Saturday, July 4, 2026

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

SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2026
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0413E
SUNSET:  1924E

HEAT-WAVE CONTINUES, BUT NOT QUITE AS HOT AND HUMID TODAY….

Today marks the 4th, and what should be the last day of this
heat-wave. Today is featuring a bit more cloud cover than the
past couple of days, which is an indicator that temperatures
aloft are cooling. This also means the potential for
thunderstorms are increasing as well. With a cold front
approaching the region later today and this evening, there
chance is there and it would be quite welcomed.

Yesterday, July 3, we set a new record high minimum temperature
for the date with a low temperature of 77F. This broke the old
record of 76F set back in 2002. This reading was one of the warmest
daily minimum temperatures ever recorded in July.

BHO Highest July Daily Minimum Temperatures, deg F (1885-2026):

1) 79 on 22 July 1926
2) 78 on 31 July 1917
78 on 5 July 1919
4) 77 on 6 July 2010
77 on 3 July 2026

The current heat-wave (three days or longer of 90F or higher)
is the 90th on the Blue Hill records since 1885 for any month,
and it is the 48th heat-wave in the month of July.

The overnight minimum temperature was a balmy 75F, while not
a record for today, it’s still more than 10 degrees above what
should be expected for a low. Readings have quickly risen again
today into the low 90s. While not as hot as the last two days,
it’s still quite toasty out there. The dew point has been holding
in the low 70s, which when combined with the temperature is
producing a heat index near 100F degrees this afternoon.

The wind has been steady again today, mainly out of a westerly
direction. The average speed for the day so far is around 10mph.
The peak gust so far for the day is 28mph, which occurred at
12:45pm this afternoon.

Visibility has once again been limited today due to haziness.
The view has been holding between 30-40 miles throughout the day.

The maximum temperature so far today is 92F, which is 11 degrees
above the normal high of 81F. The minimum temperature since
midnight is 75F, which is 12 degrees above the normal low of 63F.

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Thin scattered cirrus, few altocumulus/castellanus distant
WSW-N
Temperature: 82F; Dew Point: 72F; Relative Humidity: 72%
Wind: WNW @ 5 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1011.8 mb; 29.88 in. Hg: steady, then rising
Visibility: 30 miles, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 82F
6-hr Min temp: 75F
24-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
BHO SA 1155 250 -SCT 30 118/82/72/2905/988/ FEW AC/ACC DSNT WSW-N
HAZY WND LGT/ 8/081 53004 10082 20075

10 A.M.
Weather: Broken cumulus, broken altocumulus
Temperature: 89F; Dew Point: 68F; Relative Humidity: 50%
Wind: W @ 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1011.7 mb; 29.88 in. Hg: rising, then falling
Visibility: 35 miles, hazy
3-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
BHO SA 1455 E45 BKN 90 BKN 35 117/89/68/2808/988/ HAZY/ 8/250 58001

1 P.M.
Weather: Broken cumulus, broken altocumulus, broken cirrus,
cumulonimbus distant NNW-N, moderate cumulus all quadrants
Temperature: 92F; Dew Point: 70F; Relative Humidity: 49%
Heat Index: 98F
Wind: W @ 14G24 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1011.4 mb; 29.87 in. Hg: falling steadily
Visibility: 40 miles, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 92F
6-hr Min temp: 82F
6-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
BHO SA 1755 E50 BKN 75 BKN 220 BKN 40 114/92/70/2814G24/987/
CB DSNT N-NNW MDT CU ALQDS HAZY HX 98/ 8/353 57003 10092 20082

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SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2026

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….98   NORMAL…..81
MIN…….77R  NORMAL…..62
MEAN……88   NORMAL…..71

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL……………+16
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH………………………+42 [+13.8 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2026 THRU JUN 2027)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………..0  DEPARTURE………0
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH (JUL)………..0  DEPARTURE……..-1
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………….0  DEPARTURE……..-1
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE………..0  DEPARTURE………0

COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JAN 2026 THRU DEC 2026)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………….23  DEPARTURE…….+16
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH (JUL)……….61  DEPARTURE…….+41
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………..300  DEPARTURE……+141
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE………237  DEPARTURE…….+63

PEAK WIND GUST (MPH):
Note: Instruments designated #1 = Main Tower, #2 = South Tower,
F420C, Contacting, Merlin, and Richards are all on Main Tower.
E=Estimated *=Last of multiple occurrences

                     F420C (Official)………..32 WNW  @   04:51 P.M.*
                     VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….32 WNW  @   04:51 P.M.
                     VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….33 WSW  @   12:02 A.M.
                     DAVIS #1……………….32 W    @   04:33 P.M.
                     DAVIS #2 ………………30 W    @   03:50 P.M.
                     RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..34 WNW  @   04:31 P.M.
                     RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..34 WNW  @   04:31 P.M.
                     MERLIN…………………29 NW
                     RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……32 WNW  @   04:30 P.M.
                     
FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………23 WNW  @   04:46 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..22 WNW  @   04:32 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..25 W    @   04:32 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………23 W    @   04:33 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………24 WNW  @   04:32 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..22 WNW  @   04:32 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..24 W    @   04:32 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE………22 WNW  @   04:32 P.M.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
                     CONTACTING/OFFICIAL……..12.0 WNW [288 total miles]                      VECTOR #1………………12.2
                     VECTOR #2………………13.2
                     DAVIS #1……………….12.6 WNW
                     DAVIS #2……………….12.1 WNW
                     RMY #1…………………11.9 WNW
                     RMY #2…………………12.8 WNW
                     RICHARDS (C5C)………….12.3

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.00 DEPARTURE…..-0.11
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH (JUL)……..0.04 DEPARTURE…..-0.30
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR (2026)…….18.70 DEPARTURE…..-8.87

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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  95/68/82/+11/0.00/…/..            23 WSW VEC1 23 SW  RMY 24
7/2  99/72/86/+15/0.04/…/..            40 W   VEC1 39 W   RMY 45 TSTM
7/3  98/77/88/+16/0.00/…/..            32 WNW VEC1 32 WNW RMY 34 TSTM

7/4 The low since midnight is 75F, the daily normal low is 63F.

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JULY DAILY RECORDS TO DATE

7/2 RECORD HIGH MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 99F,
     BEATING THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 95F SET IN 1963

7/2 RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 72F,
     THIS TIED THE RECORD WITH 1901, 1913, AND 1963

7/3 RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 77F,
     BEATING THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 76F SET IN 2002

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

RECORDS FOR JULY 4
HIGH 99F IN 1911
LOW 48F IN 1914
PRECIP 2.48 IN 2014
PEAK GUST 50e MPH WNW IN 1949

RECORDS FOR JULY 5
HIGH 98F IN 1911
LOW 48F IN 1920, 1927 & 1979
PRECIP 1.45 INS IN 1922
PEAK GUST 49e N IN 1944

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas