Friday, October 25, 2013

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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

COOLEST MORNING OF THE SEASON THUS FAR – TEMPERATURE DIPS TO 34F;
VERY DRY CONDITIONS CONTINUE

This morning’s low on the summit of 34F was the coolest temperature
recorded so far this season. There were a few small patches of frost,
especially on the snowboards. The high has struggled to reach the upper
40s this afternoon. The average temperature for the day will likely finish
about 5-10 degrees below the 30-year normal, making today the 3rd
consecutive day of below normal temperatures. However, October remains
more than 4 degrees above normal through the 24th.

Blue Hill has yet to have its first freeze (< = 32F) of the season. The long term average date (1886-2012) of the first freeze at Blue Hill is October 20 (Julian day 293). The 30-year average (1981-2010) date of the first freeze is October 21 (Julian day 294). The latest freeze was November 14, 1938 (Julian day 319). The earliest freeze was September 23, 1904 (Julian day 266). Dry weather continues to grip the area. From September 3 through October 25, 2.14 inches of precipitation has fallen, which is only 28% of the 30-year average of 7.59 inches for this time period. For the period of October 7-25, only 0.15 inch of rain has been recorded, which is only 5% of the 30-year average of 2.86 inches for that period. Today's Observations: 7 A.M. Weather: Scattered stratocumulus, scattered altocumulus, few cumulus/ moderate cumulus along/offshore distant NE-ESE and distant SSE-SSW, stratocumulus/stratocumulus lenticularis distant WSW-NW-NNE, few altocumulus distant WSW-NW-NNE, thin smoke layer distant all quadrants, few small patches of frost Temperature: 35F; Dew Point: 31F; Wind: W at 10 kts. Sea-level pressure: 30.02 ins. Hg, rising steadily Visibility: 65 miles 6-hr min temp: 34F BHO SA 1155 50 SCT 100 SCT 65 166/35/31/2810/002/ FEW CU/MDT CU ALG/OFFSHR DSNT NE-ESE AND DSNT SSE-SSW SC/SCSL DSNT WSW-NW-NNE FEW AC DSNT WSW-NW-NNE THN K LYR DSNT ALQDS FEW SML PTCHS FROST/ 8/540 53020 10037 20034 10 A.M. Weather: Broken cumulus, broken stratocumulus cumulogenitus, broken stratocumulus, broken cirrus, cumulus and moderate cumulus all quadrants, cirrus distant NNW-NE, light distant haze, rain shower/virga distant WSW-WNW moving SE Temperature: 44F; Dew Point: 31F; Wind: W at 9 kts, Wind: Direction variable WSW-NW Sea-level pressure: 30.04 ins. Hg, rising then rising more slowly Visibility: 70 miles, light distant haze BHO SA 1455 E30 BKN 40 BKN 50 BKN 250 BKN 70 172/44/31/2809/004/ CU AND MDT CU ALQDS CI DSNT NNW-NE LGT DSNT HZ SHRA/VIRGA DSNT WSW-WNW MOVG SE WND 25V31/ 8/841 51006 1 P.M. Weather: Broken stratocumulus/cumulus, broken stratocumulus cumulogenitus (2 levels), broken cirrus, light distant haze Temperature: 44F; Dew Point: 27F; Wind: WNW at 12G18 kts, Wind: Direction variable WSW-NW Sea-level pressure: 30.02 ins. Hg, falling then more rapidly Visibility: 80 miles, light distant haze 6-hr max temp: 48F BHO SA 1755 E40 BKN 45 BKN 50 BKN 250 BKN 80 167/44/27/2912G18/002/ LGT DSNT HZ WND 24V32/ 8/401 58005 10048 20035 WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013 TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F) MAX.....53 NORMAL.....58 MIN.....36 NORMAL.....40 MEAN....45 NORMAL.....49 DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.....................-4 TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH...................+105 [+4.2 DEGREES/DAY] COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JAN TO DEC) TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY...............0 DEPARTURE..........0 TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH...............5 DEPARTURE..........0 TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON............701 DEPARTURE........+99 TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.......767 DIFFERENCE.......-66 HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN) TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............20 DEPARTURE.........+4 TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............193 DEPARTURE.......-106 TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON............339 DEPARTURE.......-102 TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.......341 DIFFERENCE........-2 PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..................31 W AT 2:17 P.M. AERO.......................31 W AT 2:05 P.M. ASOS.......................32 W AT 2:17 P.M. DAVIS......................31 W AT 2:17 P.M. RMY 34 FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY....................26 W AT 3:12 P.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.................24 W AT 3:13 P.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE................23 W AT 3:13 P.M. AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION............14.4 W ASOS.....................13.7 DAVIS....................12.4 W [266 degrees] PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST) TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00 DEPARTURE.............-0.15 ASOS..............0.00 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.98 DEPARTURE.............-2.62 ASOS..............0.97 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........42.90 DEPARTURE.............+0.22 ASOS..............N/A* *ASOS malfunctioned during storm on 2/8-9, leading to erroneous totals PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR OCTOBER 2013 CALENDAR DAY DATA DATA REPORTED: DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/AERO GUST AERO: Aerovane wind recording system gust RMY: RMY = R.M. Young wind gust recording system added 8/9/2011 TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day) ....: Data not yet available, records not finalized 10/1 75/50/63/+6/0.00/676/96 16 WNW AERO 16 MPH WNW RMY 18 10/2 78/56/67/+10/0.00/666/95 29 W AERO 30 MPH W RMY 29 10/3 77/56/67/+11/0.00/628/90 20 WNW AERO 20 MPH WNW RMY N/A 10/4 67/56/62/+6/0.26/028/04 18 NW AERO 20 MPH NW RMY N/A 10/5 67/56/62/+6/0.01/125/18 14 ENE AERO 12 MPH ENE RMY N/A 10/6 58/53/56/+1/0.56/000/00 20 NE AERO 20 MPH NE RMY N/A 10/7 75/57/66/+11/0.07/213/31 48 S AERO 55 MPH S RMY 55 10/8 65/50/58/+4/0.00/581/85 25 NW AERO 27 MPH NW RMY 28 10/9 59/49/54/0/0.00/545/80 25 ENE AERO 24 MPH ENE RMY 25 10/10 61/46/54/0/0.00/095/14 18 NE AERO 17 MPH NE RMY 18 10/11 67/50/59/+6/0.00/473/70 20 NE AERO 20 MPH NE RMY N/A 10/12 59/50/55/+2/0.02/007/01 30 ENE AER0 31 MPH ENE RMY 32 10/13 59/46/53/0/0.00/482/72 23 ENE AERO 23 MPH ENE RMY 23 10/14 64/42/53/+1/0.00/580/87 15 SSW AERO 15 MPH SSW RMY 15 10/15 66/50/58/+6/0.00/266/40 16 ESE AERO 16 MPH ESE RMY N/A 10/16 60/49/55/+4/0.00/013/02 23 ESE AERO 24 MPH ESE RMY 23 10/17 70/52/61/+10/0.06/277/42 21 S AERO 23 MPH S RMY N/A 10/18 67/50/59/+8/T/630/96 32 WNW AERO 32 MPH W RMY 31 10/19 65/45/55/+5/0.00/379/58 21 W AERO 22 MPH W RMY N/A 10/20 61/44/53/+3/0.00/644/99 33 W AERO 36 MPH W RMY 34 10/21 67/43/55/+5/0.00/.../.. 23 SSW AERO 25 MPH SSW RMY 27 10/22 69/44/57/+8/T/.../.. 25 SSW AERO 27 MPH SSW RMY 27 10/23 50/40/45/-4/0.00/.../.. 18 WNW AERO 18 MPH WNW RMY N/A 10/24 53/36/45/-4/0.00/.../.. 31 W AERO 31 MPH W RMY 34 10/25 morning low temp: 34F; the normal low is now 40F DAILY RECORDS FOR OCTOBER 2013 None so far. DAILY EXTREMES Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated): RECORDS FOR OCTOBER 25 HIGH 81F IN 1963 LOW 26F IN 1922,1939 PRECIP 2.45 INCHES IN 2005 SNOWFALL 1.2 INCHES IN 1960 PEAK GUST 72 MPH ESE IN 1980 RECORDS FOR OCTOBER 26 HIGH 80F IN 1963 LOW 24F IN 1933 PRECIP 1.72 INCHES IN 1894 SNOW 3.0 INCHES IN 1962 WIND 59 MPH SSE IN 1967 TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Sean Fankhauser