Friday, March 17, 2023

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

FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2023
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0553E
SUNSET:  1753E

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK’S DAY FROM BLUE HILL OBSERVATORY…

The wind direction shifted this morning just before 4:30 A.M.
from ENE to ESE bringing warmer air to the region. Conditions
have been mild with above average temperatures.The high so far
today is 51F, which is 7 degrees above the normal maximum of
44F. The low temperature since midnight is 37F, which is 10
degrees above the normal low of 27F.

Wind speed decreased yesterday evening and stayed on the calm
side overnight. As pressure decreased throughout the day wind
speed increased making for a blustery afternoon. This afternoon
we’ve had multiple gusts of 24 kts (28 MPH) and a peak gust of
28 kts (32 MPH) just after 1:30 P.M. The sky was mostly cloudy
today with a mixture of altocumulus and cirrostratus clouds.
Visibility remained obscured today with a maximum visibility
of 40 miles.

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Broken altocumulus, overcast cirrostratus, few breaks in
overcast SSW, sun dimly visible, distant fog in all quadrants
Temperature: 37F; Dew Point: 29F; Relative Humidity: 72%
Wind: SE @ 10G14 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1012.4 mb; 29.90 in. Hg: falling steadily
Visibility: 30 miles
6-hr Max temp: 39F
6-hr Min temp: 37F
24-hr Precip: 0.00 ins.
24-hr Snowfall: 0.0 ins.
Snow Depth: Trace
BHO SA 1155 120 BKN 200 OVC 30 124/37/29/1410G14/990/ FEW BINOVC SSW
SUN DMLY VSBL DSNT F ALQDS/ 8/057 4/000 57004 10039 20037

10 A.M.
Weather: Broken altocumlus, broken cirrostratus
Temperature: 45F; Dew Point: 31F; Relative Humidity: 56%
Wind: SSE @ 7G15 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1015.0 mb; 29.84 in. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 40 miles
3-hr Precip:  0.00 ins.
3-hr Snowfall: 0.0 ins.
BHO SA 1455 120 BKN E200 BKN 40 105/45/31/1507G15/984/ HAZY/ 8/057 58019

1 P.M.
Weather: Broken altocumlus, overcast cirrostratus, sun dimly visible
Temperature: 49F; Dew Point: 34F; Relative Humidity: 54%
Wind: S @ 13G20 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1007.1 mb; 29.74 in. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 40 miles
6-hr Max temp: 51F
6-hr Min temp: 37F
6-hr Precip:  0.00 ins.
6-hr Snowfall: 0.0 ins.
Snow Depth: Trace
BHO SA 1755 E90 BKN 110 BKN 140 OVC 40 071/49/34/1713G20/974/ HAZY
SUN DMLY VSBL/ 8/057 4/000 58034 10051 20037

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SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2023

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….49   NORMAL…..44
MIN…….29   NORMAL…..27
MEAN……39   NORMAL…..35

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL……….+4
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH…………………+39 [+2.2 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2022 THRU JUN 2023)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………26  DEPARTURE……..-4
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..469  DEPARTURE…….-40
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………4189  DEPARTURE……-752
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….4527  DEPARTURE……-338

PEAK WIND GUST (MPH):
Note: Instruments designated #1 = Main Tower, #2 = South Tower,
420C, Contacting, Merlin and Richards are all Main Tower.

420C (Official)…………30 NW  @  9:11 A.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….31 NW  @  5:46 A.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….34 WNW @  6:04 A.M.
DAVIS #1……………….31 W   @  2:22 P.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………30 WNW @  5:10 P.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..34 NW  @  9:10 A.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..34 NNW @  9:02 A.M.
MERLIN…………………32 NW
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……33     @  9:10 A.M.

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………22 NW  @  9:11 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..21     @  9:11 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..23     @  5:19 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………21 WNW @  9:11 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………23 WNW @  2:23 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..21 NW  @  9:11 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..23 NW  @  5:19 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE………22     @  9:11 A.M.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL…….12.8 NW [306 total miles] VECTOR #1……………..12.3
VECTOR #2……………..13.4
DAVIS #1………………12.6 NW
DAVIS #2………………13.1 NW
RMY #1………………..12.0 NW
RMY #2………………..13.1 NW
RICHARDS (C5C)…………12.7

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.00 DEPARTURE…..-0.18
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..5.01 DEPARTURE…..+2.23
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR…………..13.66 DEPARTURE…..+2.38

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…………..0.0 DEPARTURE……-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………….10.6 DEPARTURE……+1.2
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON (2022-2023)……34.9 DEPARTURE…..-26.4

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

3/1   43/27/35/+4/0.00/0.0/425/63         20 NW   VEC1 21 SE  RMY 21
3/2   40/34/37/+5/0.31/0.0/000/00         35 NW   VEC1 36 NW  RMY 39
3/3   44/29/37/+5/0.01/0.1/462/68         33 NW   VEC1 34 NW  RMY 36
3/4   33/28/31/-1/0.82/3.3/000/00         48 E    VEC1 49 NE  RMY 52
3/5   41/25/33/+1/0.00/0.0/240/35         35 NW   VEC1 36 NW  RMY 37
3/6   46/31/39/+6/0.00/0.0/571/83         46 WNW  VEC1 48 NW  RMY 51
3/7   38/26/32/-1/T/T/387/56              41 NW   VEC1 42 NW  RMY 46
3/8   44/26/35/+2/T/T/194/28              32 N    VEC1 34 N   RMY 34
3/9   47/32/40/+7/0.00/0.0/473/68         28 NW   VEC1 28 NW  RMY 29
3/10  49/27/38/+4/T/0.0/616/88            18 W    VEC1 18 SE  RMY 17
3/11  36/29/33/-1/0.14/T/000/00           32 NE   VEC1 34 NE  RMY 34
3/12  41/28/35/+1/0.00/0.0/571/81         26 NNE  VEC1 26 NNE RMY 27
3/13  41/32/37/+3/0.52/0.0/000/00         29 E    VEC1 31 E   RMY 33
3/14  39/31/35/0/3.18/6.9/000/00          51 NNE  VEC1 52 NNE RMY 55
3/15  39/30/35/0/0.00/0.0/…/..          46 NNW  VEC1 49 NNW RMY 53
3/16  49/29/39/+4/0.00/0.0/…/..         30 NW   VEC1 31 NW  RMY 34

3/17  The low since midnight is 37F, the daily normal low is 27F

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

RECORDS FOR MARCH 17
HIGH 69 IN 2003
LOW 6 IN 1885
PRECIP 1.97 INS. IN 1968
SNOWFALL 6.5 INS. IN 1956
PEAK GUST 70 MPH SSW IN 1973

RECORDS FOR MARCH 18
HIGH 73 IN 2022
LOW 0 IN 1885
PRECIP 5.61 INS. IN 1968 [RECORD FOR MONTH] SNOWFALL 9.3 INS. IN 1985
PEAK GUST 71e MPH WNW IN 1941

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Kaitlin Geagan