Monday, January 1, 2024

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

MONDAY, JANUARY 1, 2024
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0713E
SUNSET:  1622E

CLOUDY MORNING SKIES PART TO BRING SUNSHINE TO GREAT
BLUE HILL ON THE FIRST DAY OF 2024….

We started the day with overcast conditions and as the day
progressed the clouds moved through and brought sunshine by the
early afternoon.

Temperatures remained in the upper 20’s and low 30’s for the
majority of the day today which is slightly below normal for this
time of year. Dew points hovered in the mid to low 20’s bringing
quite a chill to the air.

We have had very little wind today with an average speed of only
around 3mph. Our peak gust so far is around 11mph, occurring
just after noon.

Visibility was around 50 miles throughout the day and then by the
final observation the dew point and humidity dropped slightly and
visibility was improved to about 70 miles.

The maximum temperature so far today is 35F degrees, this is 1
degree below the normal high of 36F. The minimum temperature since
midnight is 29F degrees, this is 8 degrees above the normal low
of 21F.

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PRELIMINARY STATS FOR DECEMBER 2023

TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 45.6 [+5.4] Avg. Min. 31.8 [+6.9] Mean      38.7 [+6.2] 24-hour corrected mean: 38.3
Max. for month: 61F on the 18th
Min. for month: 16F on the 22nd

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units:    808 [-198] Total for the season:  1895 [-315] Total for last season: 1910

COOLING DEGREE DAYS
Total cooling units:    000 [ 000] Total for the season:   715 [+038] Total for last season:  889

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 7.33 [+1.94] Greatest in 24 hrs: 2.93 on the 17th-18th

SNOWFALL, Inches
Total: 0.3 [-12.3] Greatest in 24 hrs: 0.3 on the 6th

WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 10.6 mph
Avg. corrected wind speed:   11.2 mph
Prevailing wind direction:   West-Northwest [13%] Peak gust and direction:  90 SSE on the 18th

SUNSHINE:
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 7182 of a possible 16470, or 44%
Astronomical total minutes: 7424 of a possible 17007, or 44%

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Overcast stratocumulus, few breaks in overcast distant NW-N-E
Temperature: 29F; Dew Point: 26F; Relative Humidity: 87%
Wind: calm
Sea-level pressure: 1015.5 mb; 29.99 in. Hg: rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 50 miles
6-hr Max temp: 30F
6-hr Min temp: 29F
24-hr Precip:  0.00 inches
24-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow Depth: 0 inches
BHO SA 1155 E35 OVC 50 155/29/26/0000/999/ FEW BINOVC DSNT NW-N-E WND CALM/
8/5// 51011 10030 20029

10 A.M.
Weather: Broken stratocumulus, broken altocumulus
Temperature: 32F; Dew Point: 25F; Relative Humidity: 77%
Wind: N @ 3 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1016.4 mb; 30.01 in. Hg: rising steady
Visibility: 50 miles
3-hr Precip:  0.00 inches
3-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
BHO SA 1455 E30 BKN 65 BKN 50 164/32/25/0703/001/ WND LGT/ 8/550 52009

1 P.M.
Weather: Broken stratocumulus, broken altocumulus
Temperature: 35F; Dew Point: 23F; Relative Humidity: 61%
Wind: WNW @ 4 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1015.7 mb; 29.99 in. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 70 miles
6-hr Max temp: 35F
6-hr Min temp: 29F
6-hr Precip:  0.00 inches
6-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow Depth: 0 inches
BHO SA 1755 E35 BKN 65 BKN 70 157/35/23/2904/999/ WND LGT/ 8/550
58007 10035 20029

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SUMMARY FOR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2023

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….39   NORMAL…..36
MIN…….29   NORMAL…..21
MEAN……34   NORMAL…..29

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL………..+5
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH…………………+197 [+6.2 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2023 THRU JUN 2024)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………31  DEPARTURE……..-5
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..808  DEPARTURE……-198
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………1895  DEPARTURE……-315
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….1910  DEPARTURE…….-15

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)……….E21 NW   @  07:17 A.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….20 NW   @  07:17 A.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….22 NW   @  06:13 A.M.
DAVIS #1……………….21 WNW  @  07:17 A.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………21 NNW  @  07:16 A.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..22 NW   @  06:13 A.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..22 NW   @  07:16 A.M.
MERLIN…………………20 NW
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……21      @  06:14 A.M.

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………14 NW   @  06:14 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..14      @  06:14 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..15      @  07:18 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………15 NW   @  07:18 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………15 NW   @  07:18 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..14 NW   @  06:14 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..15 NW   @  06:13 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE………15      @  06:14 A.M.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL…….7.0 WNW [168 total miles] VECTOR #1……………..7.3
VECTOR #2……………..7.9
DAVIS #1………………7.4 WNW
DAVIS #2………………7.5 NW
RMY #1………………..7.1 WNW
RMY #2………………..7.7 NW
RICHARDS (C5C)…………7.9

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.00 DEPARTURE…..-0.16
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..7.33 DEPARTURE…..+1.94
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR…………..58.70 DEPARTURE…..+4.84

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…………..0.0 DEPARTURE……-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH………………..0.3 DEPARTURE…..-12.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON (2023-2024)…….0.3 DEPARTURE…..-14.8

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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  51/38/45/+8/0.04/0.0/213/38         29 SW  VEC1 28 SW  RMY 29
12/2  48/43/46/+9/T/0.0/000/00            18 SSW VEC1 19 SSW RMY 19
12/3  44/41/43/+7/0.76/0.0/000/00         31 ENE VEC1 32 ENE RMY 33
12/4  49/37/43/+7/0.07/0.0/155/28         23 W   VEC1 22 W   RMY 23
12/5  38/28/33/-3/0.00/0.0/144/26         23 NNW VEC1 24 NW  RMY 24
12/6  34/22/28/-7/0.01/0.3/100/18         21 N   VEC1 21 N   RMY 20
12/7  28/17/56/-12/0.00/0.0/121/22        18 NNW VEC1 18 NW  RMY 19
12/8  42/24/33/-2/0.00/0.0/530/96         20 S   VEC1 18 S   RMY 18
12/9  52/33/43/+9/0.00/0.0/264/48         24 S   VEC1 24 S   RMY 24
12/10 60/43/52/+18/0.66/0.0/033/06        55 SSW VEC1 54 SSW RMY 53
12/11 61/33/47/+13/1.96/0.0/038/07        69 SSW VEC1 69 SSW RMY 71
12/12 42/29/36/+2/0.00/0.0/543/99         33 WNW VEC1 32 WNW RMY 34
12/13 43/28/36/+3/0.00/0.0/470/86         36 WNW VEC1 34 WNW RMY 36
12/14 34/22/28/-5/0.00/0.0/520/95         31 SW  VEC1 31 SW  RMY 32
12/15 53/30/42/+9/0.00/0.0/541/99         31 WNW VEC1 30 WNW RMY 28
12/16 50/36/43/+11/0.00/0.0/530/97        21 ESE VEC1 22 ESE RMY 22
12/17 55/37/46/+14/0.47/0.0/098/18        40 SSE VEC1 41 SSE RMY 41
12/18 61/42/52/+20/2.47/0.0/000/00        90 SSE VEC1 95 SSE RMY 101
12/19 46/30/38/+6/0.00/0.0/332/61         28 NW  VEC1 28 NW  RMY 26
12/20 41/26/34/+3/0.00/0.0/540/99         26 NNW VEC1 27 NNW RMY 28
12/21 34/20/27/-4/0.00/0.0/534/98         29 NNW VEC1 30 NNW RMY 28
12/22 34/16/25/-6/0.00/0.0/540/99         18 NNW VEC1 18 NNW RMY 19
12/23 42/26/34/+3/0.00/0.0/414/76         18 SSW VEC1 18 SSW RMY 16
12/24 46/35/41/+11/0.01/0.0/000/00        16 SE  VEC1 16 SE  RMY 16
12/25 53/41/47/+17/0.01/0.0/409/75        15 ENE VEC1 15 SE  RMY 14
12/26 52/32/42/+12/0.00/0.0/245/45        18 SW  VEC1 18 SW  RMY 19
12/27 52/39/45/+15/0.02/0.0/000/00        18 SW  VEC1 18 SW  RMY 19
12/28 44/39/42/+13/0.72/0.0/000/00        40 NE  VEC1 41 NE  RMY 40
12/29 44/38/41/+12/0.06/0.0/000/00        18 N   VEC1 18 N   RMY 19
12/30 43/32/38/+9/0.07/0.0/000/00         24 WNW VEC1 24 WNW RMY 24
12/31 39/29/34/+5/0.00/0.0/110/20         21 NW  VEC1 20 NW  RMY 22

1/1 The low since midnight is 29F, the daily normal low is 21F

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DECEMBER DAILY RECORDS TO DATE

12/18: RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 61F;
BEATS OLD RECORD OF 59F SET IN 1928

12/18: RECORD PRECIPITATION OF 2.47 INS;
BEATS OLD RECORD OF 1.44 INS SET IN 1915

12/18: RECORD PEAK WIND GUST OF 90 MPH;
BEATS OLD RECORD OF 76e MPH SET IN 1978

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

RECORDS FOR JANUARY 1
HIGH 58F IN 1966
LOW -6F IN 1918
PRECIP 1.45 INS. IN 1982
SNOWFALL 7.2 INS. IN 1938
PEAK GUST 90e MPH S IN 1945

RECORDS FOR JANUARY 2
HIGH 62F IN 1890
LOW -7F IN 1899,1918
PRECIP 2.10 INS. IN 1987
SNOWFALL 10.9 INS. IN 2014
PEAK GUST 85e MPH S IN 1942

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Amanda Joly