Saturday, July 29, 2023

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

SATURDAY, JULY 29, 2023
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0434E
SUNSET:  1907E

HOT, HUMID, WASH AND REPEAT FOR YOUR SATURDAY ON THE HILL…

The morning started off with overcast skies and light fog
which burned off quickly. During the late morning we had
clearing skies and the development of scattered cumulus with
the daytime heating. At the last observation, rain moved just
North and to the NW of the observatory which provided a sharp
change in wind direction and a sudden drop of temperature.

Our temperatures have risen to the upper 80’s, and with dew
points in the 70’s it has been very uncomfortable (unless you
are a lizard). The potential for storms and rain are possible
with the high temperatures, high dew points, and the continued
drop in barometric pressure. Keep an eye on the sky and stay
indoors if possible as we are also under a heat advisory and
flood watch until this evening.

The wind started off light today with an average speed of only
around 8mph mostly from the SW and WSW directions. With incoming
rain and possible storms we may see gusty conditions again.
The peak gust for the day so far has been around 26mph, occurring
this afternoon right before our 1pm observation as rain moved
into the Boston area.

Visibility continues to be limited either from morning fog or
hazy conditions due to the heat of a typical July summer day.
We have been able to see about 15-20 miles for most of the day.

The maximum temperature so far today is 88F, this is 6 degrees
above the normal high of 82F. The minimum temperature today is
73F, which is 9 degrees above the normal low of 64F and ties the
high minimum temperature set in 1931.

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Broken altocumulus/altostratus, overcast cirrostratus,
few stratus fractus SW-NW-NE
Temperature: 74F; Dew Point: 72F; Relative Humidity: 93%
Wind: SSW @ 4 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1011.7 mb; 29.88 in. Hg: falling unsteadily
Visibility: 15 miles, thin fog
6-hr Max temp: 74F
6-hr Min temp: 73F
24-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
BHO SA 1155 E150 BKN 200 OVC 15 117/74/72/2004/988/ FEW STFRA
SW-NW-NE THN F ALQDS WND LGT/ 8/77/ 57002 10074 20073

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered cumulus, scattered altocumulus
Temperature: 85F; Dew Point: 71F; Relative Humidity: 65%
Wind: SW @ 5 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1010.3 mb; 29.83 in. Hg: falling, then more
rapidly
Visibility: 20 miles, hazy
3-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
BHO SA 1455 30 SCT 150 SCT 20 103/85/71/2205/983/ HAZY WND LGT/
8/150 58014

1 P.M.
Weather: Broken cumulus, broken altocumulus, cumulonimbus N-NE
moving E, virga N-NE
Temperature: 77F; Dew Point: 70F; Relative Humidity: 79%
Wind: NE @ 12 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1007.8mb; 29.76 in. Hg: falling, then more
rapidly
Visibility: 20 miles, 7 miles N-NE, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 87F
6-hr Min temp: 73F
6-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
BHO SA 1755 E40 BKN 100 BKN 20 OVC 078/77/70/0412G22/976/ CB N-NE
MOV E VIRGA N-NE WSHFT 37 VSBY 7 N-NE HAZY/ 8/360 58025 10088 20074

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SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2023

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….88   NORMAL…..82
MIN…….68   NORMAL…..64
MEAN……78   NORMAL…..73

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL……….+5
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH…………………+64 [+2.1 DEGREES/DAY]

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

COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JAN 2023 THRU DEC 2023)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………13  DEPARTURE……..+5
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..278  DEPARTURE…….+55
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………….406  DEPARTURE…….+44
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……..466  DEPARTURE…….-60

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)……….E23 SW    @  09:17 P.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….23 SW    @  09:16 P.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….22 SW    @  08:52 P.M.
DAVIS #1……………….22 SW    @  09:14 P.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………22 SW    @  09:16 P.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..23 SW    @  09:16 P.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..22 SW    @  09:16 P.M.
MERLIN…………………21 SW
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……22       @  10:39 P.M.

