Monday, August 19, 2024

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

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2024
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0456E
SUNSET:  1838E

MAINLY CLOUDY AGAIN TODAY WITH PERIODIC RAIN SHOWERS….

Today marks the 4th day in a row that we started the day in the
clouds. Visibility was 1/4 or less for a time early this morning
in dense fog (which here on the summit means we’re in the clouds).

The fog lifted by mid morning, but skies have remained mainly
cloudy since. A few peeks of sun was visible for a time late this
morning into very early this afternoon. Rain showers began
overnight and was the most “steady” during the pre-dawn hours.
Since then occasional showers have moved through the area. 0.18″
of rain was left in the gauge at 7am this morning with an
additional 0.01″ falling between 7am and 1pm.

Temperatures have warmed into the mid 70s despite the lack of
sunshine. The dew point has also risen into the low 70s, as such,
it feels quite muggy out there today.

To go with the muggy air we have a lack of wind today, thus it
makes it feel kind of stuffy. The average speed for the day so
far is only around 6mph. The peak gust for the day so far is
17mph, which occurred just after 5am this morning.

Visibility has been limited today thanks to the fog early this
morning, and off and on rain showers thereafter. The view
improved from the very low values early this morning to around
15-25 miles for the balance of the day up to this point.

The maximum temperature so far today is 76F, which is 4 degrees
below the normal high of 80F. The minimum temperature since
midnight is 66F, which is 3 degrees above the normal low of 63F.

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Sky obscured, vertical visibility 200ft
Temperature: 67F; Dew Point: 67F; Relative Humidity: 100%
Wind: S @ 4 kts, wind light and variable
Sea-level pressure: 1008.3 mb ; 29.78 in. Hg: falling, then rising
Visibility: 1/4 mile, fog
6-hr Max temp: 67F
6-hr Min temp: 66F
24-hr Precip:  0.18 inches
BHO SA 1155 X W2 1/4F 083/67/67/1904/978/ RW-E13 WND L/V/ 8////
55002 6014/ 70018 10067 20066

10 A.M.
Weather: Broken stratocumulus, broken cumulus, broken altocumulus/
altostratus, towering cumulus distant SE-S
Temperature: 73F; Dew Point: 68F; Relative Humidity: 85%
Wind: S @ 3 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1007.8 mb; 29.76 in. Hg: rising then falling
Visibility: 25 miles, thin fog
3-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
BHO SA 1455 E10 BKN 25 BKN 50 BKN 25 078/73/68/1803/976/ TCU DSNT SE-S
THN F ALQDS WND LGT/ 8/870 58005

1 P.M.
Weather: Broken cumulus, overcast altocumulus/altostratus, very light
rain shower, few breaks in overcast distant S, few lower stratus fractus
all quadrants
Temperature: 75F; Dew Point: 71F; Relative Humidity: 86%
Wind: S @ 3 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1006.3 mb; 29.72 in. Hg: falling, then more slowly
Visibility: 15 miles, 25 miles SE-WSW, 8 miles NW-NNE, thin fog
6-hr Max temp: 76F
6-hr Min temp: 67F
6-hr Precip: 0.01 inches
BHO SA 1755 E22 BKN 100 OVC 15RW- 063/75/71/1903/972/ FEW BINOVC DSNT S
FEW LWR STFRA ALQDS THN F ALQDS PCPN VRY LGT RW-B00E23B37 VSBY 25 SE-WSW
8 NW-NNE WND LGT/ 8/27/ 56015 6001/ 10076 20067

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SUMMARY FOR SUNDAY, AUGUST 18, 2024

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….71  NORMAL…..80
MIN…….62  NORMAL…..63
MEAN……67  NORMAL…..71

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL…………..-4
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH……………………..+5 [+0.1 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2024 THRU JUN 2025)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………….0  DEPARTURE………0
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………….2  DEPARTURE……..-2
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON……………2  DEPARTURE……..-9
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……….0  DEPARTURE……..+2

COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JAN 2024 THRU DEC 2024)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………….2  DEPARTURE……..-5
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..139  DEPARTURE……..+5
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………….636  DEPARTURE……+115
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……..524  DEPARTURE……+112

