Friday, October 4, 2013

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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2013
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

RAIN AT LAST!
THE DAY STARTS WARM; RAIN AND CLOUDS KEEP TEMPS IN CHECK THIS AFTERNOON

The day began with a low temperature of 59F, which was running close to
10 degrees above the 30-year normal for the date. Cloud cover and rain
showers quickly cooled temperatures back into the upper 50s late this
morning, after a mid-morning high of 67F.

A brief period of fog during the rain reduced visibility to 1/4 mile.
Visibility shortly after this morning’s colorful sunrise was close to
65 miles.

The rainfall total has reached 0.26 inch today, and it was very much needed!
The streak of dry weather has finally ended. The last measurable rainfall
occurred nearly two weeks ago, on September 22. From September 3 through
October 3, rainfall only amounted to 1.16 inches, which was only about 27%
of the 30-year normal for the period.

Blue Hill September Lowest Mean Wind Speed, mph (1885-2013)
1) 10.6 in 2013
2) 10.7 in 2011
3) 10.9 in 1917
10.9 in 2003
5) 11.0 in 2008

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus (3 levels), broken thin cirrus, lower
altocumulus S-W-NNW, few altocumulus castellanus all quadrants, thin smoke
layer along horizon N-ESE, distant haze, rain shower distant SW-W and
distant NW moving E
Temperature: 62F; Dew Point: 48F; Wind: N at 5 kts.
Sea-level pressure: 30.07 ins. Hg, rising
Visibility: 65 miles, distant haze
6-hour min. temp: 59F
BHO SA 1155 60 SCT 80 SCT 100 SCT 250 –BKN 65 184/62/48/0105/007/ LWR AC
S-W-NNW FEW ACC ALQDS THN K LYR ALG HRZN N-ESE DSNT HZ SHRA DSNT SW-W AND
DSNT NW MOVG E/ 8/091 53004 10062 20059

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus, broken stratocumulus, overcast altocumulus,
lower stratocumulus/stratocumulus lenticularis N-NNE and SW-W, few bright
spots in overcast distant E-S, thin smoke layer along/above horizon all
quadrants with an estimated top of 2,000 feet, hazy, rain shower/virga
SW-W-N moving E, light rain shower ended at 9:02 A.M. EST and was very
light and intermittent
Temperature: 62F; Dew Point: 53F; Wind: Estimated NNW at 2 kts,
Wind: Light and variable
Sea-level pressure: 30.08 ins. Hg, rising then falling
Visibility: 45 miles, NE-SSW 60 miles, SW-N 30 miles due to rain shower, hazy
3-hr rainfall: Trace
BHO SA 1455 40 SCT E50 BKN 60 OVC 45 186/62/53/E3402/008/ LWR SC/SCSL N-NNE
AND SW-W FEW BRGHT SPTS INOVC DSNT E-S THN K LYR ALG/ABV HRZN ALQDS ESTMTD
TOP TWO THSND HAZY VSBY NE-SSW 60 SW-N 30 SHRA/VIRGA SW-W-N MOVG E WND LGT
AND VRB RW-E02 VRY LGT AND INTMT/ 8/57/ 50002 MANUAL 6000/

1 P.M.
Weather: Moderate rain, fog, broken stratus, overcast nimbostratus, stratus
drifting over summit, stratus dissipating, light rain briefly very light and
intermittent becoming moderate rain about 12:50 P.M. EST and continuing
Temperature: 57F; Dew Point: 56F; Wind: Estimated WNW at 3 kts,
Wind: Light and variable
Sea-level pressure: 30.08 ins. Hg, decreasing then more rapidly
Visibility: 1 mile, variable 1/4 mile to 2 miles, S-NW-NE 1/4 mile, E-SE
2 miles, increasing rapidly
6-hr rainfall: 0.20 inch
6-hr max temp: 67F
6-hr min temp: 57F
BHO SA 1755 E2 BKN 20 OVC 1RF 185/57/56/E2903/008/ STRA OCNLY DRFTNG OVR SMT
STRA DSSPTNG VSBY 1/4V2 S-NW-NE 1/4 E-SE 2 INCRSNG RAPIDLY WND LGT AND VRB
R- BRFLY VRY LGT AND INTMT BCMG R ABT 50 CTD/ 8/62/ 58001 MANUAL 60020
ASOS 60017 10067 20057

WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2013

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..77 NORMAL…..65
MIN…..56 NORMAL…..48
MEAN….67 NORMAL…..56

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL…………………+11
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH…………………+27 [+8.8 DEGREES/DAY]

COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JAN TO DEC)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………..2 DEPARTURE………+2
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..4 DEPARTURE………+3
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………..700 DEPARTURE…….+102
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……765 DIFFERENCE…….-65

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………..0 DEPARTURE………-9
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..2 DEPARTURE……..-24
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………..148 DEPARTURE……..-21
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……116 DIFFERENCE…….+32

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY………………20 WNW AT 11:58 P.M.
AERO…………………..20 WNW AT 11:58 P.M. *
ASOS…………………..20 W AT 11:59 P.M.
DAVIS………………….N/A RMY N/A
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY………………..15 WNW AT 11:58 P.M. *
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE……………..15 WNW AT 11:58 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE…………….N/A
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION…………10.0 WNW
ASOS………………….9.7
DAVIS…………………8.8 WNW [283 degrees] * last of several occurrences.

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.00 DEPARTURE………….-0.14
ASOS…………..0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH……….0.00 DEPARTURE………….-0.45
ASOS…………..0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR……….41.92 DEPARTURE………….+2.39
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/…/.. 20 WNW AERO 20 MPH WNW RMY N/A

10/4 the morning low temp: 59F; the normal low is now 47F

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 4
HIGH 84F IN 2007
LOW 28F IN 1888
PRECIP 1.87 INCHES IN 2011
PEAK GUST 59 MPH SSW IN 1990

RECORDS FOR OCTOBER 5
HIGH 86F IN 2007
LOW 29F IN 1965
PRECIP 3.17 INCHES IN 1962
PEAK GUST 64e MPH S IN 1979

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Sean Fankhauser and Kevin Pecora