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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

LIMITED VISIBILITY WITH MOSTLY CLOUDY 
CONDITIONS ATOP GREAT BLUE HILL....

We observed a limited visibility of 30 miles on average,
mostly due to a distant haze. Skies became overcast 
after noon, but there was a break to the southwest
before sunset. Wind was light and northeasterly, with 
speeds less than 10 mph. The air is much more moist than
the last couple days, with a humidity around 65%.
 
On the season, the observatory is considerably dry to start
the year in terms of precipitation. With an annual rain total
of 4.82 inches, we are 5.52 inches below the normal amount.
We continue to depart further from our normal seasonal snow
total of 50.6 inches, being 27.0 inches below that amount to
date. 

The high so far today is 45F, this is 2 degrees above the 
normal high of 43F. The low since midnight is 31F, this is 
6 degrees above the normal low of 25F.

Just a reminder, while most of the country observes Daylight
Saving Time, here at Blue Hill Observatory we do not. As such,
all times referred to within this discussion will be in Eastern
Standard Time.


PRELIMINARY STATS FOR FEBRUARY 2020

TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 40.7 [+3.9]
Avg. Min. 25.9 [+6.7]
Mean      33.3 [+5.4]
24-hour corrected mean: 33.0
Max. for month: 60F on the 24th
Min. for month: 4F on the 15th

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units:    911 [-164]
Total for the season:  4140 [-345]
Total for last season: 4485

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 3.20 [-0.87]
Greatest in 24 hrs: N/A 

SNOWFALL, Inches
Total: 0.6 [-13.3]
Greatest in 24 hrs: 0.5 ins. on the 13th

WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 11.5 mph
Avg. corrected wind speed:   12.0 mph
Prevailing wind direction:   W [24%]
Peak gust and direction:     71 WSW on the 7th

SUNSHINE:
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 7596 minutes of possible 17796 or 43%
Astronomical total minutes: 7853 minutes of possible 18422 or 43%


Today's Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Broken cirrus
Temperature: 34F; Dew Point: 22F; Relative Humidity: 62%
Wind: NNE at 9 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.19 ins. Hg: falling, then rising
Visibility: 30 miles, distant haze
6-hr Max temp: 35F
6-hr Min temp: 31F
24-hr Precip:  0.00 ins.
24-hr Snowfall: 0.0 ins.
BHO SA 1155 E250 BKN 30 223/34/22/0209/019/ DSNT HZ ALQDS/ 
8/002 51015 10035 20031

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus, broken altostratus
Temperature: 43F; Dew Point: 31F; Relative Humidity: 62%
Wind: NE at 5 kts, light
Sea-level pressure: 30.25 ins. Hg: rising steadily
Visibility: 30 miles, distant haze
3-hr Precip:  0.00 ins.
3-hr Snowfall: 0.0 ins.
BHO SA 1455 20 SCT E70 BKN 30 241/43/31/0205/025/ DSNT 
HZ ALQDS WND LGT/ 8/410 51018 

1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus, overcast altostratus
Temperature: 44F; Dew Point: 33F; Relative Humidity: 64%
Wind: W at 7 kts 
Sea-level pressure: 30.24 ins. Hg: falling steadily
Visibility: 25 miles, distant haze
6-hr Max temp: 45F
6-hr Min temp: 34F
6-hr Precip:  0.00 ins. 
6-hr Snowfall: 0.0 ins.
BHO SA 1755 20 SCT E70 OVC 25 237/44/33/0307/024/ DSNT HZ 
ALQDS/ 8/410 58004 10045 20034


SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2020 

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....56   NORMAL.....43
MIN.....37   NORMAL.....25
MEAN....47   NORMAL.....34

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL...................+13
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH..................+123 [+11.0 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY...............18  DEPARTURE.......-13
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH..............236  DEPARTURE......-123
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON............4376  DEPARTURE......-551
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.......4900  DEPARTURE......-524

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY....................31 WNW AT  12:57 A.M.  
                   AERO.........................MISSING   
                   ASOS.........................32 WNW AT  12:56 A.M. 
                   DAVIS........................32 W   AT  12:55 A.M. RMY N/A
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY......................22 WNW AT   2:11 A.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE...................21 WNW AT   2:11 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE..................23 WNW AT  12:57 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION...............8.1 WNW                
                   ASOS........................8.1
                   DAVIS.......................8.5 NW [226 deg.]


PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00  DEPARTURE......-0.17
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.16  DEPARTURE......-1.76
                         ASOS..............0.19
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........4.82  DEPARTURE......-5.52
                         ASOS..............5.10

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.0  DEPARTURE.......-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................0.8  DEPARTURE.......-4.8
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............25.6  DEPARTURE......-27.0


PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOW/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

02/01  38/30/34/+8/0.01/T/000/00           14 WSW AERO 14 WSW RMY N/A
02/02  40/30/35/+9/0.00/0.0/078/13         18 W   AERO 18 WNW RMY 18
02/03  44/27/36/+10/0.00/0.0/260/43        28 W   AERO 28 W   RMY 28
02/04  44/33/39/+13/0.00/0.0/055/09        19 E   AERO 16 E   RMY 18
02/05  41/30/36/+10/0.00/0.0/000/00        20 NNW AERO 19 NNW RMY N/A
02/06  31/30/34/+8/0.00/0.0/000/00         29 E   AERO 28 E   RMY 27
02/07  53/25/39/+12/..../0.1/000/00        71 WSW AERO 71 SSW RMY 73
02/08  33/20/27/0/T/T/616/100              46 W   AERO 44 W   RMY 44
02/09  33/15/24/-3/T/T/303/49              30 SSE AERO 29 SSE RMY N/A
02/10  42/33/38/+11/..../0.0/000/00        39 SSW AERO 39 SSW RMY 39
02/11  40/36/38/+11/..../0.0/000/00        24 W   AERO 23 W   RMY N/A
02/12  41/30/36/+9/0.00/0.0/314/50         37 W   AERO 36 W   RMY N/A
02/13  35/31/34/+6/..../0.5/000/00         29 SSW AERO 29 SSW RMY N/A
02/14  33/8/21/-7/0.00/0.0/506/80          32 WNW AERO 32 NW  RMY 34
02/15  27/4/16/-12/0.00/0.0/508/80         31 SSW AERO 31 SSW RMY N/A
02/16  40/23/32/+4/0.00/0.0/006/01         38 SW  AERO 38 SW  RMY N/A
02/17  44/28/36/+8/0.00/0.0/582/91         25 WNW AERO 24 WNW RMY 24
02/18  37/27/32/+3/0.31/T/000/00           26 SE  AERO 26 SE  RMY N/A
02/19  42/25/34/+5/0.00/0.0/530/82         45 W   AERO 46 W   RMY 44
02/20  31/18/25/-4/0.00/0.0/389/60         32 W   AERO 32 W   RMY N/A
02/21  30/11/21/-8/0.00/0.0/651/100        24 NNW AERO 21 N   RMY N/A
02/22  44/23/34/+5/0.00/0.0/647/99         26 W   AERO 24 W   RMY 27
02/23  53/30/42/+12/0.00/0.0/636/97        21 SW  AERO 22 WSW RMY 23
02/24  60/32/46/+16/0.00/0.0/606/92        29 S   AERO 29 SSW RMY 31
02/25  53/40/47/+17/..../0.0/033/05        17 NE  AERO 18 ENE RMY 17
02/26  45/39/42/+12/..../0.0/007/01        23 ENE AERO 24 E   RMY N/A
02/27  49/27/38/+7/0.00/0.0/274/41         51 W   AERO 53 W   RMY 52
02/28  36/25/31/0/0.00/0.0/596/89          38 SW  AERO 38 SW  RMY 36
02/29  35/19/27/-4/0.00/0.0/256/38         32 W   AERO 32 W   RMY 34


PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MARCH CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOW/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

03/01  33/15/24/-7/0.00/0.0/.../..         28 WNW AERO 28 WNW RMY 27
03/02  52/24/38/+7/T/T/.../..              40 S   AERO 39 S   RMY 41
03/03  64/45/55/+23/..../0.0/.../..        30 S   AERO 30 S   RMY N/A
03/04  50/38/44/+12/..../0.0/.../..        56 W   AERO 56 W   RMY 58
03/05  51/32/42/+10/0.00/0.0/.../..        31 W   AERO 31 NW  RMY 32
03/06  47/30/39/+7/..../.../.../..         46 NE  AERO 45 NE  RMY 46
03/07  43/26/35/+2/..../.../.../..         42 N   AERO 43 N   RMY 44
03/08  53/26/40/+7/0.00/0.0/.../..         31 W   AERO 30 W   RMY 28
03/09  72/40/56/+23/0.00/0.0/.../..        32 SW  AERO 32 SW  RMY 31
03/10  68/49/59/+26/0.00/0.0/.../..        48 WSW AERO 46 WSW RMY 49
03/11  56/37/47/+13/0.00/0.0/.../..        31 WNW AERO M  M   RMY 21

03/12 The low since midnight is 31F, daily normal minimum is 25F 


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

RECORDS FOR MARCH 12
HIGH 72 IN 2012
LOW 2 IN 1885
PRECIP 2.87 INS. IN 1888
SNOWFALL 9.7 INS. IN 1959
PEAK GUST 66 MPH SE IN 1962

RECORDS FOR MARCH 13
HIGH 72 IN 1990
LOW -1 IN 1885
PRECIP 2.47 INS. IN 1993
SNOWFALL 23.0 INS. IN 2018
PEAK GUST 76 MPH ENE IN 1993 [THE "STORM OF THE CENTURY"]

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Benjamin Turner