PEAK WIND GUST (MPH):
Note: Instruments designated #1 = Main Tower, #2 = South Tower,
F420C, Contacting, Merlin, and Richards are all on Main Tower.
E=Estimated

F420C (Official)……….E18 SE   @   05:49 P.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….19 SE   @   05:49 P.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….20 ESE  @   05:49 P.M.
DAVIS #1……………….17 SSE  @   09:36 P.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………19 ESE  @   05:49 P.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..17 SE   @   05:40 P.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..20 ESE  @   05:49 P.M.
MERLIN…………………16 SE
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)…..OTS

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………13 SE   @   07:59 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..13      @   07:58 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..15      @   05:50 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………13 SE   @   07:54 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………15 SE   @   05:50 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..13 SE   @   07:58 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..15 SE   @   05:50 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE……..OTS

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL…….5.1 SE [123 total miles] VECTOR #1……………..6.0
VECTOR #2……………..6.3
DAVIS #1………………5.7 SE
DAVIS #2………………5.9 SE
RMY #1………………..5.8 SE
RMY #2………………..6.3 ESE
RICHARDS (C5C)…………OTS

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.18 DEPARTURE…..+0.05
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..2.85 DEPARTURE…..+0.51
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR (2024)…….41.10 DEPARTURE…..+8.06

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

8/1   92/71/82/+9/T/779/90                24 W   VEC1 24 W   RMY 23
8/2   94/73/84/+11/0.01/579/67            31 SSW VEC1 31 SSW RMY 30 TSTM
8/3   92/75/84/+11/0.00/612/71            29 W   VEC1 28 W   RMY 28
8/4   85/68/77/+4/0.20/318/37             29 WSW VEC1 29 WSW RMY 31 TSTM
8/5   90/67/79/+6/T/686/80                28 SSW VEC1 28 SSW RMY 29
8/6   73/60/67/-6/0.56/009/01             26 ENE VEC1 26 ENE RMY 26
8/7   69/57/63/-10/0.18/119/14            25 NE  VEC1 23 NE  RMY 23
8/8   72/58/65/-7/0.09/187/22             20 ESE VEC1 20 ESE RMY 19
8/9   82/62/72/0/0.48/127/15              50 SSW VEC1 48 S   RMY 50
8/10  85/68/77/+5/0.37/659/78             41 SSW VEC1 41 SSW RMY 43
8/11  81/63/72/0/0.00/741/88              30 W   VEC1 29 SW  RMY 30
8/12  77/59/68/-4/0.15/638/76             35 WNW VEC1 34 WNW RMY 36
8/13  80/58/69/-3/0.00/787/94             21 NW  VEC1 22 NW  RMY 21
8/14  82/62/72/0/0.00/676/81              16 NNW VEC1 15 NNW RMY 15
8/15  84/62/73/+1/0.57/…/..             44 N   VEC1 42 N   RMY 46 TSTM
8/16  74/61/68/-4/0.00/…/..             13 ESE VEC1 13 ESE RMY 13
8/17  75/60/68/-4/0.00/…/..             17 SE  VEC1 16 SE  RMY 15
8/18  71/62/67/-4/0.09/…/..             18 SE  VEC1 19 SE  RMY 17

8/19  The low since midnight is 66F, the daily normal low is 63F.

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AUGUST DAILY RECORDS TO DATE

8/3  RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 75F,
TIED THE PREVIOUS RECORD SET IN 2020

8/15 PEAK GUST 44e MPH N,
TIED THE PREVIOUS RECORD SET IN 1941

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

RECORDS FOR AUGUST 19
HIGH 92F IN 2019
LOW 48F IN 1958
PRECIP 8.07 INCHES IN 1955 [DIANE – RECORD FOR MONTH] PEAK GUST 78 MPH ENE IN 1991 – HURRICANE BOB

RECORDS FOR AUGUST 20
HIGH 94F IN 2022
LOW 48F IN 1896, 1905, 1949
PRECIP 2.71 INCHES IN 1970
PEAK GUST 47 MPH W IN 1983, 47 SSW IN 2010

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas