Tuesday, January 30, 2024
BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2024
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0700E
SUNSET: 1655E
OCEAN EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS FINALLY COME TO AN END, CLOUDY AND
COLD WITH A BRISK WIND THIS AFTERNOON….
Ocean effect snow showers developed late yesterday afternoon,
and continued through the overnight hours and well into this
morning, finally coming to an end between 11am-12pm. 0.4″ of
snow accumulated during the heaviest burst between 5am-7am. 0.07″
of liquid was measured through 7am, which an additional 0.01″
measured between 7am-1pm.
Clouds linger into early this afternoon with a cold wind blowing
off the ocean. Despite the wind being off the “warm” ocean, cold
air advection from Quebec is taking place, and temperatures were
actually gradually falling all morning, before rebounding a bit
early this afternoon. The low temperature for the day so far
actually occurred just after 11am with a reading of 24F.
The dew point started falling pretty sharply just after noon,
with readings dropping from the mid 20s to the upper teens by
1pm.
The wind has been steady and brisk, mainly out of a east-
northeasterly direction since early this morning. The average
speed for the day so far is around 10mph. The peak gust thus far
is around 26mph, occurring just after noon time.
Visibility has been gradually improving as the snow ends and the
moisture content in the air decreases. The view was generally
between 5-15 miles this morning, improving to around 25 miles
early this afternoon.
The maximum temperature so far today is 30F degrees, which
occurred at midnight. This is 4 degrees below to the normal high
of 34F. The minimum temperature so far since midnight is 24F
degrees, this is 7 degrees above the normal low of 17F.
It’s no secret that January has been very wet in terms of overall
precipitation. The monthly total as of 7am this morning is 9.23″.
This ranks as the 5th wettest January on record. Here is the
rankings list as compiled by our Chief Scientist, Mike Iacono.
BHO Highest January Precipitation, inches (1886-2024):
1) 11.61 in 1979
2) 10.97 in 1958
3) 9.85 in 1978
4) 9.56 in 1956
5) 9.23 in 2024 (through 1/30)
6) 8.49 in 1996
7) 8.47 in 1999
8) 8.41 in 1936
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Today’s Observations:
7 A.M.
Weather: Overcast stratocumulus, very light snow
Temperature: 26F; Dew Point: 24F; Relative Humidity: 92%
Wind: E @ 7 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1023.3 mb; 30.22 in. Hg: rising, then more rapidly
Visibility: 12 miles, 5 miles S-SSW, 8 miles NE-E, 20 miles NW-NNW
6-hr Max temp: 29F
6-hr Min temp: 26F
24-hr Precip: 0.07 inches
24-hr Snowfall: 0.4 inches
Snow Depth: 2 inches
BHO SA 1155 E10 OVC 12S- 233/26/24/0807/022/ PCPN VRY LGT VSBY 5 S-SSW
8 NE-E 20 NW-NNW TOTAL NEW SNW PST 24 HRS 0.4 INS/ 8/5// 4/002 53021
6005/ 70007 10029 20026
10 A.M.
Weather: Overcast stratocumulus, light snow
Temperature: 26F; Dew Point: 24F; Relative Humidity: 94%
Wind: ENE @ 11G20 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1025.4 mb; 30.28 in. Hg: rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 8 miles, 5 miles SSW-W, 12 miles N-NNE
3-hr Precip: 0.01 inches
3-hr Snowfall: Trace
BHO SA 1455 E12 OVC 8S- 254/26/24/0711G20/028/ VSBY 5 SSW-W 12 N-NNE
TOTAL NEW SNW PST 3 HRS TRACE/ 8/5// 51021 6001/
1 P.M.
Weather: Overcast stratocumulus
Temperature: 25F; Dew Point: 19F; Relative Humidity: 76%
Wind: ENE @ 12G21 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1024.5 mb; 30.25 in. Hg: rising, then falling
Visibility: 25 miles
6-hr Max temp: 27F
6-hr Min temp: 24F
6-hr Precip: 0.01 inches
6-hr Snowfall: Trace
Snow Depth: 2 inches
BHO SA 1755 E24 OVC 25 245/25/19/0712G21/025/ TOTAL NEW SNW PST 6 HRS
TRACE/ 8/5// 4/002 58009 6001/ 10027 20024
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SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, JANUARY 29, 2024
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….34 NORMAL…..34
MIN…….29 NORMAL…..17
MEAN……32 NORMAL…..26
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL…………+6
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH………………….+117 [+3.8 DEGREES/DAY]
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2023 THRU JUN 2024)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………33 DEPARTURE……..-6
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..994 DEPARTURE……-121
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………2889 DEPARTURE……-436
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….2766 DEPARTURE……+123
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)……….E38 N @ 11:06 A.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….38 N @ 11:06 A.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….37 NNE @ 03:22 P.M.
DAVIS #1……………….33 NNE @ 11:06 A.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………35 NE @ 03:13 P.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..39 N @ 11:06 A.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..38 NNE @ 03:22 P.M.
MERLIN…………………35 N
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……38 @ 11:06 A.M.
FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………26 NNE @ 03:14 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..24 @ 11:08 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..25 @ 11:08 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………23 NNE @ 03:14 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………24 NE @ 03:14 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..24 N @ 11:08 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..24 NNE @ 11:08 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE………24 @ 11:08 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL……14.4 N [345 total miles]
VECTOR #1…………….13.9
VECTOR #2…………….14.3
DAVIS #1……………..13.7 NNE
DAVIS #2……………..13.7 NNE
RMY #1……………….13.7 N
RMY #2……………….14.0 NNE
RICHARDS (C5C)………..13.9
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.07 DEPARTURE…..-0.07
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..9.23 DEPARTURE…..+5.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR (2024)……..9.23 DEPARTURE…..+5.00
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…………..0.4 DEPARTURE……-0.2
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………….20.6 DEPARTURE……+3.4
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON (2023-2024)……20.9 DEPARTURE…..-11.4
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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 50/38/44/+18/0.18/0.0/088/15 35 SW VEC1 34 SSW RMY 36
1/26 40/35/38/+12/0.69/0.0/000/00 23 ESE VEC1 23 ESE RMY 23
1/27 36/33/35/+9/0.06/0.0/000/00 20 NNE VEC1 20 NNE RMY 19
1/28 35/31/33/+7/0.70/0.6/000/00 33 NNE VEC1 33 NNE RMY 35
1/29 34/29/32/+6/0.13/0.9/018/03 38 N VEC1 38 N RMY 39
1/30 The low since midnight is 24F, 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 30
HIGH 60F IN 1914
LOW -8F IN 1948
PRECIP 1.12 INS. IN 1925
SNOWFALL 6.5 INS. IN 1986
PEAK GUST 76 MPH WNW IN 1962
RECORDS FOR JANUARY 31
HIGH 58F IN 1947, 2013
LOW -12F IN 1920
PRECIP 1.03 INS. IN 1914
SNOWFALL 9.0 INS. IN 1898
PEAK GUST 75 MPH NW IN 1974
TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas
