Saturday, August 26, 2023

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

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26, 2023
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0503E
SUNSET:  1829E

LOW CLOUDS AND FOG EARLY THIS MORNING, GRADUALLY GIVE WAY TO
INCREASING SUNSHINE…

Low clouds and dense fog started the day here on Blue Hill,
which burned off fairly quickly, but left us with a lot of
mid and high level cloud cover through the balance of the
morning hours. These higher clouds are moving out early this
afternoon, however cumulus clouds have now developed in the
heating of the day. Either way, an increase in the amount of
sunshine has occurred this afternoon.

Of course with the increasing sunshine, temperatures are
warming into the low to mid 80s across the area. With the
dew point still in the upper 60s, it does feel rather steamy
out there today.

The wind has been on the lighter side, but still enough of a
breeze to prevent it from being unbearable outside. The average
speed so far today is around 9mph. The peak gust so far,
which occurred after midnight, is around 23mph.

Visibility has improved markedly through the course of the day,
starting at around 1/16 of a mile before 7am, increasing all
the way to 60 miles by 2pm!

The maximum temperature so far today has been 81F, which is
2 degrees above the normal high of 79F. The minimum temperature
since midnight is 69F, which is 8 degrees above the normal low
of 61F.

Through yesterday, Summer of 2023 (Jun-Aug) is now 8th wettest
on record going back to 1886. Here are the top 10 wettest
summers as compiled by our Chief Scientist, Mike Iacono.

BHO Highest Summer (June-August) Precipitation, inches (1886-2023):

1) 25.22 in 1998
2) 24.61 in 1955
3) 24.09 in 1938
4) 21.56 in 2006
5) 21.02 in 1922
6) 20.23 in 1982
7) 19.68 in 2021
8) 19.30 in 2023 (through 8/25)
9) 18.71 in 1989
10) 17.92 in 2013

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Broken stratus fractus, broken stratocumulus,
overcast altocumulus/castellanus
Temperature: 70F; Dew Point: 70F; Relative Humidity: 99%
Wind: W @ 7 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1010.4 mb; 29.84 in. Hg: rising, then steady
Visibility: 15 miles, thin fog
6-hr Max temp: 70F
6-hr Min temp: 69F
24-hr Precip: 0.40 inches
BHO SA 1155 E4 BKN 10 BKN 85 OVC 15 104/70/70/2607/984/
FEW LWR STFRA ALQDS THN F ALQDS/ 8/68/ 51006 70040 10070 20069

10 A.M.
Weather: Broken altocumulus/castellanus, broken cirrocumulus,
few stratocumulus all quadrants
Temperature: 72F; Dew Point: 67F; Relative Humidity: 85%
Wind: WNW @ 7 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1011.6 mb; 29.87 in. Hg: Rising, then more rapidly
Visibility: 40 miles, hazy
3-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
BHO SA 1455 E100 BKN 190 BKN 40 116/72/67/3007/987/ FEW SC ALQDS
HAZY/ 8/589 53012

1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered cumulus, scattered cirrostratus
Temperature: 79F; Dew Point: 67F; Relative Humidity: 67%
Wind: WNW @ 6 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1010.6 mb; 29.84 in. Hg: falling, then steady
Visibility: 60 miles
6-hr Max temp: 80F
6-hr Min temp: 70F
6-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
BHO SA 1755 35 SCT 220 SCT 60 106/79/67/3006/984/ WND LGT/
8/208 56010 10080 20070

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SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 2023

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….69   NORMAL…..79
MIN…….58   NORMAL…..62
MEAN……64   NORMAL…..70

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL……….-6
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH…………………-52 [-2.3 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2023 THRU JUN 2024)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………….1  DEPARTURE………0
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………….1  DEPARTURE……..-6
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON……………1  DEPARTURE…….-13
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……….0  DEPARTURE……..+1

COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JAN 2023 THRU DEC 2023)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………….0  DEPARTURE……..-6
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..122  DEPARTURE…….-56
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………….544  DEPARTURE…….-20
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……..778  DEPARTURE……-234

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)……….E35 S    @  12:38 P.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….36 S    @  12:38 P.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….38 S    @  09:30 A.M.
DAVIS #1……………….37 S    @  11:18 A.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………45 S    @  06:58 A.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..37 S    @  06:58 A.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..39 S    @  09:30 A.M.
MERLIN…………………33 S
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……35      @  09:43 A.M.

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL……………….26 S   @  09:44 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE……………25     @  09:44 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE……………27     @  09:44 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE…………….24 S   @  09:44 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE…………….29 S   @  07:18 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE………………24 S   @  09:37 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE………………27 S   @  09:44 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE……….24     @  09:44 A.M.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL………17.2 S [413 total miles] VECTOR #1……………….16.8
VECTOR #2……………….18.2
DAVIS #1………………..16.0 S
DAVIS #2………………..18.2 S
RMY #1………………….16.2 S
RMY #2………………….18.4 SSW
RICHARDS (C5C)…………..16.4

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.40 DEPARTURE…..+0.28
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..5.30 DEPARTURE…..+2.11
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR…………..40.07 DEPARTURE…..+6.18

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

8/1   76/58/67/-6/0.00/763/88             24 NW  VEC1 24 NW  RMY 24
8/2   75/54/65/-8/0.00/830/96             23 SSW VEC1 22 SSW RMY 23
8/3   79/59/69/-4/0.00/725/84             32 SSW VEC1 34 SSW RMY 34
8/4   77/62/70/-3/T/172/20                29 SSW VEC1 29 SSW RMY 29
8/5   83/66/75/+2/0.00/523/61             18 NW  VEC1 16 WNW RMY 17
8/6   82/60/71/-2/0.00/839/98             20 W   VEC1 19 W   RMY 19
8/7   72/65/69/-4/0.14/034/04             29 SSE VEC1 30 SSE RMY 29
8/8   82/68/75/+3/0.47/187/22             39 S   VEC1 42 S   RMY 42
8/9   82/66/74/+2/0.00/756/89             39 WNW VEC1 38 WNW RMY 38
8/10  83/64/74/+2/0.02/254/30             28 SSW VEC1 27 SSW RMY 28
8/11  80/63/72/+0/0.07/810/96             36 W   VEC1 36 W   RMY 38
8/12  84/61/73/+1/0.00/733/87             26 SSW VEC1 26 SSW RMY 26
8/13  84/68/76/+4/0.07/629/75             26 SSW VEC1 26 SSW RMY 27 TSTM
8/14  82/63/73/+1/T/536/64                25 W   VEC1 24 W   RMY 29
8/15  70/64/67/-5/0.70/000/00             28 NE  VEC1 27 NE  RMY 28
8/16  68/64/66/-6/T/000/00                18 ESE VEC1 19 ENE RMY 18
8/17  70/62/66/-6/T/116/14                15 E   VEC1 14 E   RMY 14
8/18  79/61/70/-1/1.48/298/36             32 W   VEC1 34 W   RMY 33 TSTM
8/19  72/57/65/-6/0.00/371/45             29 W   VEC1 30 W   RMY 30
8/20  81/59/70/-1/0.00/764/93             23 W   VEC1 22 W   RMY 21
8/21  84/64/74/+3/0.85/…/..             29 NE  VEC1 30 ENE RMY 29
8/22  75/59/67/-4/0.00/…/..             29 NNE VEC1 29 NNE RMY 29
8/23  76/56/66/-5/0.00/…/..             20 NNE VEC1 20 NNE RMY 20
8/24  78/58/68/-3/0.02/…/..             24 S   VEC1 24 S   RMY 23
8/25  69/58/64/-6/1.48/…/..             35 S   VEC1 36 S   RMY 37

8/26 The low since midnight is 69F, the daily normal low is 61F

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

RECORDS FOR AUGUST 26
HIGH 96F IN 1900, 1948
LOW 46F IN 1885
PRECIP 5.85 INCHES IN 1924
PEAK GUST 55e MPH NNW IN 1947

RECORDS FOR AUGUST 27
HIGH 99F IN 1948
LOW 44F IN 1885
PRECIP 2.77 INCHES IN 1946
PEAK GUST 48 MPH NW IN 1983

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas