Friday, October 22, 2021

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

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
SUNRISE: 0606E
SUNSET:  1651E

A FEW MORE DECORATIVE CLOUDS, STILL VERY MILD STOP
GREAT BLUE HILL…

We are experiencing yet another mild day here on the summit in
what appears to be a common theme this autumn. Yesterday’s low
was within 3F of tying the highest minimum on record – a final 
value of 56F was assigned just missing the daily record of 59F
set in 1915. This morning we are 4F shy of tying that metric of
62F seen in 1979. These figures are more congruent for mid-September.
As you might assume, the monthly mean departure is now +5.4F! We
can thank an abundance of days this month with southerly winds
which pump in anomalously moist dew points.

Speaking of dew points, we are observing a decent drop in
vapor pressure. The DP reading at 7E was 60F, but by early
afternoon we are logging readings in the low-50s. A westerly
wind is aiding a mixing scenario allowing the morning mugginess
to amalgamate with drier air from downsloping and from aloft.

Outside the temperature & DP department, we are noting a bit
more in the way of decorative clouds, but plenty of sunshine
is still being found. Winds are busy from the SW averaging
about 15 MPH! Visibility is on the increase- from only 10 miles
just after sunrise to about 50 miles by 1PM.

The high so far today is 71F, 12 degrees above the normal max
of 59F. The low since midnight is 58F, 16 degrees above the 
normal low of 42F. 

---

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Scattered Cumulus, Broken Altocumulus, Broken Cirrocumulus
Temperature: 61F; Dew Point: 60F; Relative Humidity: 96%
Wind: SSW @ 14G23 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1008.2 mb; 29.77 in. Hg: steady, then rising
Visibility: 10 miles, thin fog
6-hr Max temp: 61F
6-hr Min temp: 58F
24-hr Precip: 0.00 ins.
BHO SA 1155 10 SCT 130 BKN 220 BKN 10 082/61/60/2014G23/977/
THN F ALQDS/ 8/159 53004 10061 20058

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered Cumulus (few cirrus)
Temperature: 65F; Dew Point: 53F; Relative Humidity: 65%
Wind: W @ 10G17 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1009.8 mb; 29.82 in Hg; rising, then rising less rapidly
Visibility: 45 miles, hazy
3-hr Precip: 0.00 ins.
BHO SA 1455 30 SCT 45 098/65/53/2610G17/982/ FEW CI ALQDS HAZY/ 8/101 51016

1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered Cumulus
Temperature: 70F, Dew point: 51F; Relative Humidity: 51%
Wind: W @ 8G18 kts 
Sea-level pressure: 1010.0 mb; 29.83 in Hg; falling, then rising
Visibility: 50 miles, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 71F
6-hr Min temp: 61F
6-hr Precip: 0.00 ins.
BHO SA 1755 40 SCT 50 100/70/51/2608G18/983/ HAZY/ 8/100 53002 10071 20061

SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2021

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….74     NORMAL…..59
MIN…….56     NORMAL…..42
MEAN……65     NORMAL…..51

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL……………+14
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH……………………..+113 [+5.2 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2021 THRU JUN 2022)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………….0  DEPARTURE…….-15
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..114  DEPARTURE……-117
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………….188  DEPARTURE……-160
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……..276  DEPARTURE…….-88

COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JAN 2021 THRU DEC 2021)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………….0  DEPARTURE………0
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………….3  DEPARTURE……..-4
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………….717  DEPARTURE…….+40
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……..831  DEPARTURE……-114

PEAK WIND GUST (MPH):
                     Official……………….30 SSW @  9:41 P.M.
                     AEROVANE (south tower)…..32 S   @  8:34 P.M.
             VECTOR #2 (south tower)….32     @  9:41 P.M.
                     DAVIS #2 (south tower)…..31 S   @  8:34 P.M.
                     RMY #2 (south tower)…….32 SSW @  9:43 P.M.
                     ASOS………..OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
                     VECTOR #1……OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
                     DAVIS #1…….OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
                     RMY #1………OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS  
                     MERLIN………OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………23 S   @  9:15 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..23     @  9:15 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………23 S   @  9:00 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..24 S   @  9:15 P.M
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE…….OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE…OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE..OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE…..OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
                     CONTACTING/OFFICIAL……..13.0 SW [313 total miles]
                     VECTOR #2………………13.6
                     DAVIS #2……………….13.4 SW
                     RMY #2…………………13.7 SW 
                     RMY #1…………..OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
                     ASOS…………….OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
                     VECTOR #1………..OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS
                     DAVIS #1…………OUT OF SERVICE D/T RENOVATIONS    

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…….0.00  DEPARTURE….-0.18
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH………….2.42  DEPARTURE….-1.25
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR………….49.40  DEPARTURE….+7.32

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR OCTOBER 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
M:    Missing data

10/01   64/44/54/-4/0.00/583/83          20 WNW AERO 20 WNW RMY N/A
10/02   73/47/60/+2/0.00/567/81          24 WSW AERO 23 WSW RMY N/A 
10/03   65/55/60/+3/0.09/070/10          19 E   AERO 19 E   RMY N/A
10/04   59/51/55/-2/1.69/000/00          30 E   AERO 30 E   RMY N/A
10/05   58/50/54/-3/0.30/000/00          22 NNE AERO 23 NE  RMY N/A
10/06   69/50/60/+4/0.00/407/59          15 N   AERO 16 N   RMY N/A
10/07   73/55/64/+8/0.00/550/80          15 WSW AERO 15 W   RMY N/A
10/08   69/55/62/+7/T/616/90             24 ENE AERO 23 ENE RMY N/A 
10/09   62/54/58/+3/0.01/273/40          23 E   AERO 23 E   RMY N/A
10/10   62/54/58/+3/T/000/00             22 E   AERO 21 E   RMY N/A
10/11   67/56/62/+8/0.01/…/..          20 NE  AERO 21 NE  RMY N/A
10/12   72/54/63/+9/0.00/…/..          15 SW  AERO 15 SW  RMY N/A
10/13   75/55/65/+11/0.00/…/..         18 SW  AERO 18 SW  RMY N/A 
10/14   73/56/65/+12/0.00/…/..         19 N   AERO 20 N   RMY N/A
10/15   74/55/67/+14/0.00/…/..         24 S   AERO 24 SSW RMY N/A 
10/16   73/59/66/+14/0.06/…/..         43 S   AERO 50 S   RMY 44
10/17   62/47/55/+3/0.25/…/..          32 WNW AERO 31 WNW RMY 31
10/18   60/42/51/-1/0.01/…/..          31 NW  AERO 32 NW  RMY 33
10/19   59/40/50/-1/0.00/…/..          35 WNW AERO 37 W   RMY 38
10/20   70/49/60/+9/0.00/…/..          23 W   AERO 23 W   RMY 23
10/21   74/56/65/+14/0.00/…/..         30 SSW AERO 32 S   RMY 32 

10/22   The low since midnight is 58F, the daily normal low is 42F

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

RECORDS FOR OCTOBER 22
HIGH 85F IN 1979
LOW 23F IN 1940
PRECIP 2.38 INCHES IN 2014
SNOWFALL TRACE IN 1969, 2010
PEAK GUST 67 MPH ESE IN 1988

RECORDS FOR OCTOBER 23
HIGH 82F IN 1947
LOW 24F IN 1969
PRECIP 3.66 INCHES IN 2014
SNOWFALL 3.0 INCHES IN 1891
PEAK GUST 78e MPH NW IN 1941

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Andrew Swanson