp: 35F
24-hr Precip: 0.33 inches
24-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow Depth: 0.0 inches
BHO SA 1155 X W2 1/8L-F 224/35/35/1008/019/ 8//// 56014 70033
10038 20035

10 A.M.
Weather: Sky obscured, light rain
Temperature: 37F; Dew Point: 37F; Relative Humidity: 100%
Wind: NE @ 9 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1022.0 mb; 30.18 in. Hg: falling, then
steady
Visibility: 1/4 mile, fog
3-hr Precip: 0.30 inches
3-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
BHO SA 1455 X W2 1/4R-F 220/37/37/0509/018/ 8//// 56004 6030/

1 P.M.
Weather: Sky obscured, light drizzle, precipitation very light
Temperature: 38F; Dew Point: 38F; Relative Humidity: 100%
Wind: ENE @ 7 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1017.4 mb; 30.04 in. Hg: falling, then
more slowly
Visibility: 1/4 mile, fog
6-hr Max temp: 39F
6-hr Min temp: 35F
6-hr Precip: 0.34 inches
6-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow Depth: 0 inches
BHO SA 1755 X W2 1/4L-F 174/38/38/0607/004/ PCPN VRY LGT/ 8////
56046 6034/ 10039 20035

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SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….50   NORMAL…..34
MIN…….39   NORMAL…..17
MEAN……45   NORMAL…..26

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL………..+19
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH…………………..+84 [+3.2 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2023 THRU JUN 2024)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………20  DEPARTURE…….-19
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..872  DEPARTURE…….-86
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………2767  DEPARTURE……-401
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….2664  DEPARTURE……+103

PEAK WIND GUST (MPH):
Note: Instruments designated #1 = Main Tower, #2 = South Tower,
F420C, Contacting, Merlin, and Richards are all Main Tower.
E=Estimated

F420C (Official)……….E35 SW   @  05:20 A.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….34 SSW  @  01:32 A.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….33 WSW  @  05:20 A.M.
DAVIS #1……………….33 S    @  12:53 A.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………32 S    @  12:50 A.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..36 SW   @  05:20 A.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..33 SSW  @  12:50 A.M.
MERLIN…………………20 W
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……35      @  05:20 A.M.

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………25 SSW  @  01:41 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..24      @  01:11 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..24      @  01:51 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………24 S    @  01:11 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………24 SSW  @  01:41 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..24 SSW  @  01:51 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..24 SW   @  01:51 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE………23      @  01:11 A.M.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL……12.8 ENE [308 total miles] VECTOR #1…………….12.4
VECTOR #2…………….13.3
DAVIS #1……………..13.2 S
DAVIS #2……………..13.3 SSW
RMY #1……………….12.6 NE
RMY #2……………….13.2 NNE
RICHARDS (C5C)………..12.5

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.33 DEPARTURE…..+0.19
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..7.93 DEPARTURE…..+4.26
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR (2024)……..7.93 DEPARTURE…..+4.26

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…………..0.0 DEPARTURE……-0.6
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………….18.7 DEPARTURE……+4.2
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON (2023-2024)……19.0 DEPARTURE…..-10.6

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PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JANUARY CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOW/SUN(MIN)/SUN(%)/PEAK GUST/VEC1/RMY GUST
PEAK GUST: F420C (Official)
VEC1: Vector #1 1-second gust
RMY:  R.M. Young #1 wind gust recording system (Instantaneous)
TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day)
….: Data not yet available, records not finalized
M:    Missing data

1/1   37/25/31/+2/0.00/0.0/296/54         15 N   VEC1 14 N   RMY 15
1/2   39/19/29/+1/0.00/0.0/550/100        17 WNW VEC1 17 WNW RMY 17
1/3   42/25/34/+6/0.00/0.0/347/63         20 WNW VEC1 21 WNW RMY 21
1/4   42/21/32/+4/T/T/237/43              37 NNW VEC1 36 NNW RMY 39
1/5   32/17/25/-3/0.00/0.0/542/98         40 NW  VEC1 39 NW  RMY 39
1/6   34/24/29/+1/0.11/0.2/022/04         36 E   VEC1 36 E   RMY 36
1/7   33/21/27/0/0.84/13.0/000/00         38 ENE VEC1 37 ENE RMY 42
1/8   32/21/27/0/0.00/0.0/406/73          28 NW  VEC1 28 NW  RMY 31
1/9   40/23/32/+5/0.98/T/000/00           46 SE  VEC1 49 SE  RMY 46
1/10  53/41/47/+20/1.90/0.0/201/36        70 SSE VEC1 69 SSE RMY 75
1/11  43/35/39/+12/0.00/0.0/162/29        45 WNW VEC1 43 WNW RMY 47
1/12  47/33/40/+13/0.00/0.0/533/95        29 SE  VEC1 28 ESE RMY 28
1/13  57/36/47/+21/1.72/0.0/146/26        47 ESE VEC1 51 ESE RMY 49
1/14  39/22/31/+5/0.02/0.4/328/58         53 WNW VEC1 52 WNW RMY 54
1/15  31/17/24/-2/T/T/475/84              30 WNW VEC1 29 WNW RMY 30
1/16  34/19/27/+1/0.61/3.2/000/00         36 NW  VEC1 33 NW* RMY 31*
1/17  25/13/19/-7/0.00/0.0/529/93         29 NW  VEC1 28 W*  RMY 27*
1/18  26/13/20/-6/0.00/0.0/069/12         30 WSW VEC1 30 WSW RMY 29
1/19  27/16/22/-4/T/T/000/00              31 NW  VEC1 30 NW  RMY 34
1/20  20/10/15/-11/0.05/0.7/172/30        30 NW  VEC1 30 NW  RMY 31
1/21  25/10/18/-8/0.00/0.0/513/89         30 NW  VEC1 31 NW  RMY 32
1/22  37/13/25/-1/0.00/0.0/416/72         35 SW  VEC1 35 SW  RMY 36
1/23  38/30/34/+8/0.07/0.5/006/01         30 WSW VEC1 30 WSW RMY 31
1/24  39/29/34/+8/0.40/0.7/000/00         26 S   VEC1 26 S   RMY 26
1/25  50/39/26/+19/…/0.0/…/..         35 SW  VEC1 34 SSW RMY 36

1/26 The low since midnight is 35F, the daily normal low is 17F

* Reading impacted by icing

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JANUARY DAILY RECORDS TO DATE

1/13: RECORD PRECIPITATION OF 1.72 INS,
BEATS PREVIOUS RECORD OF 1.54 INS SET IN 1979

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

RECORDS FOR JANUARY 26
HIGH 68F IN 1950 [RECORD HIGH TIE FOR MONTH] LOW -5F IN 1920
PRECIP 1.60 INS. IN 1958
SNOW 9.0 INS. IN 1898
WIND 90e MPH SE IN 1978

RECORDS FOR JANUARY 27
HIGH 63F IN 1974
LOW -12F IN 1924
PRECIP 1.94 INS. IN 2015
SNOWFALL 25.2 INS. IN 2015 [RECORD FOR MONTH] PEAK GUST 91 MPH SSE IN 1996

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Amanda Joly