Saturday, November 2, 2013

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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2013
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

OCTOBER FINISHES 7TH DRIEST ON RECORD WITH 1.09 INCHES AND
WARMER THAN AVERAGE…
VERY LITTLE WIND TODAY AFTER GUSTS TO 60+ MPH ON FRIDAY…

The wind has diminished substantially from yesterday when we
recorded a peak gust on our official wind recorder to 60 mph
SSW at 11:08 AN EST.  A total of 614 miles of wind were
measured on Friday, which translates to an average for the
day of 25.6 mph.  The peak gust today has been only 18 mph
from the WSW at 12:15 AM EST. In contrast to yesterday,
only 68 miles of wind have passed by the Observatory from
midnight to today through 1 PM EST for an average of 5.2 mph
today.  The temperature has climbed once again to the middle
60s, with the dew point dropping into the upper 30s, making
for a beautiful day.  Colder weather is expected to return
with the passage of an approaching cold front tonight or
early on Sunday.  There were frequent instances of colorful
and bright iridescence within the high and middle clouds
around the sun at mid-day today.

OCTOBER 2013 PRELIMINARY STATISTICS:
(departures relative to 1981-2010 average)

TEMPERATURE:
Average Max Temp: 62.5F [+2.2F] Average Min Temp: 45.9F [+3.0F] Mean Temp: 54.2F [+2.6F] 24-hr. Corr. Mean Temp: 53.4F
Max Temp: 78F on 2nd
Min Temp: 30F on 29th (first freeze of the season)

Total heating degree day units (month):  331 [-90] *NCDC method
Total heating degree day units (season): 477 [-86] *start July 1 (NCDC)
Total cooling degree day units (month):    5   [0] *NCDC method
Total cooling degree day units (season): 701 [+99] *start Jan 1 (NCDC)

PRECIPITATION:
Total precipitation: 1.09 inches [-3.60 inch] Greatest 24-hr precipitation: N/A

WIND:
Avg wind speed: 10.7 MPH
Avg corrected wind speed: 11.2 MPH
Prevailing wind direction: W [17%] Peak gust: 48 MPH S on 7TH
Peak fastest mile: 40 MPH S on 7TH

SUNSHINE:
Total astronomical minutes: 11,757 (196.0 hrs.) out of possible
20,551 minutes (342.5 hrs.) or 57%
Total Campbell Stokes card minutes; 11,358 (189.3 hrs.) out of possible
19,824 minutes (330.4 hrs.) or 57%

BHO DRIEST OCTOBERS (INCHES, 1886-2013)
1)  0.22 IN 1924
2)  0.39 IN 1994
3)  0.50 IN 1946
4)  0.61 IN 1935
5)  0.63 IN 1897
6)  0.79 IN 2001
7)  1.09 IN 2013
8)  1.15 IN 1918
9)  1.25 IN 1940
10) 1.31 IN 1967

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Broken stratocumulus, overcast altocumulus, few lower stratus
fractus, breaks in overcast all quadrants, hazy
Temperature: 54F; Dew Point: 41F; Wind: SSW at 4 kts.
Sea-level pressure: 29.69 ins. Hg, increasing, then decreasing
Visibility: 45 miles, SW-NW 55 miles, ENE-SE 30 miles
6-hr min temp: 51F
24-hr precip: 0.00 inch
BHO SA 1155 E65 BKN 85 OVC 45 053/54/41/2104/969/ FEW LWR STFRA BINOVC ALQDS
HAZY VSBY SW-NW 55 ENE-SE 30 WND LGT/ 8/53/ 50003 70010 10054 20051

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus (2 layers), few cumulus fractus vicinity
station, few stratocumulus distant ESE-SSE, thin smoke layer along
horizon NNE-ENE, hazy
Temperature: 57F; Dew Point: 41F; Wind: SSW at 3 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 29.67 ins. Hg, decreasing
Visibility: 50 miles
BHO SA 1455 85 SCT 100 SCT 50 048/57/41/2003/967/ FEW CUFRA VCTY STN FEW SC
DSNT ESE-SSE THN K LYR ALG HRZN NNE-ENE HAZY WND LGT/ 8/530 58005

1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, thin broken altocumulus, thin broken
cirrus, few cumulus distant SW-N, few lower altocumulus, few dense
cirrus E-ESE, few cirrocumulus overhead-E, iridescence around sun,
light haze
Temperature: 63F; Dew Point: 38F; Wind: SSW at 5 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 29.62 ins. Hg, decreasing
Visibility: 60 miles
6-hr max temp: 65F
BHO SA 1755 100 SCT 150 –BKN 250 –BKN 60 032/63/38/2005/962/ FEW CU DSNT
SW-N FEW LWR AC FEW DNS CI E-ESE CC OVHD-E IRIDESCENCE LGT HZ WND LGT/
8/131 56016 10065 20054

WEATHER SUMMARY FOR FRIAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2013

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..68    NORMAL…..55
MIN…..56    NORMAL…..38
MEAN….62    NORMAL…..46

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL………………..+16
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH………………..+16 [+16 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………3  DEPARTURE……..-16
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH……………3  DEPARTURE……..-16
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………480  DEPARTURE…….-102
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….424  DIFFERENCE…….+56

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY………………60 SSW AT 11:08 A.M.
AERO…………………..N/A
ASOS…………………..66 SSW AT 11:08 A.M.
DAVIS………………….61 SSW AT 11:07 A.M.  RMY 66
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY………………..48 SSW AT 11:08 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE……………..44 SSW AT  7:40 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE…………….45 SSW AT 11:08 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION…………25.6 SSW
ASOS…………………23.3
DAVIS………………..23.7 SSW [208 degrees] * last of several occurrences…

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.10   DEPARTURE………….-0.06
ASOS…………..0.10
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR OCTOBER…………0.10   DEPARTURE………….-0.06
ASOS…………..0.11
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR……….43.11   DEPARTURE………….-0.82
ASOS…………..N/A**
**ASOS malfunctioned during storm on 2/8-9, leading to erroneous totals

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M………0.0    DEPARTURE…………..0.0
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………0.0    DEPARTURE………….-0.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON…………..0.0    DEPARTURE………….-0.3

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR OCTOBER 2013 CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/AERO GUST
AERO: Aerovane wind recording system gust
RMY:  RMY = R.M. Young wind gust recording system added 8/9/2011
TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day)
….: Data not yet available, records not finalized

10/1  75/50/63/+6/0.00/676/96         16 WNW AERO 16 MPH WNW RMY 18
10/2  78/56/67/+10/0.00/666/95        29 W   AERO 30 MPH W   RMY 29
10/3  77/56/67/+11/0.00/628/90        20 WNW AERO 20 MPH WNW RMY N/A
10/4  67/56/62/+6/0.26/028/04         18 NW  AERO 20 MPH NW  RMY N/A
10/5  67/56/62/+6/0.01/125/18         14 ENE AERO 12 MPH ENE RMY N/A
10/6  58/53/56/+1/0.56/000/00         20 NE  AERO 20 MPH NE  RMY N/A
10/7  75/57/66/+11/0.07/213/31        48 S   AERO 55 MPH S   RMY 55
10/8  65/50/58/+4/0.00/581/85         25 NW  AERO 27 MPH NW  RMY 28
10/9  59/49/54/0/0.00/545/80          25 ENE AERO 24 MPH ENE RMY 25
10/10 61/46/54/0/0.00/095/14          18 NE  AERO 17 MPH NE  RMY 18
10/11 67/50/59/+6/0.00/473/70         20 NE  AERO 20 MPH NE  RMY N/A
10/12 59/50/55/+2/0.02/007/01         30 ENE AER0 31 MPH ENE RMY 32
10/13 59/46/53/0/0.00/482/72          23 ENE AERO 23 MPH ENE RMY 23
10/14 64/42/53/+1/0.00/580/87         15 SSW AERO 15 MPH SSW RMY 15
10/15 66/50/58/+6/0.00/266/40         16 ESE AERO 16 MPH ESE RMY N/A
10/16 60/49/55/+4/0.00/013/02         23 ESE AERO 24 MPH ESE RMY 23
10/17 70/52/61/+10/0.06/277/42        21 S   AERO 23 MPH S   RMY N/A
10/18 67/50/59/+8/T/630/96            32 WNW AERO 32 MPH W   RMY 31
10/19 65/45/55/+5/0.00/379/58         21 W   AERO 22 MPH W   RMY N/A
10/20 61/44/53/+3/0.00/644/99         33 W   AERO 36 MPH W   RMY 34
10/21 67/43/55/+5/0.00/648/100        23 SSW AERO 25 MPH SSW RMY 27
10/22 69/44/57/+8/T/419/65            25 SSW AERO 27 MPH SSW RMY 27
10/23 50/40/45/-4/0.00/103/16         18 WNW AERO 18 MPH WNW RMY N/A
10/24 53/36/45/-4/0.00/640/100        31 W   AERO 31 MPH W   RMY 34
10/25 49/34/42/-7/0.00/401/63         25 WNW AERO 26 MPH WNW RMY 26
10/26 54/34/44/-4/0.00/521/82         35 SW  AERO 36 MPH SSW RMY 39
10/27 55/39/47/-1/0.04/480/76         30 W   AERO 30 MPH W   RMY 29
10/28 58/35/47/-1/0.00/529/84         31 W   AERO 33 MPH W   RMY 34
10/29 50/30/40/-7/0.00/614/98         15 N   AERO 15 MPH N   RMY 15
10/30 51/38/45/-2/0.02/094/15         16 W   AERO 15 MPH W   RMY N/A
10/31 61/43/52/+5/0.05/000/00         37 SSW AERO N/A N/A    RMY N/A

11/1  68/56/62/+16/0.10/…/..        60 SSW AERO N/A N/A    RMY 66

11/2  morning low temp: 51F; the normal low is now 37F

DAILY RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 2013
None so far.

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

RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 2
HIGH 81F IN 1950
LOW 22F IN 1965
PRECIP 1.67 INCHES IN 1970
SNOWFALL 0.2 IN 1906,1951
PEAK GUST 63 WSW IN 1973

RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 3
HIGH 75F IN 1990
LOW 21F IN 1891
PRECIP 1.92 INCHES IN 1951
SNOWFALL 0.1 IN 1951
PEAK GUST 96e SSE IN 1951

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Mike Iacono