Saturday, April 13, 2024

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

SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 2024
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0506E
SUNSET:  1824E

MIX OF SUN AND CLOUDS WITH AN AFTERNOON SHOWER….

This morning began with a period of sunshine following sunrise,
interrupted by low-level clouds which filled in shortly after. Showers
have been in our vicinity since this morning as evidenced by virga,
but dry air here prevented any from impacting us until shortly before
the 1pm observation. During this shower the winds were quite gusty,
but we only received a trace of precipitation.

Temperatures began in the 40s this morning and have risen into the
mid 50s, which is around normal for this time of year. By the 1pm
observation, the temperature had dropped a few degrees back into the
upper 40s, as a result of the shower. The dew point has dropped throughout
the day, starting in the mid 40s and falling to the upper 30s.

Winds have been steady, averaging around 15mph. They began the day out
of the south, but are now primarily out of the west. The peak gust to this
point is about 37mph, occurring right before 1pm.

Visibility was lower this morning when there was some thin fog, limiting
views to 30 miles. Since then, as the moisture in the air has decreased,
views have expanded to 60 miles, being only slightly reduced to 50 miles at
the final observation due to virga.

The maximum temperature so far today is 54F degrees, which is 1
degree below the normal high of 55F. The minimum temperature since
midnight is 43F degrees, which is 6 degrees above the normal low
of 37F.

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Broken altocumulus/altocumulus castellanus, broken cirrus
Temperature: 50F; Dew Point: 44F; Relative Humidity: 80%
Wind: SW @ 9G18 kts
Sea-level pressure: 997.9 mb; 29.47 in. Hg: rising, then falling
Visibility: 30 miles, thin fog
6-hr Max temp: 50F
6-hr Min temp: 43F
24-hr Precip:  0.48 inches
24-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow Depth: 0 inches
BHO SA 1155 E80 BKN 250 BKN 30 979/50/44/2209G18/947/ THN F ALQDS/
8/081 58001 70048 10050 20043

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered cumulus, broken stratocumulus, broken cirrus,
virga distant ESE-S and distant SW-W
Temperature: 51F; Dew Point: 39F; Relative Humidity: 62%
Wind: WSW @ 10G18 kts
Sea-level pressure: 998.0 mb; 29.47 in. Hg: rising, then falling
Visibility: 60 miles
3-hr Precip:  0.00 inches
3-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
BHO SA 1455 32 SCT E40 BKN 250 BKN 60 980/51/39/2410G18/947/
VIRGA DSNT ESE-S AND DSNT SW-W/ 8/801 50001

1 P.M.
Weather: Light rain shower, broken cumulus, broken altocumulus,
broken cirrus, virga all quadrants
Temperature: 47F; Dew Point: 38F; Relative Humidity: 70%
Wind: W @ 16G29 kts, peak wind W 33mph @ 12:54pm
Sea-level pressure: 998.0 mb; 29.47 in. Hg: falling, then rising
Visibility: 50 miles
6-hr Max temp: 54F
6-hr Min temp: 43F
6-hr Precip:  Trace
6-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow Depth: 0 inches
BHO SA 1755 E32 BKN 70 BKN 250 BKN 50RW- 980/47/38/2816G29/947/ VIRGA ALQDS
RW-B41 PK WND 2829/54/ 8/251 55000 6000/ 10054 20043

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SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2024

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….60   NORMAL…..55
MIN…….46   NORMAL…..37
MEAN……53   NORMAL…..46

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL………….+7
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH……………………+15 [+1.1 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2023 THRU JUN 2024)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………12  DEPARTURE……..-7
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..256  DEPARTURE……..-5
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………4897  DEPARTURE……-711
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….4735  DEPARTURE……+162

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)……….E62 SSE  @  07:26 A.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….62      @  09:34 A.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….63 SSE  @  05:55 A.M.
DAVIS #1……………….65 S    @  09:54 A.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………76 S    @  05:56 A.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..63 SSE  @  06:33 A.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..69 SSE  @  09:34 A.M.
MERLIN…………………58 S
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……62      @  09:34 A.M.

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………42 SSE  @  09:00 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..40      @  09:48 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..44      @  09:49 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………37 SSE  @  08:07 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………50 S    @  09:54 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..38 S    @  10:42 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..44 S    @  09:49 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE………38      @  10:42 A.M.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL……25.0 S [599 total miles] VECTOR #1…………….24.1
VECTOR #2…………….25.6
DAVIS #1……………..23.2 S
DAVIS #2……………..25.2 S
RMY #1……………….23.2 S
RMY #2……………….25.7 S
RICHARDS (C5C)………..23.5

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.48 DEPARTURE…..+0.30
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..3.58 DEPARTURE…..+1.51
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR (2024)…….23.63 DEPARTURE…..+7.54

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…………..0.0 DEPARTURE……-0.1
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH………………..0.7 DEPARTURE……-1.2
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON (2023-2024)……26.8 DEPARTURE…..-42.0

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PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR APRIL 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)

4/1   56/40/48/+7/0.00/0.0/153/20         20 SSE VEC1 20 SSE RMY 19
4/2   47/35/41/0/0.07/0.0/115/15          25 E   VEC1 25 E   RMY 25
4/3   41/34/38/-4/1.10/T/000/00           53 E   VEC1 53 E   RMY 53
4/4   36/32/34/-8/1.25/0.7/000/00         63 ENE VEC1 64 ENE RMY 68
4/5   45/31/38/-5/0.01/T/147/19           33 WNW VEC1 31 WNW RMY 33
4/6   43/33/38/-5/0.08/093/12             35 N   VEC1 35 N   RMY 35
4/7   48/34/41/-3/T/0.0/094/12            32 N   VEC1 31 N   RMY 31
4/8   66/36/51/+7/0.00/0.0/636/81         23 WNW VEC1 23 WNW RMY 22
4/9   63/40/52/+8/0.00/0.0/741/94         22 ENE VEC1 21 ENE RMY 21
4/10  65/38/52/+7/T/0.0/348/44            26 S   VEC1 26 S   RMY 30
4/11  55/42/49/+4/0.04/0.0/000/00         32 SSE VEC1 32 SSE RMY 31
4/12  60/46/53/+7/1.03/0.0/…/..         62 SSE VEC1 62 S   RMY 63

4/13 The low since midnight is 43F, the daily normal low is 37F.

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APRIL 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 APRIL 13
HIGH 88 IN 2023
LOW 22 IN 1939
PRECIP 2.51 IN. IN 2004
SNOWFALL 6.8 IN. IN 1933
PEAK GUST 79 MPH S IN 2020

RECORDS FOR APRIL 14
HIGH 88 IN 2023
LOW 21 IN 1923
PRECIP 1.86 IN. IN 1935
SNOWFALL 8.4 IN. IN 1953
PEAK GUST 71e MPH W IN 1943

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Joshua Polen