Friday, April 3, 2015
BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 2015
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
VERY MILD TEMPERATURES ARRIVE ON THURSDAY
A VERY MILD MORNING LOW OF 47F FRIDAY MORNING
LIGHT RAIN AND RAIN SHOWERS OVERNIGHT THURSDAY
EVENING INTO EARLY FRIDAY MORNING LEFT ONLY
0.01 OF AN INCH
A maximum temperature of 59F was reached Thursday
afternoon, April 2 at about 2:45 P.M. EDT. This was
the highest it has been since 61 degrees on December 25th.
Showers, which arrived during Thursday evening, turned
out to be quite light with only a trace for April 2.
We managed to squeeze out 0.01 inch during the early
morning hours of today, April 3.
Temperatures were forecast to reach the 60’s today but
were still in the low 50’s at mid-morning.
The month of March averaged 4.3 degrees colder than normal,
and also finished 2.33 inches of total liquid precipitation
drier than normal. Snowfall however, was just about normal,
with 13.3 inches falling, just 0.6 inches above the norm.
A cold March along with an even colder January through
February have resulted in the coldest start to
any year since 1934:
BHO Coldest Jan-Mar Mean Temperature, deg F (1885-2015)
1) 21.4 in 1885
2) 22.1 in 1923
3) 22.8 in 1904
4) 23.2 in 1888
5) 23.5 in 1920
23.5 in 1934
7) 23.6 in 1893
23.6 in 1912
9) 23.8 in 2015
10) 24.2 in 1916
BHO Coldest Jan-Mar Average Minimum Temperature, deg F (1885-2015)
1) 13.4 in 1885
2) 14.9 in 1923
3) 15.0 in 2015
4) 15.2 in 1888
15.2 in 1934
6) 15.3 in 1904
7) 16.6 in 1920
8) 16.7 in 1912
9) 16.8 in 1887
16.8 in 1893
Average monthly wind speeds were once again below the long
term norm, and have tied for the fifth slowest average
wind speed for March:
BHO Lowest March Wind Speed, mph (1885-2015)
1) 12.1 in 1995
2) 12.8 in 2012
3) 13.1 in 2014
4) 13.2 in 2009
5) 13.4 in 2013
13.4 in 2015
7) 13.6 in 1898
13.6 in 2005
Two significant records were broken during the month of
March, including most notably, the snowiest season on
record here at Blue Hill Observatory in 130 years. As of
today, here is the most up to date list of the snowfall
for this season:
BHO Greatest Seasonal Snowfall, inches (1885-2015):
1) 150.8 in 2014-2015 (through 1 PM March 31st)
2) 144.4 in 1995-1996
3) 136.0 in 1947-1948
4) 119.4 in 2004-2005
5) 113.1 in 2002-2003
6) 111.5 in 1915-1916
7) 109.6 in 1966-1967
8) 106.8 in 1955-1956
9) 103.4 in 1903-1904
10)102.5 in 1922-1923
The second record broken during March came on the 28th
when 5.0 inches of snow fell, setting a new daily record
snowfall, last set in 1932 with 3.0 inches of snow.
——————————————————-
PRELIMINARY STATS FOR MARCH 2015
TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 39.6 [-4.8]
Avg. Min. 22.8 [-3.8]
Mean 31.2 [-4.3]
Corrected mean: 31.0
Max. for month: 55 on 3/11
Min. for month: 5 on 3/6
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units: 1035 [+119]
Total for the season: 5743 [+259] (through March; departure from normal)
Total for last season: 5627 [+143] (through March; departure from normal)
PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 3.25 [-2.33]
SNOWFALL, Inches
Total: 13.3 [+0.6]
WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 13.0
Avg. corrected wind speed: 13.4
Prevailing wind direction: NW @ 16%
Peak gust and direction: 53 NW on the 17th
SUNSHINE:
Astronomical total minutes: N/A
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: N/A
For more information about this historic winter, visit our
web site at bluehill.org.
——————————————————-
Today’s Observations:
7 A.M.
Weather: Broken altocumulus and altocumulus of a chaotic sky,
dense cirrus overcast, sun visible, small break in overcast
to the distant WNW-NNW, distant thin fog and haze
Temperature: 50F; Dew Point: 42F; Wind: SW at 12 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.80 ins. Hg, rising, then falling slightly
Visibility: 25 miles, thin fog and haze
6-hr Max temp: 50F
6-hr Min temp: 49F
6-hr precip: 0.01 in.
24-hr precip: 0.01 in.
Snow depth: 3 inches, patchy
BHO SA 1155 E100 BKN 200 OVC 25 091/50/42/2312/980/ AC CHAOTIC
FEW LWR AC DNS CI OVC SML BINOVC DSNT WNW-NNW THN F/HZ ALQDS/
8/092 4/003 50006 MANUAL 6001/ ASOS 60001 MANUAL 70001
ASOS 70002 10050 20049
10 A.M.
Weather: Overcast altocumulus, light rain shower
Temperature: 51F; Dew Point: 43F; Wind: SW at 12 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.82 ins. Hg, rising, then more rapidly
Visibility: 9 miles, light rain shower and thin fog
3=hr precip: trace
BHO SA 1455 E95 OVC 9RW- 099/51/43/2212/982/ THN F RBXX/
8/07/ 53008 MANUAL 6000/
1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, overcast altocumulus
Temperature: 55F; Dew Point: 46F; Wind: SW at 9 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.82 ins. Hg, falling slightly
Visibility: 30 miles, NE 20, WNW 40, hazy in all directions
6-hr Max temp: 56F
6-hr Min temp: 50F
6-HR precip: 0.01 in.
BHO SA 1755 65 SCT E80 OVC 30 097/55/46/2209/982/ FEW BRGHT SPTS
INOVC VSBY NE 20 WNW 40 HAZY ALQDS/ 8/07/ 58002 ASOS 60001
MANUAL 6001/ 10056 20050
SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2015
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..59 NORMAL…..50
MIN…..29 NORMAL…..33
MEAN….44 NORMAL…..41
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL………………………..+3
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH………………………..-3 [-1.5 deg ]
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………..21 DEPARTURE………..-3
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..51 DEPARTURE………..+3
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………..5794 DEPARTURE………+262
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……5672 DIFFERENCE……..+122
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY………………39 SSW AT 6:39 P.M. *
ASOS…………………..42 SSW AT 6:40 P.M.
DAVIS………………….41 SSW AT 6:39 P.M. RMY 43
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY………………..31 SSW AT 4:45 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE……………..32 SSW AT 4:45 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE…………….32 SSW AT 4:45 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION…………..16.0 SSW
ASOS…………………..16.1
DAVIS………………….14.0 SW [220 degrees]
* Last of several occurrences…
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.01 DEPARTURE…..-0.16
ASOS…………..0.02
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH……….0.01 DEPARTURE…..-0.33
ASOS…………..0.02
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR……….14.60 DEPARTURE…..+0.39
ASOS…………..N/A ***
*** ASOS annual totals not available due to erroneous readings
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M………..0.0 DEPARTURE…..-0.2
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………..0.0 DEPARTURE…..-0.4
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON…………..150.8 DEPARTURE….+90.7
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MARCH AND APRIL CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOWFALL/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/RMY 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
3/1 29/14/22/-9/…./…/000/00 25 SSW RMY 25
3/2 35/22/29/-2/…./…/480/71 44 WNW RMY 48
3/3 32/13/23/-9/…./2.8/340/50 33 S RMY N/A
3/4 41/32/37/+5/…./…/000/00 33 SW RMY 36
3/5 36/16/26/-6/0.02/0.2/000/00 28 NW RMY 29
3/6 26/5/16/-16/0.00/0.0/681/99 28 NW RMY 25
3/7 38/13/26/-7/0.00/0.0/567/82 30 WSW RMY 30
3/8 41/25/33/0/T/T/208/30 38 WNW RMY 41
3/9 45/28/37/+4/0.00/0.0/565/81 40 W RMY 39
3/10 52/32/42/+9/…./0.0/252/36 28 S RMY 27
3/11 55/38/47/+13/…./0.0/604/86 37 WNW RMY N/A
3/12 38/23/31/-3/0.00/0.0/677/96 44 N RMY 48
3/13 40/18/29/-5/0.00/0.0/581/82 23 SSW RMY 26
3/14 41/29/35/0/0.84/0.0/000/00 23 SSW RMY 23
3/15 41/24/33/-2/0.03/0.6/021/03 39 NW RMY 39
3/16 44/23/34/-1/0.00/0.0/516/72 28 NW RMY N/A
3/17 48/25/37/+1/0.17/T/173/24 53 NW RMY 63
3/18 30/19/25/-11/0.00/0.0/700/97 51 NW RMY 56
3/19 31/15/23/-13/0.00/0.0/696/96 37 NW RMY 39
3/20 32/19/26/-11/…./…/000/00 17 NNW RMY 15
3/21 41/25/33/-4/…./…/…/.. 36 WNW RMY N/A
3/22 36/17/27/-10/0.00/0.0/…/.. 50 W RMY 55
3/23 31/14/23/-15/0.00/0.0/…/.. 36 WNW RMY 35
3/24 39/16/28/-10/0.00/0.0/…/.. 20 NNW RMY N/A
3/25 48/25/37/-1/0.08/0.0/…/.. 32 S RMY 31
3/26 54/35/45/+6/…./…/…/.. 32 SSW RMY 32
3/27 41/36/39/+0/…./0.0/000/00 22 NNE RMY N/A
3/28 36/26/31/-8/0.44/5.0/000/00 30 NNW RMY 30
3/29 40/21/31/-9/0.00/0.0/…/.. 26 NW RMY N/A
3/30 43/28/36/-4/T/T/…/.. 36 SSW RMY 39
3/31 46/32/39/-2/0.00/0.0/…/.. 28 W RMY 30
4/1 44/26/35/-6/0.00/0.0/…/.. 30 WNW RMY 31
4/2 59/29/44/+3/T/0.0/…/.. 39 SSW RMY 43
4/3 low since midnight is 47F normal low is 33F
DAILY RECORDS FOR MARCH 2015
-3/28 5.0 INCHES OF SNOW FELL. SURPASSED OLD RECORD OF 3.0 INCHES SET
BACK IN 1932.
DAILY RECORDS FOR APRIL 2015
-NONE SO FAR
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
RECORDS FOR APRIL 3
HIGH 76 IN 1892
LOW 16 IN 1894
PRECIP 2.18 IN. IN 1990
SNOWFALL 8.0 IN. IN 1915
PEAK GUST 83e MPH NW IN 1977 [RECORD FOR MONTH]
RECORDS FOR APRIL 4
HIGH 76 IN 2010
LOW 12 IN 1954
PRECIP 1.45 IN. IN 1987
SNOWFALL 3.7 IN. IN 1975
PEAK GUST 80 MPH WNW IN 1963
TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling
