Sunday, August 4, 2024

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

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2024
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0440E
SUNSET:  1859E

TROPICAL AIRMASS REMAINS IN PLACE, WARM AND HUMID….

Yesterday marked the 3rd consecutive day of 90F degrees or
higher, thus officially reaching heatwave criteria here on
Blue Hill. This is the 2nd heatwave of the summer here, which
the first occurring during June 18-20th. So far for the summer,
we have recorded a total of 9 days in which the temperature has
reached 90F or better. In contrast, we only had a total of 4
days of 90F or better for all of last summer.

As for today, we’ve seen more clouds than sun to this point
in the day, as such, the temperature isn’t as hot as it has
been the past few days. A few very light rain showers passed
through the area very early this morning, but only a trace was
left behind in the rain gauge.

Temperatures have reached the low to mid 80s today, which is
about 8-10 degrees “cooler” than yesterday. However the dew
point remains in the low 70s, as such it still feel quite muggy
out there.

Winds have been steady through the day with an average speed of
around 11mph. We have seen a few gusts get over 20mph so far
today with a peak of 26mph which occurred just after the 1pm
observation.

Visibility has been limited today due to thin fog and haze from
all the moisture in the air. Views have been holding between
30-35 miles for the most part.

The maximum temperature so far today is 84F, which is 2 degrees
above the normal high of 82F. The minimum temperature since
midnight is 72F, which is 8 degrees above the normal low of 64F.

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Scattered altostratus, broken altocumulus/castellanus,
broken cirrostratus, few cumulonimbus distant WNW, few towering
cumulus distant NNW-NNE, few stratus fractus all quadrants
Temperature: 73F; Dew Point: 70F; Relative Humidity: 91%
Wind: SW @ 8G15 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1012.6 mb; 29.90 in. Hg: rising unsteadily
Visibility: 30 miles, thin fog
6-hr Max temp: 74F
6-hr Min temp: 72F
24-hr Precip:  Trace
BHO SA 1155 100 SCT 150 BKN 180 OVC 30 126/73/70/2308G15/990/
FEW BINOVC DSNT S-WNW FEW CB DSNT WNW FEW TCU DSNT NNW-NNE
FEW STFRA ALQDS THN F AQLDS VIRGA ALQDS RW-E02/ 8/387 52012 6000/
70000 10074 20072

10 A.M.
Weather: Broken stratocumulus, broken cumulus, broken altocumulus/
altostratus
Temperature: 81F; Dew Point: 71F; Relative Humidity: 72%
Wind: W @ 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1013.0 mb; 29.91 in. Hg: rising, then steady
Visibility: 35 miles, hazy
3-hr Precip: Trace
BHO SA 1455 E20 BKN 50 BKN 150 BKN 35 130/81/71/2608/991/ HAZY/
8/870 51004 6000/

1 P.M.
Weather: Broken cumulus, broken altocumulus, thin broken cirrus,
virga distant WSW
Temperature: 82F; Dew Point: 71F; Relative Humidity: 69%
Wind: WSW @ 11G20 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1012.6 mb; 29.90 in. Hg: falling, then rising
Visibility: 35 miles, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 84F
6-hr Min temp: 73F
6-hr Precip: Trace
BHO SA 1755 E30 BKN 120 BKN 250 -BKN 35 126/82/71/2411G20/990/
VIRGA DSNT WSW HAZY/ 8/251 55004 6000/ 10084 20073

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SUMMARY FOR SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2024

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….92  NORMAL…..82
MIN…….75R NORMAL…..64
MEAN……84  NORMAL…..73

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL………….+11
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH…………………….+31 [+10.1 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2024 THRU JUN 2025)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………….0  DEPARTURE………0
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………….0  DEPARTURE……..-1
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON……………0  DEPARTURE……..-8
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……….0  DEPARTURE………0

COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JAN 2024 THRU DEC 2024)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………19  DEPARTURE…….+11
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH……………55  DEPARTURE…….+31
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………….552  DEPARTURE……+141
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……..428  DEPARTURE……+124

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

F420C (Official)……….E29 W    @   11:52 A.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….28 W    @   11:52 A.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….29 WSW  @   11:47 A.M.
DAVIS #1……………….29 W    @   11:52 A.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………29 S    @   02:17 A.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..28 W    @   11:52 A.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..29 WSW  @   12:01 P.M.
MERLIN…………………26 W
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)…..OTS

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………19 W    @   02:10 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..20      @   11:47 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..19      @   11:47 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………21 W    @   11:54 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………19 W    @   12:03 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..19 W    @   11:54 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..18 WSW  @   11:47 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE……..OTS

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL……10.7 SW [257 total miles] VECTOR #1…………….10.9
VECTOR #2…………….11.2
DAVIS #1……………..10.7 SW
DAVIS #2……………..11.2 WSW
RMY #1……………….10.6 SW
RMY #2……………….11.1 SW
RICHARDS (C5C)…………OTS

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…….TRACE DEPARTURE…..-0.13
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..0.01 DEPARTURE…..-0.38
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR (2024)…….38.26 DEPARTURE…..+7.17

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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   92/71/82/+9/T/…/..                24 W   VEC1 24 W   RMY 23
8/2   94/73/84/+11/0.01/…/..            31 SSW VEC1 31 SSW RMY 30 TSTM
8/3   92/75/84/+11/0.00/…/..            29 W   VEC1 28 W   RMY 28

8/4  The low since midnight is 72F, the daily normal low is 64F.

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AUGUST DAILY RECORDS TO DATE

8/3  RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 75F,
TIED THE PREVIOUS RECORD SET IN 2020

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

RECORDS FOR AUGUST 4
HIGH 96F IN 2022
LOW 48F IN 1900
PRECIP 1.68 INS IN 1983
PEAK GUST 67 MPH SSE IN 2020 [POST-TROPICAL STORM ISAIAS]

RECORDS FOR AUGUST 5
HIGH 98F IN 1955
LOW 48F IN 1929,1972
PRECIP 2.97 INCHES IN 1893
PEAK GUST 60e MPH SW 1977

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas