Friday, January 12, 2018
BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2018
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
NEAR RECORD WARMTH TODAY WITH GUSTY WINDS
LIGHT RAIN BEGINS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON
Very mild weather has continued today as strong southerly winds have drawn in
warmer air from the south. After a morning low of only 45F, we climbed to a high
so far of 58F in the late morning before dropping slightly. These are the
warmest temperatures since December 5. Some warm records will likely be set today
and tomorrow. In particular, the high minimum record for today of 42F set in
2017 is almost certain to be broken. So far, we are one degree short of today’s
record high maximum of 59F, also set in 2017. Tomorrow’s record high of 57F set
in 1890 and tied in 1932 is also likely to be challenged early in the day.
Mostly cloudy skies have accompanied this warm weather. Dense fog shrouded the
summit early this morning. Varying degrees of fog have persisted, with a few
brief breaks of sunshine this morning. By the 1PM observation, thick fog had
returned. In addition, light rain began shortly before 12:30 P.M., and heavy
rainfall is forecast for later today into tomorrow. The southerly winds have been
very gusty throughout the day, averaging over 25mph and gusting over 45mph. The
mild air and fog has rapidly melted the snow pack, with the average snow depth
down to only 1 inch this afternoon, and many areas of bare ground which have
turned to mud.
Today’s Observations:
7 A.M.
Weather: Sky obscured by fog, stratus fractus drifting below summit
Temperature: 49F; Dew Point: 49F; Wind: S at 19G29 kts,
Peak Wind: 29kts (33mph) S at 6:51 A.M.
Sea-level pressure: 30.11 ins. Hg, falling
Visibility: 1/2 miles, fog
6-hr Max temp: 49F
6-hr Min temp: 46F
24-hr precip: 0.00 ins.
24-hr snowfall: 0.00 ins.
Snow depth: 3 ins.
BHO SA 1155 W3 X 1/2F 197/49/49/1819G29/011/ STFRA DRFTG BLO SMT PK WND 1829/51/
8//// 4/003 57020 MANUAL 7000/ 10049 20046
10 A.M.
Weather: Broken stratocumulus, broken altocumulus, few lower stratus fractus
Temperature: 55F; Dew Point: 53F; Wind: S at 26G35 kts,
Peak Wind: 36kts (41mph) S at 9:43 A.M.
Sea-level pressure: 30.04 ins. Hg, falling then more slowly
Visibility: 12 miles, thin fog
3-hr precip: 0.00 ins.
BHO SA 1455 E40 BKN 110 BKN 12 173/55/53/1726G35/004/ FEW LWR STFRA
THN FG ALQDS PK WND 1836/43/ 8/53/ 56024
1 P.M.
Weather: Sky obscured by light rain and fog; light rain began 12:25 P.M.
Temperature: 56F; Dew Point: 56F; Wind: S at 30G38 kts,
Peak Wind: 42kts (48mph) S at 12:31 P.M.
Sea-level pressure: 29.91 ins. Hg, falling then more slowly
Visibility: 3/4 mile, light rain and fog
6-hr Max temp: 58F
6-hr Min temp: 49F
6-hr precip: 0.04 ins.
6-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins.
Snow depth: 1 in.
BHO SA 1755 W4 X 3/4R-F 129/56/56/1830G38/991/ R-B25 PK WND 1842/31/
8//// 4/001 56044 MANUAL 60004 ASOS 60002 10058 20049
SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..50 NORMAL…..34
MIN…..32 NORMAL…..17
MEAN….41 NORMAL…..25
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL……………………..+16
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH……………………..-90 [-8.4 DEGREES/DAY]
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY………….24 DEPARTURE………-16
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………519 DEPARTURE………+91
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON……….2641 DEPARTURE………-92
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…..2432 DIFFERENCE…….+209
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY……………….33 S AT 8:59 P.M. **
AERO……………………32 S AT 10:18 P.M.
ASOS……………………34 S AT 10:18 P.M.
DAVIS…………………..N/A* RMY 34
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY…………………27 S AT 10:19 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE………………26 S AT 10:27 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE……………..N/A*
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION…………..20.2 SSW
ASOS…………………..20.4
DAVIS…………………..N/A*
*Davis anemometer malfunctioning
** Last of several occurrences
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.00 DEPARTURE……-0.14
ASOS…………..0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH……….1.68 DEPARTURE……+0.12
ASOS…………..1.98
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR………..1.68 DEPARTURE……+0.12
ASOS…………..1.98
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……….0.0 DEPARTURE……..-0.6
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………16.5 DEPARTURE…….+10.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON…………..25.8 DEPARTURE……..+3.6
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 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
1/01 11/-5/3/-24/0.00/0.0/…/.. 30 NW AERO 30 NW RMY 31
1/02 15/-2/7/-20/0.00/0.0/…/.. 26 W AERO 25 W RMY 26
1/03 28/11/20/-6/0.00/0.0/…/.. 23 WSW AERO 20 WSW RMY N/A
1/04 28/18/23/-3/1.66/16.5/000/00 54 NNW AERO 60 NNW RMY 64
1/05 18/2/10/-16/0.00/0.0/…/.. 53 W AERO 53 W RMY 57
1/06 10/-2/4/-22/0.00/0.0/…/.. 43 WSW AERO 47 WSW RMY 47
1/07 14/-8/3/-23/0.00/0.0/…/.. 37 WNW AERO 35 WNW RMY N/A
1/08 33/14/24/-2/T/T/…/.. 40 S AERO 40 S RMY 42
1/09 40/25/33/+7/T/T/…/.. 37 W AERO 35 W RMY 33
1/10 36/20/28/+3/0.00/0.0/…/.. 30 W AERO 30 W RMY N/A
1/11 50/32/41/+16/0.00/0.0/…/.. 33 S AERO 32 S RMY 34
1/12 Low temp since midnight is 45F; normal low is now 17F
DAILY RECORDS FOR JANUARY 2018
01/04/18: NEW DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM SNOWFALL OF 16.5 INS.
PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 8.6 INS. SET IN 1923 AND
TIED IN 1942
01/07/18: DAILY RECORD LOW MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF -8F,
PREVIOUS RECORD OF -7F WAS SET IN 1896
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
RECORDS FOR JANUARY 12
HIGH 59F IN 2017
LOW -15F IN 1886
PRECIP 2.04 INS. IN 2011
SNOW 18.2 INS. IN 2011
WIND 84e MPH S IN 1980
RECORDS FOR JANUARY 13
HIGH 57F IN 1890,1932
LOW -10F IN 1912,1914
PRECIP 1.54 INS. IN 1979
SNOWFALL 12.6 INS. IN 1964
PEAK GUST 74 MPH NE IN 1964
TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Jonathan O’Brien
