Monday, March 18, 2024

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

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2024
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0550E
SUNSET:  1755E

MORNING OVERCAST SKIES MAKE WAY FOR A SUNNY AND WINDY DAY
ON BLUE HILL…

This morning we were under a partially overcast sky with a
clearing to the west. The clouds moved out by late morning
bringing abundant sunshine and dry air.

Temperatures have remained slightly above average, including
the overnight low temperature. With the dry air, low humidity
and warmer temperatures it has been an excellent day to get
out and take in some fresh air and sunshine!

The wind has been from the west and WNW for most of the day
and has become quite gusty since mid morning. Our average
speed has been around 13 mph and the peak gust of 37 mph
occurred around 11am.

Even with the early morning clouds we have had excellent
views today, thanks in part to the low dew points. Our
visibility has been in the 70-80 mile range all day.

The maximum temperature so far today is 48F degrees, which
is 4 degrees above the normal high of 44F. The minimum
temperature since midnight is 37F degrees, which is 10 degrees
above the normal low of 27F.

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Broken stratus few altostratus
Temperature: 38F; Dew Point: 26F; Relative Humidity: 60%
Wind: WNW @ 7 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1005.0 mb; 29.68 in. Hg: falling then
steady
Visibility: 80 miles
6-hr Max temp: 39F
6-hr Min temp: 37F
24-hr Precip:  0.04 inches
24-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow Depth: 0 inches
BHO SA 1155 E60 BKN 80 050/38/26/2907/968/ FEW AC SSW-W-NNW/
8/680 53006 6000/ 70003 10039 20037

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus, few altocumulus, few cirrus
Temperature: 43F; Dew Point: 21F; Relative Humidity: 39%
Wind: WNW @ 20G31 kts, peak wind 36 mph W at 9:54am
Sea-level pressure: 1004.1 mb; 29.65 in. Hg: rising then falling
Visibility: 80 miles
3-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
3-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
BHO SA 1455 60 SCT 80 041/43/21/2920G31/965/ FEW AC ALQDS
FEW CI ALQDS PK WND 2831/54/ 8/551 58009

1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus, few cirrostratus ESE-S-SSW
Temperature: 46F; Dew Point: 17F; Relative Humidity: 31%
Wind: WNW @ 9 kts, peak wind 30 mph WNW at 12:35pm
Sea-level pressure: 1002.9 mb; 29.62 in. Hg: falling, then slowly
Visibility: 80 miles
6-hr Max temp: 48F
6-hr Min temp: 38F
6-hr Precip:  0.00 inches
6-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow Depth: 0 inches
BHO SA 1755 60 SCT 80 029/46/17/2709/962/ FEW CS ESE-S-SSW
PK WND 2926/35/ 8/506 56012 10048 20038

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SUMMARY FOR SUNDAY, MARCH 17, 2024

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….59   NORMAL…..44
MIN…….40   NORMAL…..27
MEAN……50   NORMAL…..36

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL………..+14
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH………………….+148 [+8.5 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2023 THRU JUN 2024)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………15  DEPARTURE…….-14
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..389  DEPARTURE……-149
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………4277  DEPARTURE……-693
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….4209  DEPARTURE…….+68

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)……….E38 NW   @  04:06 P.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….38 NW   @  04:05 P.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….42 WNW  @  03:48 P.M.
DAVIS #1……………….36 W    @  04:46 P.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………45 WNW  @  06:30 A.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..40 WNW  @  04:07 P.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..40 WNW  @  03:48 P.M.
MERLIN…………………37 NW
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……38      @  04:45 P.M.

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………28 NW   @  11:33 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..25      @  01:33 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..28      @  03:49 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………27 W    @  01:33 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………29 S    @  06:44 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..25 NW   @  03:30 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..27 NW   @  03:38 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE………25      @  03:30 P.M.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL……15.3 WNW [366 total miles] VECTOR #1…………….15.0
VECTOR #2…………….16.0
DAVIS #1……………..15.1 SW
DAVIS #2……………..16.4 WSW
RMY #1……………….14.5 WSW
RMY #2……………….15.8 SW
RICHARDS (C5C)………..15.0

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.03 DEPARTURE…..-0.16
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..4.39 DEPARTURE…..+1.42
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR (2024)…….14.95 DEPARTURE…..+3.48

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…………..0.0 DEPARTURE……-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH………………TRACE DEPARTURE……-9.8
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON (2023-2024)……26.1 DEPARTURE…..-35.6

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PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MARCH 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
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated)

3/1   41/18/30/-1/0.00/0.0/649/96         30 NW  VEC1 30 WNW RMY 33
3/2   50/32/41/+9/1.16/0.0/000/00         44 SSE VEC1 46 SE  RMY 42
3/3   55/42/49/+17/0.24/0.0/130/19        32 SSE VEC1 33 SSE RMY 32
3/4   49/36/43/+11/0.01/0.0/116/17        24 ENE VEC1 22 ENE RMY 23
3/5   42/36/39/+7/0.14/0.0/000/00         21 E   VEC1 21 E   RMY 21
3/6   51/39/45/+12/0.44/0.0/000/00        28 NE  VEC1 28 NE  RMY 29
3/7   42/37/40/+7/1.06/0.0/000/00         44 NNE VEC1 44 NNE RMY 42
3/8   45/32/39/+6/0.00/0.0/682/98         35 NNE VEC1 36 NNE RMY 38
3/9   40/32/36/+3/0.21/0.0/000/00         32 E   VEC1 32 E   RMY 31
3/10  51/36/44/+10/1.07/0.0/245/35        45 WNW VEC1 46 SE  RMY 45
3/11  43/30/37/+3/T/T/515/73              53 NW  VEC1 54 NW  RMY 58
3/12  54/33/44/+10/0.00/0.0/680/96        43 NW  VEC1 41 NW  RMY 45
3/13  54/33/44/+10/0.00/0.0/667/94        26 SSE VEC1 25 NNW RMY 25
3/14  58/36/47/+12/0.00/0.0/…/..        23 ENE VEC1 22 NE  RMY 21
3/15  44/37/41/+6/0.02/0.0/…/..         24 N   VEC1 23 NNW RMY 25
3/16  58/36/47/+12/0.00/0.0/…/..        29 S   VEC1 26 S   RMY 26
3/17  59/40/50/+14/0.04/0.0/…/..        38 NW  VEC1 38 NW  RMY 40

3/18 The low since midnight is 37F, the daily normal low is 27F.

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MARCH DAILY RECORDS TO DATE

NONE…

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

RECORDS FOR MARCH 18
HIGH 73 IN 2022
LOW 0 IN 1885
PRECIP 5.61 INS. IN 1968 [RECORD FOR MONTH] SNOWFALL 9.3 INS. IN 1985
PEAK GUST 71e MPH WNW IN 1941

RECORDS FOR MARCH 19
HIGH 77 IN 2012
LOW -2 IN 1967
PRECIP 1.69 INS. IN 1956
SNOWFALL 17.6 INS. IN 1956
PEAK GUST 75e MPH WNW IN 1941

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Amanda Joly