Saturday, August 6, 2016

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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 2016
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

WARM WITH OPPRESSIVE HUMIDITY TODAY…CLOUDS AND
SHOWERS THIS MORNING FOLLOWED BY SUNSHINE…
MORE SCATTERED SHOWERS FORMING THIS AFTERNOON…

After a moderately humid day on Friday with a high of
87F and dew points in the upper 50s, much more humid
air moved into New England today ahead of an approaching
cold front. Clouds this morning brought only a trace of
precipitation in two showers, though a few heavier
showers passed through the area. The temperature only
slowly climbed to the upper 70s by late morning, though
the arrival of sunshine by mid-day has increased the
temperature to a high of 86F by mid-afternoon. The
humidity has increased steadily since yesterday, and
the dew point has reached 70F this afternoon. A new
round of showers and possible thunderstorms is forming
this afternoon just ahead of the cold front, which is
expected to arrive later today.

Our yearly precipitation deficit has now extended to
8.41 inches, as drought worsens across the area.

PRELIMINARY STATS FOR JULY 2016

TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 84.7 [+3.9] Avg. Min. 64.6 [+1.7] Mean      74.7 [+2.8] 24-hour corrected mean: 74.0
Max. for month: 96F on 22nd and 25th
Min. for month: 56 on 10th and 11th

COOLING DEGREE DAYS
Total cooling units: 317 [+95] Total for the season: 474 [+123] Total for last season: 394

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 1.50 [-2.52] Greatest in 24 hrs: 0.56 in. on 30th-31st

WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 10.2
Avg. corrected wind speed: 10.7
Prevailing wind direction: W at 13%
Peak gust and direction: 45 NNW on 23rd

SUNSHINE:
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 17736 mins. of possible 26862 or 66%
Astronomical total minutes: 18430 mins. of possible 27720 or 66%

The 24-hour corrected mean temperature for July of 74.0 deg F ties
with 2011 for the fifth warmest July on record and the warmest since
2013. The warmest July occurred in 2010.

BHO Warmest July, deg F (1885-2016):

1) 75.1 in 2010
2) 74.9 in 1952
3) 74.1 in 1994
74.1 in 2013
5) 74.0 in 2011
74.0 in 2016
7) 73.8 in 1999
8) 73.5 in 1949
9) 73.2 in 2012

The heat wave that ended Thursday, July 28, 2016 with 92 degrees is
ranked our third longest heat wave with 7 days.  The last day of the
heat wave was also the 11th day of 90-degree heat this month. This
ranks as the second greatest total of 90-degree days for July.

BHO Longest Heat Waves (Consecutive Days with Tmax 90F or more; 1885-2016):
1) 9 days, Aug 11-19, 2002
2) 8 days, Aug 10-17, 1944
3) 7 days, Jul 22-28, 2016
4) 6 days, Aug 28-Sep 2, 1953
6 days, Jul 24-29, 1963
6 days, Jul 16-21, 1977
6 days, Jul 6-11, 1988
6 days, Jul 16-21, 1991
6 days, Jul 15-20, 2013
10) 5 days, Jul 2-6, 1911
5 days, Jul 7-11, 1912
5 days, Aug 25-29, 1948
5 days, Aug 7-11, 1949
5 days, Jul 15-19, 1982
5 days, Jul 14-18, 2012

BHO July Greatest Number of 90-Degree Days (1885-2016):
1) 14 in 1952
2) 11 in 2016
3) 10 in 1949
10 in 1963
10 in 2010
10 in 2013
7) 9 in 1911
8) 8 in 1983
8 in 1988

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, broken altocumulus, hazy
Temperature: 71F; Dew Point: 65F; Wind: SW at 12 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.76 ins. Hg, steady
Visibility: 30 miles, visibility WNW-N 25, E-SSW 35
6-hr Max temp: 71F
6-hr Min temp: 67F
24-hr precip: 0.00 in.
BHO SA 1155 75 SCT E110 BKN 30 078/71/65/2212/976/ VSBY
WNW-N 25 E-SSW 35 HAZY/ 8/070 54000 10071 20067

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus, overcast altostratus,
few cumulus distant SE-SSW, few breaks in overcast SE-S,
hazy, rain shower west moving east
Temperature: 78F; Dew Point: 68F; Wind: SW at 11 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.74 ins. Hg, falling steadily
Visibility: 25 miles, visibility W-NW 20, SE-SW 30
3-hour precip: Trace
BHO SA 1455 65 SCT E95 OVC 25 070/78/68/2311/974/ FEW CU
DSNT SE-SSW FEW BINOVC SE-S VSBY W-NW 20 SE-SW 30 HAZY
RW W MVNG E/ 8//// 57008 6000/

1 P.M.
Weather: Broken altocumulus, overcast altocumulus, few
cumulus W-E, few moderate cumulus distant W, few stratocumulus
SE-S, few breaks in overcast W-N, few higher clouds visible, hazy
Temperature: 82F; Dew Point: 69F; Wind: WSW at 10 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 29.70 ins. Hg, falling steadily
Visibility: 30 miles
6-hr Max temp: 84F
6-hr Min temp: 71F
6-hr precip: Trace
BHO SA 1755 E80 BKN 110 OVC 30 058/82/69/2510/970/ FEW CU
W-E FEW MDT CU DSNT W FEW SC SE-S FEW BINOVC W-N FEW HIR
CLDS VSBL HAZY/ 8/271 57012 6000/ 10084 20071

SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2016

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..87   NORMAL…..81
MIN…..61   NORMAL…..63
MEAN….74   NORMAL…..72

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL…………………….+2
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH…………………….-4 [-1.0 DEGREES/DAY]

COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JAN TO DEC)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………9   DEPARTURE……….+2
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..31   DEPARTURE……….-5
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………505   DEPARTURE……..+118
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….450   DIFFERENCE……..+55

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY……………….29 S   AT  5:09 P.M.
AEROVANE………………..29 S   AT  5:09 P.M.
ASOS……………………30 SSW AT  5:09 P.M.
DAVIS…………………..29 S   AT  5:09 P.M. RMY 30
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY…………………23 S   AT  5:09 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE………………23 SSW AT  5:10 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE……………..22 S   AT  5:10 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION………….12.5 SSW
ASOS………………….12.5
DAVIS…………………11.3 SSW [199 Deg.] * Last of several occurrences

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.00  DEPARTURE……-0.15
ASOS…………..0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH……….0.14  DEPARTURE……-0.61
ASOS…………..0.12
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR……….23.33  DEPARTURE……-8.41
ASOS………….23.63

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

7/1  84/67/76/+6/0.20/520/57                 32 S   AERO 35 S   RMY 34 TSTM
7/2  76/61/69/-1/0.00/831/91                 31 W   AERO 34 W   RMY 32
7/3  83/57/70/-1/0.00/766/84                 23 W   AERO 23 W   RMY 23
7/4  87/61/74/+3/0.00/847/93                 28 SSW AERO 28 SSW RMY 28
7/5  80/65/73/+2/0.29/309/34                 16 S   AERO 16 S   RMY N/A
7/6  92/68/80/+9/0.00/864/95                 22 WSW AERO 24 WSW RMY 22
7/7  77/61/69/-2/0.00/409/45                 21 NE  AERO 20 ENE RMY N/A
7/8  67/58/63/-9/0.02/000/00                 25 NE  AERO 25 NE  RMY 26
7/9  64/57/61/-11/0.09/000/00                20 NE  AERO 18 NE  RMY 17
7/10 66/56/61/-11/0.04/000/00                16 NE  AERO 16 NE  RMY 16
7/11 77/56/67/-5/0.00/415/46                 20 NNE AERO 21 NNE RMY 20
7/12 86/60/73/+1/0.00/848/94                 23 S   AERO 23 S   RMY 23
7/13 89/64/77/+5/0.00/874/97                 30 S   AERO 30 S   RMY 33
7/14 84/66/75/+3/0.01/360/40                 38 S   AERO 41 S   RMY 43
7/15 93/71/82/+10/0.00/665/74                23 W   AERO 23 W   RMY 23
7/16 93/69/81/+9/0.00/699/78                 25 WSW AERO 24 WSW RMY 24
7/17 83/72/78/+6/0.00/671/75                 18 ENE AERO 16 ENE RMY 19 TSTM
7/18 93/70/82/+10/0.05/500/56                41 WNW AERO 41 WNW RMY 43 TSTM
7/19 85/62/74/+2/0.00/802/90                 28 NW  AERO 28 NW  RMY 27
7/20 83/59/71/-1/0.00/837/94                 23 NW  AERO 23 NW* RMY 24
7/21 89/63/76/+4/0.00/852/96                 28 W   AERO 26 W   RMY N/A
7/22 96/70/83/+11/0.09/806/91                33 SW  AERO 35 SW  RMY 35 TSTM
7/23 95/68/82/+10/T/796/90                   45 NNW AERO 48 NNW RMY 44
7/24 91/64/78/+6/0.00/873/99                 20 WNW AERO 20 W*  RMY 20
7/25 96/70/83/+11/0.00/528/60                25 S   AERO 28 S   RMY 27
7/26 95/70/83/+11/0.00/843/96                26 W   AERO 26 WNW*RMY 27
7/27 94/68/81/+9/0.00/762/87                 21 ESE AERO 21 WNW RMY 19
7/28 92/71/82/+10/0.00/638/73                23 SW  AERO 22 SW  RMY 23
7/29 80/68/74/+2/0.15/384/44                 20 NNW AERO 20 NNW RMY 20
7/30 85/65/75/+3/0.41/722/83                 21 W   AERO 18 W   RMY 20
7/31 72/66/69/-3/0.15/009/01                 20 ENE AERO 18 ENE RMY 18

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

8/1  75/65/70/-2/0.02/…/..                 21 NE  AERO 20 ENE RMY 20
8/2  71/63/67/-5/0.12/…/..                 16 ENE AERO 16 ENE RMY 16
8/3  81/60/71/-1/0.00/…/..                 18 S   AERO 16 S   RMY 17
8/4  86/61/74/+2/0.00/…/..                 23 S   AERO 22 S   RMY 17
8/5  87/61/74/+2/0.00/…/..                 29 S   AERO 29 S   RMY 30

8/6  Low temp since midnight is 67F; normal low is now 63F

DAILY RECORDS FOR JULY 2016
7/25/16: NEW DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 96F,
BREAKS PREVIOUS RECORD OF 94F SET IN 1963 AND 1987

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

RECORDS FOR AUGUST 6
HIGH 95F IN 1931
LOW 48F IN 1934
PRECIP 1.47 INCHES IN 1995
PEAK GUST 44e MPH SSW IN 1940

RECORDS FOR AUGUST 7
HIGH 95F IN 1924
LOW 51F IN 2004
PRECIP 3.32 INCHES IN 1926
PEAK GUST 51 MPH NE 1975

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Mike Iacono