Friday, March 22, 2024

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

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2024
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0543E
SUNSET:  1759E

A BEAUTIFUL BUT CHILLY DAY ON BLUE HILL WITH PLENTIFUL MORNING
SUNSHINE AND AFTERNOON CLOUDS…

Despite the below average temperatures, it has been an absolutely
gorgeous day thanks to the early morning sunshine. While we are
below normal for both high and low temperatures, it feels a bit
cooler because of the low dew points and relative humidity. The
sunshine has warmed us nearly +15F since sunrise but without the
moisture in the air we have remained below normal values. By our
final observation at 1pm EST clouds had moved into the area.

The wind remained steady through the evening and overnight hours
but began to steadily decline around 3am. Since the sun has risen
we have regained a little wind speed, but not nearly as much as
we had over the past couple of days. The average speed for the day
so far is around 11mph. The peak gust so far for today is 29mph,
which occurred just after midnight.

We have had amazing views of 80 miles today. Visibility this high
is thanks to the single digit dew points which has given us a very
dry column of air along with a crisp blue sky early on and even with
the afternoon clouds we still had exceptional visibility.

The maximum temperature so far today is 38F degrees, which
is 8 degrees below the normal high of 46F. The minimum temperature
since midnight is 21F degrees, which is 8 degrees below the
normal low of 29F.

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 24F; Dew Point: 6F; Relative Humidity: 47%
Wind: WNW @ 6 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1027.4 mb; 30.34 in. Hg: rising unsteady
Visibility: 80 miles
6-hr Max temp: 24F
6-hr Min temp: 21F
24-hr Precip:  0.00 inches
24-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow Depth: 0 inches
BHO SA 1155 CLR 80 274/24/6/3006/034/ WND LGT/ 8/000 52026
10024 20021

10 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few altocumulus distant WSW-W
Temperature: 31F; Dew Point: 8F; Relative Humidity: 38%
Wind: WNW @ 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1026.5 mb; 30.31 in. Hg: rising, then falling
Visibility: 80 miles
3-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
3-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
BHO SA 1455 CLR 80 265/31/8/2908/031/ FEW AC DSNT WSW-W/ 8/050
50009

1 P.M.
Weather: Overcast stratocumulus, few breaks in overcast
Temperature: 36F; Dew Point: 8F; Relative Humidity: 29%
Wind: W @ 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1025.1 mb; 30.27 in. Hg: falling, then more
slowly
Visibility: 80 miles
6-hr Max temp: 36F
6-hr Min temp: 24F
6-hr Precip:  0.00 inches
6-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow Depth: 0 inches
BHO SA 1755 E90 OVC 80 251/36/8/2808/027/ FEW BINOVC/ 8/5//
56014 10038 20024

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SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2024

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….38   NORMAL…..45
MIN…….24   NORMAL…..28
MEAN……31   NORMAL…..37

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL…………-6
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH………………….+152 [+7.0 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2023 THRU JUN 2024)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………34  DEPARTURE……..+6
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..499  DEPARTURE……-154
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………4387  DEPARTURE……-698
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….4310  DEPARTURE…….+77

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)……….E53 WNW  @  08:42 A.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….53 WNW  @  08:41 A.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….53 WNW  @  09:57 A.M.
DAVIS #1……………….53 W    @  08:41 A.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………48 WNW  @  09:00 A.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..52 WNW  @  08:41 A.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..55 WNW  @  01:11 P.M.
MERLIN…………………50 W
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……58      @  08:41 A.M.

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………34 WNW  @  11:55 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..33      @  07:01 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..36      @  09:27 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………36 W    @  07:24 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………36 WNW  @  09:27 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..31 WNW  @  07:24 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..35 WNW  @  09:27 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE………33      @  07:24 A.M.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL……23.2 WNW [557 total miles] VECTOR #1…………….21.6
VECTOR #2…………….23.4
DAVIS #1……………..23.2 WNW
DAVIS #2……………..23.5 WNW
RMY #1……………….20.4 WNW
RMY #2……………….22.7 W
RICHARDS (C5C)………..21.7

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.00 DEPARTURE…..-0.19
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..4.50 DEPARTURE…..+0.77
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR (2024)…….15.06 DEPARTURE…..+2.83

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M………….0.00 DEPARTURE……-0.4
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………….0.00 DEPARTURE…..-11.7
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON (2023-2024)……26.1 DEPARTURE…..-37.5

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

3/1   41/18/30/-1/0.00/0.0/649/96         30 NW  VEC1 30 WNW RMY 33
3/2   50/32/41/+9/1.16/0.0/000/00         44 SSE VEC1 46 SE  RMY 42
3/3   55/42/49/+17/0.24/0.0/130/19        32 SSE VEC1 33 SSE RMY 32
3/4   49/36/43/+11/0.01/0.0/116/17        24 ENE VEC1 22 ENE RMY 23
3/5   42/36/39/+7/0.14/0.0/000/00         21 E   VEC1 21 E   RMY 21
3/6   51/39/45/+12/0.44/0.0/000/00        28 NE  VEC1 28 NE  RMY 29
3/7   42/37/40/+7/1.06/0.0/000/00         44 NNE VEC1 44 NNE RMY 42
3/8   45/32/39/+6/0.00/0.0/682/98         35 NNE VEC1 36 NNE RMY 38
3/9   40/32/36/+3/0.21/0.0/000/00         32 E   VEC1 32 E   RMY 31
3/10  51/36/44/+10/1.07/0.0/245/35        45 WNW VEC1 46 SE  RMY 45
3/11  43/30/37/+3/T/T/515/73              53 NW  VEC1 54 NW  RMY 58
3/12  54/33/44/+10/0.00/0.0/680/96        43 NW  VEC1 41 NW  RMY 45
3/13  54/33/44/+10/0.00/0.0/667/94        26 SSE VEC1 25 NNW RMY 25
3/14  58/36/47/+12/0.00/0.0/627/88        23 ENE VEC1 22 NE  RMY 21
3/15  44/37/41/+6/0.02/0.0/000/00         24 N   VEC1 23 NNW RMY 25
3/16  58/36/47/+12/0.00/0.0/510/71        29 S   VEC1 26 S   RMY 26
3/17  59/40/50/+14/0.04/0.0/390/54        38 NW  VEC1 38 NW  RMY 40
3/18  49/33/41/+5/0.00/0.0/558/77         38 W   VEC1 37 W   RMY 38
3/19  46/30/38/+2/0.00/0.0/575/79         44 NW  VEC1 43 NW  RMY 46
3/20  51/29/40/+3/0.11/T/190/26           50 WNW VEC1 50 WNW RMY 51
3/21  38/24/31/-6/T/T/…/..              53 WNW VEC1 53 WNW RMY 52

3/22 The low since midnight is 21F, the daily normal low is 29F.

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MARCH DAILY RECORDS TO DATE

NONE…

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

RECORDS FOR MARCH 22
HIGH 81 IN 2012
LOW 3 IN 1885
PRE 3.48 INS. IN 2001
SNOW 8.7 INS. 1967
WIND 84e MPH E IN 1977

RECORDS FOR MARCH 23
HIGH 78 IN 1938
LOW 3 IN 1934
PRE 2.52 INS. IN 2010
SNOW 3.0 INS. IN 1977
WIND 78e MPH W IN 1940

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Amanda Joly