Monday, February 8, 2021

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

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
SUNRISE: 0649E
SUNSET:  1708E

SUNNY, BUT COLD AND DRY FOLLOWING YESTERDAY’S SNOW….

Yesterday featured yet another snow event here on the hill
with a strong frontogenic band bringing a period of very
heavy snow mid to late afternoon. Hourly rates were
estimated to be as much as 3 inches per hour for a time.
Total snowfall amounted to 11.6 inches. This melted down
to only 0.71″ of liquid, giving an average ratio of 16:1!
This morning we observed 16 inches of snow depth on the
ground. This degree of being snowbound is definitely a big
change from last winter!

Today we’re enjoying a sun filled sky with dry conditions
in the wake of yesterday’s storm. The dew point has been
hanging around the upper single digits, indicative of an
arctic air mass in place.

Wind hasn’t been too much of an issue today, generally
averaging around 10 mph. Gusts have been as high as 22 mph
thus far.

Visibility is excellent today holding at around 80 miles.

The high so far today is 26F, 9 degrees below the daily
average max of 35F. The low since midnight is 13F, 5 degrees
below the normal minimum of 18F.
PRELIMINARY STATS FOR JANUARY 2021

TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 35.4 [+1.6] Avg. Min. 22.5 [+5.4] Mean      28.9 [+3.4] 24-hour corrected mean: 28.8
Max. for month: 52F on the 16th
Min. for month: 2F on the 31st

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units:   1114 [-112] Total for the season:  3044 [-487] Total for last season: 3531

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 2.32 [-2.03] Greatest in 24 hrs: N/A

SNOWFALL, Inches
Total: 7.2 [-9.9] Greatest in 24 hrs: N/A

WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 11.1 mph
Avg. corrected wind speed:   11.7 mph
Prevailing wind direction:   NW [25%] Peak gust and direction:     48 ESE on the 16th

SUNSHINE:
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: N/A
Astronomical total minutes: N/A

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few stratocumulus distant NNE-SE,
few altocumulus distant NNW-NNE
Temperature: 14F; Dew Point: 9F; Relative Humidity: 80%
Wind: WNW @ 10 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.21 in Hg; rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 60 miles
6-hr Max temp: 25F
6-hr Min temp: 13F
24-hr Precip: 0.71 ins.
24-hr Snow: 11.6 ins.
Snow Depth: 16 ins.
BHO SA 1155 CLR 60 231/14/9/3010/021/ FEW SC DSNT NNE-SE
FEW AC DSNT NNW-NNE TOTAL NEW SNW PST 24 HRS 11.6 INS/
8/570 4/016 51038 70071 10025 20013

10 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few stratocumulus distant E-SSE, few cirrus
distant W-NW-NNE
Temperature: 20F; Dew Point: 9F; Relative Humidity: 62%
Wind: NW @ 9G17 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.32 in Hg; rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 80 miles
3-hr Precip: 0.00 ins.
3-hr Snow: 0.0 ins.
BHO SA 1455 CLR 70 267/20/9/3109G17/032/ FEW SC DSNT E-SSE
FEW CI DSNT W-NW-NNE/ 8/501 51036

1 P.M.
Weather: Clear, few stratocumulus distant ENE-SE-S, few cirrus
distant SW-NW-NE
Temperature: 25F, Dew point: 9F; Relative Humidity: 50%
Wind: W @ 8G18 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.33 in Hg, steady, then rising
Visibility: 80 miles
6-hr Max temp: 26F
6-hr Min temp: 14F
6-hr Precip: 0.00 ins.
6-hr Snow: 0.0 ins.
Snow Depth: 16 ins.
BHO SA 1755 CLR 80 270/25/9/2808G18/033/ FEW SC DSNT ENE-SE-S
FEW CI DSNT SW-NW-NE/ 8/501 4/016 53003 10026 20014

SUMMARY FOR SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2021

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….35   NORMAL…..35
MIN…….25   NORMAL…..18
MEAN……30   NORMAL…..27

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1981-2010) NORMAL……… +3
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH…………………+35 [+4.8 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………35  DEPARTURE…… -3
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………. 237  DEPARTURE….. -36
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………3281  DEPARTURE…..-522
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….3431  DEPARTURE…..-150

PEAK WIND GUST (MPH):
420C/Official…………..27 WNW @ 11:47 P.M.
AEROVANE (south tower)…..28 WNW @ 11:33 P.M.
ASOS…………………..29 WNW @ 11:49 P.M.
DAVIS #1……………….25 NW  @ 11:49 P.M.
DAVIS #2 (south tower)…..24 NW  @ 11:56 P.M.
RMY……………………30     @ 11:59 P.M
VECTOR…………………31     @ 11:48 P.M.
MERLIN…………………30

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………16 WNW @ 11:53 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE……………….21 WNW @ 11:50 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………18 NW  @ 11:50 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………18 WNW @ 11:50 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY AVERAGE………………..20 NW  @ 11:59 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR AVERAGE……………..20     @ 11:48 P.M.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL…. 9.4 NNW [225 total miles] ASOS……………….10.7
DAVIS #1…………… 9.9 NE
DAVIS #2……………10.1 NNE
RMY………………..10.3 NE
VECTOR……………..10.5

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…….0.71  DEPARTURE….+0.58
ASOS………….0.68
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH………….3.52  DEPARTURE….+2.59
ASOS………….3.75
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR…………..5.84  DEPARTURE….-0.56
ASOS…………6.10

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HOURS ENDING 7 A.M……….11.6  DEPARTURE….+11.2
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH………………26.8  DEPARTURE….+23.4
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON……………..60.2  DEPARTURE….+23.7

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JANUARY CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOW/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/PEAK GUST/AERO/RMY GUST
AERO: Aerovane wind recording system gust
RMY:  R.M. Young wind gust recording system
TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day)
….: Data not yet available, records not finalized
M:    Missing data

01/01   36/25/31/+4/0.06/0.3/330/60       23 E    AERO 23 NNW  RMY 23
01/02   43/30/37/+10/0.30/T/116/21        37 WNW  AERO 39 WNW  RMY 44
01/03   33/27/30/+4/0.07/0.8/000/00       23 NNE  AERO 22 NNE  RMY 25
01/04   37/28/33/+7/0.01/0.1/110/20       25 NNE  AERO 23 NNE  RMY 27
01/05   31/28/30/+4/0.05/0.7/000/00       21 NNW  AERO 21 NNW  RMY 22
01/06   38/28/33/+7/T/T/244/44            30 NW   AERO 29 NW   RMY 32
01/07   42/26/34/+8/0.00/0.0/516/93       28 NNW  AERO 26 NNW  RMY 31
01/08   40/21/31/+5/0.00/0.0/517/93       25 NNW  AERO 22 NNW  RMY 25
01/09   34/30/27/+1/0.00/0.0/395/71       25 N    AERO 23 N    RMY 24
01/10   39/24/32/+7/0.00/0.0/493/88       25 NNW  AERO 23 NNW  RMY 24
01/11   34/25/30/+5/0.00/0.0/000/00       17 SW   AERO 16 SSW  RMY 16
01/12   40/24/32/+7/0.00/0.0/438/78       23 WNW  AERO 23 WNW  RMY 24
01/13   40/26/33/+8/0.00/0.0/389/69       15 SW   AERO 14 SW   RMY 19
01/14   38/31/35/+10/0.09/T/000/00        16 SSW  AERO 16 SSW  RMY 19
01/15   40/32/36/+11/0.00/0.0/266/47      25 ESE  AERO 23 ESE  RMY 27 TSTM
01/16   52/33/43/+18/1.00/0.0/000/00      48 ESE  AERO 53 SE   RMY 54
01/17   41/32/37/+12/0.00/0.0/314/55      47 W    AERO 46 W    RMY 54
01/18   42/27/35/+10/T/0.0/366/64         35 W    AERO 37 WNW  RMY 36
01/19   39/23/31/+6/T/T/293/51            25 WNW  AERO 25 WNW  RMY 27
01/20   37/22/30/+5/T/T/144/25            32 WNW  AERO 33 WNW  RMY 34
01/21   31/17/24/-1/T/0.1/081/14          23 WNW  AERO 24 SSW  RMY 24
01/22   42/29/36/+11/0.00/0.0/226/39      28 WNW  AERO 24 WNW  RMY 29
01/23   29/14/22/-3/0.00/0.0/442/76       41 WNW  AERO 41 WNW  RMY 46
01/24   29/13/21/-4/0.00/0.0/571/98       43 WNW  AERO 48 WNW  RMY 44
01/25   35/15/25/0/0.00/0.0/…/..        28 NW   AERO 29 NW   RMY 30
01/26   36/20/28/+3/0.17/2.4/…/..       18 E    AERO 18 E    RMY 20
01/27   33/27/30/+5/0.12/1.9/…/..       16 NNW  AERO 17 NNW  RMY 17
01/28   29/13/21/-4/0.09/0.9/…/..       39 NW   AERO 48 NW   RMY 42
01/29   15/4/10/-15/0.00/0.0/…/..       44 NW   AERO 46 NW   RMY 50
01/30   19/3/11/-15/0.00/0.0/…/..       24 NW   AERO 28 NW   RMY 27
01/31   23/2/13/-13/0.00/0.0/…/..       18 NW   AERO 18 NW   RMY 19

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOW/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/PEAK GUST/AERO/RMY GUST
AERO: Aerovane wind recording system gust
RMY:  R.M. Young wind gust recording system
TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day)
….: Data not yet available, records not finalized
M:    Missing data

02/01   32/21/27/+1/1.86/12.7/…/..      53 NE   AERO 65 NE   RMY 62
02/02   34/29/32/+6/0.91/1.6/…/..       52 NNE  AERO 55 NE   RMY 58
02/03   34/26/30/+4/0.01/0.2/…/..       20 NW   AERO 20 NW   RMY 22
02/04   37/26/32/+6/0.02/0.7/…/..       23 NW   AERO 22 NW   RMY M
02/05   39/26/33/+7/0.01/T/…/..         33 S    AERO 32 S    RMY 30
02/06   40/28/34/+8/0.00/0.0/…/..       42 WSW  AERO 41 WSW  RMY 47
02/07   35/25/30/+3/0.71/11.6/…/..      27 WNW  AERO 28 WNW  RMY 30

02/08 The low since midnight is 13F, the daily normal low is 18F

DAILY RECORDS

02/01 -RECORD SNOWFALL OF 12.7 INS, BREAKING PREVIOUS RECORD
OF 11.0 INS SET IN 1898
02/01 -RECORD PRECIPITATION OF 1.86 INS, BREAKING PREVIOUS
RECORD OF 1.30 INS SET IN 1898

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

RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 8
HIGH 60F IN 1933
LOW -9F IN 1934
PRECIP 2.50 INS. IN 1945
SNOWFALL 16.1 INS. IN 2013
PEAK GUST 63e MPH NE IN 1945, 2013

RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 9
HIGH 58F IN 1990
LOW -21F IN 1934 [LOWEST TEMPERATURE ON RECORD] PRECIP 2.12 INS. IN 1969
SNOWFALL 16.9 INS. IN 2016
PEAK GUST 89 MPH NE IN 1969

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas