Monday, August 28, 2023

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

MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 2023
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0505E
SUNSET:  1825E

VARIABLE AMOUNTS OF CLOUD COVER WITH A LIGHT ONSHORE FLOW…

This morning started off with dense fog prior to the 7am
observation, but the fog dissipated fairly quickly. However
varying amount of low clouds have stuck around most of the
day. Now as we are moving through the early afternoon period,
high clouds are now overspreading the area, allowing for only
some filtered sunshine.

Temperatures have made it to the low 70s which is below
normal for today’s date. The dew point is in the low 60s,
so it is still a bit humid.

The wind has been light all day, even going calm for brief
period this morning. It’s been mainly out of the southeast
today, but has only averaged around 4mph so far. The peak
gust so far is a pathetic 13mph, which occurred just after
noontime.

Visibility was limited to around 1/4 mile early this morning
by fog, but improved to around 40 miles by late this morning.

The maximum temperature so far today has been 71F, which is
8 degrees below the normal high of 79F. The minimum temperature
since midnight is 59F, which is 2 degrees below the normal low
of 61F.

Through yesterday, Summer of 2023 (Jun-Aug) is now 8th wettest
on record going back to 1886. Here are the top 10 wettest
summers as compiled by our Chief Scientist, Mike Iacono.

BHO Highest Summer (June-August) Precipitation, inches (1886-2023):

1) 25.22 in 1998
2) 24.61 in 1955
3) 24.09 in 1938
4) 21.56 in 2006
5) 21.02 in 1922
6) 20.23 in 1982
7) 19.68 in 2021
8) 19.30 in 2023 (through 8/27)
9) 18.71 in 1989
10) 17.92 in 2013

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Overcast stratus, few breaks in overcast S-WNW,
few lower stratus fractus SE-SSW and W-WNW
Temperature: 61F; Dew Point: 60F; Relative Humidity: 97%
Wind: Calm
Sea-level pressure: 1019.8 mb; 30.11 in. Hg: rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 15 miles, thin fog
6-hr Max temp: 61F
6-hr Min temp: 59F
24-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
BHO AS 1155 E3 OVC 15 198/61/60/0000/011/ FEW BINOVC S-WNW
FEW LWR STFRA SE-SSW AND W-WNW HIER CLDS VSBL S-SSW THN F ALQDS
VSBY LWR SE-SSW AND W-WNW WND CALM/ 8/6// 51016 10061 20059

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus, scattered cirrus
Temperature: 68F; Dew Point: 61F; Relative Humidity: 78%
Wind: SE @ 5 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1020.1 mb; 30.12 in. Hg: rising, then falling
Visibility: 40 miles, hazy
3-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
BHO SA 1455 7 SCT 250 SCT 40 201/68/61/1405/012/ HAZY WND LGT/
8/502 50003

1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus, broken cirrus
Temperature: 71F; Dew Point: 62F; Relative Humidity: 72%
Wind: SSE @ 5 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1019.7 mb; 30.11 in. Hg: falling, then steady
Visibility: 40 miles, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 71F
6-hr Min temp: 61F
6-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
BHO SA 1755 20 SCT E250 BKN 40 197/71/62/1505/011/ HAZY WND LGT/
8/504 56004 10071 20061

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SUMMARY FOR SUNDAY, AUGUST 27, 2023

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….75   NORMAL…..79
MIN…….61   NORMAL…..61
MEAN……68   NORMAL…..70

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL……….-2
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH…………………-48 [-2.0 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2023 THRU JUN 2024)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………….0  DEPARTURE……..-1
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………….1  DEPARTURE……..-7
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON……………1  DEPARTURE…….-14
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……….0  DEPARTURE……..+1

COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JAN 2023 THRU DEC 2023)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………….3  DEPARTURE……..-3
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..136  DEPARTURE…….-53
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………….558  DEPARTURE…….-17
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……..796  DEPARTURE……-238

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

F420C (Official)……….E20 NE   @  08:01 A.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….20 NE   @  08:39 A.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….20 NE   @  08:39 A.M.
DAVIS #1……………….19 NE   @  08:15 A.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………19 NE   @  08:04 A.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..20 NE   @  05:13 A.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..21 NE   @  08:04 A.M.
MERLIN…………………18 NNE
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……19      @  05:13 A.M.

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………14 N    @  02:28 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..13      @  02:41 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..14      @  02:01 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………13 NE   @  08:02 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………14 ENE  @  08:06 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..13 N    @  01:44 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..14 N    @  02:01 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE………13      @  01:44 A.M.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL……..8.4 ENE [202 total miles] VECTOR #1………………8.6
VECTOR #2………………9.2
DAVIS #1……………….9.1 ENE
DAVIS #2……………….9.1 ENE
RMY #1…………………8.6 NE
RMY #2…………………9.0 ENE
RICHARDS (C5C)………….9.1

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.00 DEPARTURE…..-0.12
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..5.30 DEPARTURE…..+1.87
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR…………..40.07 DEPARTURE…..+5.94

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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   76/58/67/-6/0.00/763/88             24 NW  VEC1 24 NW  RMY 24
8/2   75/54/65/-8/0.00/830/96             23 SSW VEC1 22 SSW RMY 23
8/3   79/59/69/-4/0.00/725/84             32 SSW VEC1 34 SSW RMY 34
8/4   77/62/70/-3/T/172/20                29 SSW VEC1 29 SSW RMY 29
8/5   83/66/75/+2/0.00/523/61             18 NW  VEC1 16 WNW RMY 17
8/6   82/60/71/-2/0.00/839/98             20 W   VEC1 19 W   RMY 19
8/7   72/65/69/-4/0.14/034/04             29 SSE VEC1 30 SSE RMY 29
8/8   82/68/75/+3/0.47/187/22             39 S   VEC1 42 S   RMY 42
8/9   82/66/74/+2/0.00/756/89             39 WNW VEC1 38 WNW RMY 38
8/10  83/64/74/+2/0.02/254/30             28 SSW VEC1 27 SSW RMY 28
8/11  80/63/72/+0/0.07/810/96             36 W   VEC1 36 W   RMY 38
8/12  84/61/73/+1/0.00/733/87             26 SSW VEC1 26 SSW RMY 26
8/13  84/68/76/+4/0.07/629/75             26 SSW VEC1 26 SSW RMY 27 TSTM
8/14  82/63/73/+1/T/536/64                25 W   VEC1 24 W   RMY 29
8/15  70/64/67/-5/0.70/000/00             28 NE  VEC1 27 NE  RMY 28
8/16  68/64/66/-6/T/000/00                18 ESE VEC1 19 ENE RMY 18
8/17  70/62/66/-6/T/116/14                15 E   VEC1 14 E   RMY 14
8/18  79/61/70/-1/1.48/298/36             32 W   VEC1 34 W   RMY 33 TSTM
8/19  72/57/65/-6/0.00/371/45             29 W   VEC1 30 W   RMY 30
8/20  81/59/70/-1/0.00/764/93             23 W   VEC1 22 W   RMY 21
8/21  84/64/74/+3/0.85/384/47             29 NE  VEC1 30 ENE RMY 29
8/22  75/59/67/-4/0.00/792/97             29 NNE VEC1 29 NNE RMY 29
8/23  76/56/66/-5/0.00/805/99             20 NNE VEC1 20 NNE RMY 20
8/24  78/58/68/-3/0.02/568/70             24 S   VEC1 24 S   RMY 23
8/25  69/58/64/-6/1.48/000/00             35 S   VEC1 36 S   RMY 37
8/26  83/68/76/+6/0.00/500/62             23 SSW VEC1 22 SSW RMY 22
8/27  75/61/68/-2/0.00/…/..             20 NE  VEC1 20 NE  RMY 20

8/28 The low since midnight is 59F, the daily normal low is 61F

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

RECORDS FOR AUGUST 28
HIGH 95F IN 1948
LOW 43F IN 1885
PRECIP 1.80 INCHES IN 1922
PEAK GUST 87 MPH SSE IN 1971 (DORIA)

RECORDS FOR AUGUST 29
HIGH 95F IN 1953
LOW 41F IN 1982
PRECIP 2.88 INCHES IN 1962
PEAK GUST 70e MPH S IN 1949

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas / Josh Polen