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………16 SW  @  08:41 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..15     @  09:17 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..16     @  08:48 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………15 SW  @  09:17 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………17 SW  @  08:48 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..15 SW  @  09:17 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..16 SW  @  08:48 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE………15     @  08:48 P.M.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL…………8.3 WSW [200 total miles] VECTOR #1………………….8.7
VECTOR #2………………….9.1
DAVIS #1…………………..8.7 W
DAVIS #2…………………..8.9 W
RMY #1…………………….8.4 W
RMY #2…………………….8.9 W
RICHARDS (C5C)……………..9.0

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.00 DEPARTURE…..-0.11
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..8.54 DEPARTURE…..+5.43
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR…………..33.72 DEPARTURE…..+3.38

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PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JULY 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

7/1   80/61/71/0/0.00/567/62              17 SSE  VEC1 16 SSE RMY 17
7/2   74/63/69/-2/0.34/027/03             35 S    VEC1 35 S   RMY 35
7/3   79/63/72/-1/0.40/265/29             18 NNW  VEC1 18 NNW RMY 17 TSTM
7/4   71/65/68/-4/0.81/000/00             17 NE   VEC1 18 NE  RMY 17 TSTM
7/5   88/66/77/+5/0.00/720/79             17 S    VEC1 16 SE  RMY 15
7/6   92/69/81/+9/0.00/683/75             23 SSW  VEC1 22 SSW RMY 23
7/7   87/70/78/+6/0.00/763/84             23 SW   VEC1 22 SW  RMY 23
7/8   84/70/77/+5/0.00/463/51             20 W    VEC1 20 W   RMY 19
7/9   81/69/75/+2/T/200/22                17 ESE  VEC1 18 E   RMY 17
7/10  71/66/69/-4/0.68/000/00             22 ESE  VEC1 21 ESE RMY 22
7/11  85/62/74/+1/0.00/796/88             24 WNW  VEC1 25 WNW RMY 25
7/12  91/70/81/+8/0.00/713/79             21 WSW  VEC1 22 SSW RMY 20
7/13  88/67/78/+5/0.13/695/77             35 SSW  VEC1 35 SSW RMY 38 TSTM
7/14  78/65/72/-1/0.18/342/38             29 SSW  VEC1 32 SSW RMY 32 TSTM
7/15  86/70/78/+5/T/548/61                28 SSW  VEC1 30 SSW RMY 29 TSTM
7/16  76/71/74/+1/2.56/000/00             40 S    VEC1 41 SSW RMY 48 TSTM
7/17  86/71/79/+6/0.00/699/78             21 WSW  VEC1 21 W   RMY 23
7/18  84/70/77/+4/0.00/402/45             28 SSW  VEC1 28 SSW RMY 27
7/19  83/68/76/+3/0.00/554/62             23 W    VEC1 23 W   RMY 22
7/20  82/64/73/+0/0.00/838/94             17 NNE  VEC1 17 SE  RMY 18
7/21  79/62/71/-2/1.99/178/20             30 NW   VEC1 31 NW  RMY 32 TSTM
7/22  81/64/73/0/0.00/656/74              15 W    VEC1 14 W   RMY 16
7/23  85/65/75/+2/0.00/805/91             21 NW   VEC1 20 W   RMY 21
7/24  85/67/76/+3/0.00/706/80             23 S    VEC1 24 S   RMY 24
7/25  85/64/75/+2/1.02/441/50             29 NNE  VEC1 30 NNW RMY 29 TSTM
7/26  85/63/74/+1/0.00/817/93             23 W    VEC1 23 W   RMY 23
7/27  88/68/78/+5/0.43/368/42             61 WNW  VEC1 63 WNW RMY 66 TSTM
7/28  88/68/78/+5/0.00/…/..             23 SW   VEC1 23 SW  RMY 23

7/29 The low since midnight is 73F, the daily normal low is 64F

DAILY RECORDS

07/16/2023: NEW RECORD DAILY PRECIPITATION OF 2.56 INCHES;
SURPASSES THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 0.98 INCHES IN 2014

07/16/2023: NEW RECORD HIGH DAILY MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 71F;
TIES THE RECORD OF 71F SET IN 1901, 1958, 1968, AND 2013

07/27/2023: NEW RECORD PEAK WIND GUST OF 61 MPH WNW;
BEATS THE OLD RECORD OF 47 MPH ENE SET IN 1984

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

RECORDS FOR JULY 29
HIGH 97F IN 1949
LOW 53F IN 1888,1914
PRECIP 1.53 INS IN 1901
PEAK GUST 40e MPH E IN 1941

RECORDS FOR JULY 30
HIGH 99F IN 1949
LOW 51F IN 1956
PRECIP 1.84 INS IN 1976
PEAK GUST 70e MPH SW 1944

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Amanda Joly