Friday, March 4, 2016

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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2016
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

COLD AIR REMAINS IN PLACE AS OCEAN STORM SKIRTS THE REGION

Temperatures struggled to reach out of the 20s on Thursday,
hitting a maximum temperature of 34F by mid afternoon. With
a minimum reading of 16F yesterday morning Thursday fell 7
degrees colder than normal.

Overnight altostratus moved in from the south associated with
an offshore storm that will move past the region today. Very
light snow flurries began to fall this morning after the 10:00
AM EST observation totaling just 0.1 inches by the afternoon
observation. By 1:00 PM EST temperatures had reached a maximum
of 30F with visibility limited to 1 mile due to light snowfall.

With a warm end to the month of February, the average monthly
temperature of 32.2F is the 11th warmest February on record,
and when combined with the warmest December on record and a
warm month of January, this winter just barely became the warmest
on record with an average temperature of 34.9F.

BHO Warmest Februarys, deg F (1885-2016):

1) 34.9 in 1984
2) 34.3 in 2012
3) 34.0 in 1998
4) 33.9 in 1954
33.9 in 1981
6) 33.7 in 1976
7) 33.6 in 1997
33.6 in 2002
9) 33.1 in 1925
10) 32.6 in 1991
11) 32.2 in 2016
12) 31.9 in 1960
31.9 in 1999

BHO Warmest Winters, deg F (1885-2016):

1) 34.9 in 2015-2016
2) 34.8 in 2001-2002
3) 34.3 in 2011-2012
4) 32.6 in 1997-1998
5) 32.3 in 1936-1937
32.3 in 1998-1999

PRELIMINARY STATS FOR FEBRUARY 2016

TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 42.2 [+5.4] Avg. Min. 22.5 [+3.4] Mean      32.4 [+4.5] 24-hour Corrected Mean: 32.2
Max. for month:  64 on 1st
Min. for month: -14 on 14th

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units: 928 [-109] for 28 days
Total for the season: 3670 [-789] for 28 days
Total for last season: 4708

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 5.60 [+1.53] Greatest in 24 hrs: n/a
Snowfall: 22.5 [+8.6] Greatest in 24 hrs: 12.5 on the 5th

WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 14.4
Avg. corrected wind speed: 14.7
Prevailing wind direction: WNW @ 14%
Peak gust and direction: 76 S on the 25th

SUNSHINE:
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 9,000 out of possible 17,796 or 51%
Astronomical total minutes:   9,302 out of possible 18,418 or 51%

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Overcast altostratus, thin spots in overcast NW,
showers distant N-E, sun dimly visible
Temperature: 25F; Dew Point: 15F; Wind: estimated N at 6 kts
Wind Speed: Light
Sea-level pressure: 30.21 ins. Hg, falling, then more slowly
Visibility: 35 miles, except 50 miles WNW-NNW
6-hr Max temp: 25F
6-hr Min temp: 24F
24-hr precip: 0.00 ins.
BHO SA 1155 E70 OVC 35 230/25/15/E3506/021/ VSBY WNW-NNW 50 MI
SHWRS DSNT N-E THN SPTS INOVC NW SUN DMLY VSBL WND LGT/
8/01/ 56001 10025 20024

10 A.M.
Weather: Overcast altostratus, showers distant N and E,
few cumulus distant NW, sun dimly visible
Temperature: 28F; Dew Point: 16F; Wind: NNW at 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.21 ins. Hg, about the same as 3 hrs ago
Visibility: 30 miles, except 15 miles E, distant showers, thin fog
BHO SA 1455 E50 OVC 30 230/28/16/3308/021/ VSBY E 15 MI SHWRS
DSNT N AND E FEW CU DSNT NW THN FG ALQDS SUN DMLY VSBL/
8/11/ 50000

1 P.M.
Weather: Light snow, broken stratocumulus, overcast altostratus
Temperature: 29F; Dew Point: 22F; Wind: N at 8 kts
Wind Direction: Varying NW-NE
Sea-level pressure: 30.15 ins. Hg, falling, then more quickly
Visibility: 1 mile, light snow
6-hr Max temp: 30F
6-hr Min temp: 25F
6-hr precip: 0.01 ins.
6-hr snowfall: 0.1 ins.
BHO SA 1755 E33 BKN 50 OVC 1S- 210/29/22/0108/015/ NEW SNW PST 3 HRS
0.1 INS WND 32V04/ 8/52/ 58020 ASOS 60002 MANUAL 60001 10030 20025

SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2016

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..34   NORMAL…..41
MIN…..16   NORMAL…..23
MEAN….25   NORMAL…..32

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL…………………….-7
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH…………………….+6 [+1.8 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………..40   DEPARTURE……….+7
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..95   DEPARTURE……….-6
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………..3778   DEPARTURE……..-891
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……4829   DIFFERENCE……-1051

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY……………….30 WNW AT 12:09 A.M.
ASOS……………………32 NW  AT 12:10 A.M.
DAVIS…………………..28 NNW AT 12:10 A.M. RMY N/A
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY…………………23 WNW AT 12:09 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE………………23 NW  AT 12:11 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE……………..21 NW  AT 12:11 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION……………9.3 WNW
ASOS……………………10.0
DAVIS…………………..8.1 WNW [297 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……….0.41  DEPARTURE……-0.11
ASOS…………..0.43
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR………..9.78  DEPARTURE……+0.67
ASOS………….10.39

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……….0.0  DEPARTURE…….-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH…………….0.0  DEPARTURE…….-1.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON…………..38.1  DEPARTURE……-10.9

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

2/1   64/40/52/+26/0.00/0.0/305/51          36 WNW AERO 37 W   RMY 34
2/2   48/31/40/+14/0.00/0.0/602/100         23 NW  AERO 23 WNW RMY N/A
2/3   55/34/45/+19/0.80/0.0/000/00          55 SSE AERO 58 SSE RMY 53
2/4   55/39/47/+21/0.08/0.0/000/00          37 W   AERO 36 W   RMY 35
2/5   39/19/29/+3/1.62/12.5/000/00          37 NNW AERO 39 NNW RMY 35
2/6   35/17/26/0/0.00/0.0/532/87            25 SSW AERO 24 SSW RMY 23
2/7   43/26/35/+8/0.00/0.0/577/94           35 ENE AERO 35 ENE RMY N/A
2/8   36/16/26/-1/0.60/8.7/000/00           53 NE  AERO 55 NE  RMY 53
2/9   26/17/22/-5/T/T/000/00                21 N   AERO 22 N   RMY N/A
2/10  33/21/27/+0/0.01/0.1/006/01           23 W   AERO 23 W   RMY 21
2/11  26/7/17/-10/T/T/131/21                39 W   AERO 47 W   RMY 42
2/12  23/4/13/-14/0.00/0.0/433/69           31 WNW AERO 38 WNW RMY 21
2/13  21/-7/7/-21/0.00/0.0/459/73           41 W   AERO 46 WNW RMY 43
2/14  10/-14/-2/-30/0.00/0.0/632/100        33 WNW AERO 46 WNW RMY N/A
2/15  32/-2/15/-13/…./1.2/178/28          24 E   AERO 28 E   RMY N/A
2/16  55/32/44/+16/…./0.0/006/01          65 SSE AERO 69 SSE RMY 64
2/17  43/30/37/+9/0.00/0.0/576/90           33 W   AERO 35 W   RMY N/A
2/18  32/20/26/+3/0.00/0.0/637/99           25 NNW AERO 29 NW  RMY 25
2/19  39/16/28/-1/0.01/T/452/70             24 SSW AERO 26 SSW RMY N/A
2/20  58/31/45/+16/…./…/363/56          44 SSW AERO 44 SSW RMY 41
2/21  53/39/46/+17/0.00/0.0/475/73          39 WNW AERO 43 WNW RMY 39
2/22  45/29/37/+8/0.00/0.0/608/93           18 NW  AERO 20 NW  RMY 17
2/23  37/25/31/+1/…./T/000/00             26 E   AERO 26 E   RMY N/A
2/24  60/33/47/+17/…./0.0/000/00          60 S   AERO 66 S   RMY N/A
2/25  63/37/50/+15/…./0.0/218/33          76 S   AERO 84 S   RMY N/A
2/26  38/22/30/0/…./0.0/665/100           42 WNW AERO 44 WNW RMY 41
2/27  38/16/27/-4/0.00/0.0/654/98           31 SSW AERO 31 SSW RMY 33
2/28  56/34/45/+14/0.00/0.0/335/50          32 S   AERO 37 SSW RMY N/A
2/29  63/41/52/+21/T/0.0/458/68             39 W   AERO 41 W   RMY N/A

3/1   45/30/38/+7/0.00/0.0/…/..           54 W   AERO 60 W   RMY 53
3/2   52/21/37/+6/0.41/0.0/…/..           44 WNW AERP 47 NW  RMY 42
3/3   34/16/25/-7/0.00/0.0/…/..           30 WNW AERO 36 WNW RMY N/A

3/4 morning low temp. since midnight 24F; normal now 23F

DAILY RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 2016

2/14/16: **NEW DAILY RECORD LOW MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF -14F,
SURPASSING PREVIOUS RECORD OF -8F SET IN 1979**

2/14/16: **TIED DAILY RECORD LOW MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 10F,
MATCHING PREVIOUS RECORD OF 10F SET IN 1979**

2/25/16: **NEW DAILY RECORD PEAK WIND GUST OF 76 MPH S,
SURPASSING PREVIOUS RECORD OF 75 MPH S IN 1965**

2/29/16: **NEW DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 63F,
BREAKS PREVIOUS RECORD OF 56F SET BACK IN 1976**

2/29/16: **DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM OF 41F TIES RECORD
SET IN 1896**

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

RECORDS FOR MARCH 4
HIGH 69 IN 1974
LOW -5 IN 1950
PRECIP 1.80 IN 1960
SNOWFALL 17.3 IN 1960
PEAK GUST 81e MPH SSW IN 1971

RECORDS FOR MARCH 5
HIGH 64 IN 1979
LOW -2 IN 1948
PRECIP 1.76 INS. IN 2001
SNOWFALL 13.0 INS. IN 1891
PEAK GUST 76e MPH WNW IN 1971

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald