Monday, December 30, 2024

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

MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2024
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0713E
SUNSET:  1621E

A DECENT RAINFALL THIS MORNING, CONTINUED ON THE MILD SIDE….

A slug of rain moved through the area this morning ahead of a cold
frontal system. The rain started between 3-4am this morning and
continued until around 12:30pm. A pretty heavy band moved through
between 7-10am, during which time 0.62″ of rain was recorded. For
the event overall, 0.67″ of rain has been recorded, bringing the
monthly total to over 7″! This is a bit amazing considering we
entered the month under extreme drought conditions.

As the system moves out of the region, breaks are developing in the
cloud cover early this afternoon allowing for some dim sunshine to
poke through at times. The trend for decreasing clouds should
continue allowing for a fairly nice afternoon going forward.

Temperatures are once again well above normal today with readings
spending the entire day in the 50s. As a matter of fact, the low for
the day so far is 52F. This would be a new record high minimum for
the day if it held through midnight (doubtful). The current record
is 48F set in 1948.

Winds are gusty today, mainly out of a southerly direction so far.
The average speed for the day to this point is around 20mph. We’ve
had frequent gusts over 30mph most of the day. The peak gust for
the day so far is 40mph, which occurred around 8:26am this morning.

Visibility had been variable this morning. At times we were in the
clouds and the view was only around 1/16th to 1/8th of a mile. At
other times the cloud base would lift and we’d be able to see as far
as 20 miles. Now as the system moves out, visibility has improved
early this afternoon to around 30 miles so far.

The maximum temperature for today is 55F degrees, which is 18 degrees
above the normal high of 37F. The minimum temperature since midnight
is 52F degrees, which is 31 degrees above the normal low of 21F.

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Overcast nimbostratus, light rain
Temperature: 54F; Dew Point: 53F; Relative Humidity: 96%
Wind: S @ 20G30 kts, peak wind SSE 36mph at 6:43 A.M.
Sea-level pressure: 1004.7 mb; 29.67 in. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 10 miles, 6 miles S-W, 20 miles NE-E, thin fog
6-hr Max temp: 55F
6-hr Min temp: 53F
24-hr Precip:  0.03 inches
24-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow Depth: 0 inches
BHO SA 1155 E40 OVC 10R- 047/54/53/1720G30/967/ THN F ALQDS R-E15B29
VSBY 6 S-W 20 NE-E PK WND 1631/43/ 8/02/ 58035 6002/ 70003 10055 20053

10 A.M.
Weather: Overcast stratus, few lower stratus fractus all quadrants
Temperature: 54F; Dew Point: 54F; Relative Humidity: 100%
Wind: SSE @ 17G24 kts, peak wind S 35mph at 9:07 A.M.
Sea-level pressure: 1003.0 mb; 29.62 in. Hg: rising, then falling
Visibility: 15 miles, 8 miles N-E, thin fog
3-hr Precip:  0.62 inches
3-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
BHO SA 1455 E3 OVC 15 030/54/54/1617G24/962/ FEW LWR STFRA ALQDS
THN F ALQDS R-E50 VSBY 8 N-E PK WND 1830/07/ 8/6// 58017 6062/

1 P.M.
Weather: Broken stratus fractus, overcast stratus, few lower stratus
fractus ENE-SE, sun dimly visible
Temperature: 54F; Dew Point: 53F; Relative Humidity: 98%
Wind: SSW @ 13G20 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1000.5mb; 29.54 in. Hg: falling, then more slowly
Visibility: 30 miles
6-hr Max temp: 55F
6-hr Min temp: 52F
6-hr Precip:  0.65 inches
6-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow Depth: 0 inches
BHO SA 1755 E9 BKN 14 OVC 30 005/54/53/2113G20/954/ FEW LWR STFRA
ENE-SE SUN DMLY VSBL R-E32/ 8/6// 56025 6065/ 10055 20052

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SUMMARY FOR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2024

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….53  NORMAL…..37
MIN…….44  NORMAL…..21
MEAN……49  NORMAL…..29

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL…………+20
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH……………………-20 [-0.9 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2024 THRU JUN 2025)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………16  DEPARTURE…….-20
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..953  DEPARTURE…….+19
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………1896  DEPARTURE……-242
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….1837  DEPARTURE…….+59

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)………..32 S    @   08:23 P.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….33 S    @   08:23 P.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….32 S    @   09:00 P.M.
DAVIS #1……………….35 S    @   08:23 P.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………39 S    @   07:24 P.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..31 S    @   08:20 P.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..33 S    @   09:00 P.M.
MERLIN………………….M
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)…..OTS

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………26 S    @   09:09 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..24      @   08:23 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..24      @   08:23 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………25 S    @   08:23 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………31 S    @   09:06 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..23 S    @   08:21 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..25 S    @   08:23 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE……..OTS

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL……..11.3 SSW [272 total miles] VECTOR #1………………11.8
VECTOR #2………………12.1
DAVIS #1……………….11.2 SSW
DAVIS #2……………….13.0 SSW
RMY #1…………………11.6 SSW
RMY #2…………………12.4 SSW
RICHARDS (C5C)…………..OTS

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.03 DEPARTURE…..-0.13
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..6.93 DEPARTURE…..+1.86
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR (2024)…….54.40 DEPARTURE…..+0.86

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…………..0.0 DEPARTURE……-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………….12.6 DEPARTURE……+1.1
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON (2024-2025)……12.6 DEPARTURE……-1.4

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

12/1   37/23/30/-7/0.00/0.0/452/81        21 WSW VEC1 21 WSW RMY 21
12/2   38/22/30/-7/0.00/0.0/551/99        18 W   VEC1 18 W   RMY 18
12/3   36/20/28/-8/0.00/0.0/411/74        21 NW  VEC1 21 WNW RMY 21
12/4   39/22/31/-5/0.13/T/394/71          30 S   VEC1 31 S   RMY 33
12/5   37/31/34/-2/0.40/3.0/072/13        43 WNW VEC1 43 WNW RMY 47
12/6   31/23/27/-8/0.00/0.0/514/93        39 NW  VEC1 39 W   RMY 42
12/7   37/22/30/-5/T/T/408/74             25 S   VEC1 25 S   RMY 26
12/8   47/28/38/+3/0.02/T/198/36          37 SSW VEC1 37 SSW RMY 40
12/9   47/34/41/+7/0.41/0.0/187/34        28 ENE VEC1 28 E   RMY 29
12/10  42/31/37/+3/0.15/0.0/000/00        31 NE  VEC1 32 NE  RMY 34
12/11  62/36/49/+15/3.38/0.0/000/00       65 SSW VEC1 67 SSW RMY 70 TSTM
12/12  53/25/39/+5/0.05/0.0/460/84        51 WNW VEC1 49 WNW RMY 51
12/13  31/19/25/-8/0.00/0.0/514/94        30 WNW VEC1 30 W   RMY 30
12/14  33/17/25/-8/0.00/0.0/546/100       20 NW  VEC1 19 NNW RMY 20
12/15  34/17/26/-7/0.00/0.0/377/69        17 N   VEC1 17 N   RMY 16
12/16  45/29/37/+5/T/0.0/005/01           35 SSE VEC1 35 SSE RMY 35
12/17  59/41/50/+18/0.25/0.0/360/66       48 SSW VEC1 50 SSW RMY 50
12/18  50/36/43/+11/0.57/0.0/507/93       21 S   VEC1 21 S   RMY 21
12/19  44/30/37/+5/0.13/0.0/425/78        31 NW  VEC1 31 NW  RMY 32
12/20  32/24/28/-3/1.17/9.4/000/00        28 NNE VEC1 29 N   RMY 29
12/21  26/12/19/-12/0.00/0.0/262/48       38 NW  VEC1 38 NW  RMY 41
12/22  17/6/12/-19/0.00/0.0/544/100       33 NW  VEC1 33 NW  RMY 35
12/23  26/4/15/-16/0.00/0.0/420/77        21 S   VEC1 21 SSW RMY 20
12/24  31/19/25/-5/0.02/0.2/082/15        29 WSW VEC1 29 WSW RMY 30
12/25  31/20/26/-4/0.00/0.0/540/99        18 NNW VEC1 19 NNW RMY 21
12/26  38/23/31/+1/0.00/0.0/…/..        15 N   VEC1 15 N   RMY 15
12/27  42/21/32/+2/0.00/0.0/…/..        20 SSW VEC1 20 SSW RMY 21
12/28  45/31/38/+9/0.18/0.0/…/..        21 SW  VEC1 21 SSW RMY 21
12/29  53/44/49/+20/0.05/0.0/000/00       32 S   VEC1 33 S   RMY 31

12/30 The low since midnight is 52F, the daily normal low is 21F.

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DECEMBER DAILY RECORDS TO DATE

12/11 NEW PRECIPITATION RECORD OF 3.38″; OLD RECORD 2.36″ IN 1992

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

RECORDS FOR DECEMBER 30
HIGH 60 IN 1984
LOW -18 IN 1933
PRECIP 1.54 INS. IN 1942
SNOWFALL 7.5 INS. IN 1956
PEAK GUST 81 MPH WNW IN 1962

RECORDS FOR DECEMBER 31
HIGH 62 IN 1965
LOW -12 IN 1917
PRECIP 0.96 INS. IN 1906
SNOWFALL 7.5 INS. IN 2008
PEAK GUST 78 MPH NW IN 1990

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas