Sunday, January 7, 2024

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

SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2024
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0713E
SUNSET:  1628E

FIRST SIGNIFICANT SNOW STORM OF THE SEASON BRINGS MORE THAN 10
INCHES SO FAR TO BLUE HILL….

While many areas in the lower elevations were dealing with a
lot of rain before going over to snow this afternoon, here on
the summit of Blue Hill we have experience only snow, which
began just after 8:30pm last evening. The snow was extremely
wet during the first 3 hours of the event where we had a snow
to water ratio of 2:1! 0.2″ of snow accumulated up to midnight
last night with 0.11″ liquid equivalent.

Snow has continued since without any lull. It was heavy for a
period during the overnight hours, became light for a few hours
during the morning, and has become moderate to heavy again
during the early to mid afternoon hours.

Total snowfall through 1pm has been 9.9″, however moderate to
heavy snow has continued and it would not be surprising if we’re
approaching a foot by the time of this writing. Total liquid
equivalent through 1pm is 1.37″, giving an overall ratio of
around 7:1.

The coastal front pushed through between 1-2pm this afternoon
and the temperature has dropped from 32F to 24F. The consistency
of the snow falling has become much more fluffy as we progress
through the afternoon hours.

Winds were gusty out of the east and east-northeast through the
morning, but has backed to the north now this afternoon behind
the retreating coastal front. The average speed for the day so
far has been around 15mph. The peak gust for the day has been
around 35mph, occurring just after 6:30am this morning.

Visibility has limited all day of course in snow and fog, staying
at or below 1/4 mile.

The maximum temperature so far today is 33F degrees, this is 2
degrees below the normal high of 35F. The minimum temperature
so far since midnight is 24F degrees, this is 5 degrees above
the normal low of 19F.

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Sky obscured, vertical visibility 200ft, light snow
Temperature: 32F; Dew Point: 32F; Relative Humidity: 100%
Wind: ENE @ 17G28 kts, peak wind ENE 35mph at 6:39 A.M.
Sea-level pressure: 1006.4 mb; 29.72 in. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 1/4 mile, fog
6-hr Max temp: 32F
6-hr Min temp: 31F
24-hr Precip: 0.83 inches
24-hr Snowfall: 6.8 inches
Snow Depth: 7 inches
BHO SA 1155 X W2 1/4S-F 064/32/32/0717G28/972/ PK WND 0730/39/ TOTAL
NEW SNW PST 24 HRS 6.8 INS/ 8//// 4/007 58026 6060/ 70083 10032 20031

10 A.M.
Weather: Sky obscured, vertical visibility 200ft, light snow
Temperature: 32F; Dew Point: 32F; Relative Humidity: 100%
Wind: ENE @ 17G28 kts, peak wind ENE 32mph at 9:51 A.M.
Sea-level pressure: 1004.0 mb; 29.65 in. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 1/4 mile, fog
3-hr Precip: 0.22 inches
3-hr Snowfall: 1.3 inches
BHO SA 1455 X W2 1/4S-F 040/32/32/0617G28/965/ PK WND 0628/51/ TOTAL
NEW SNW PST 3 HRS 1.3 INS/ 8//// 58024 6022/

1 P.M.
Weather: Sky obscured, vertical visibility 200ft, moderate snow
Temperature: 32F; Dew Point: 32F; Relative Humidity: 100%
Wind: NE @ 14G28 kts, peak wind NE 32mph at 12:53 P.M.
Sea-level pressure: 999.8 mb; 29.52 in. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 1/8 mile, fog
6-hr Max temp: 33F
6-hr Min temp: 32F
6-hr Precip: 0.54 inches
6-hr Snowfall: 3.1 inches
Snow Depth: 9 inches
BHO SA 1755 X W2 1/8SF 998/32/32/0414G28/952/ PK WND 0428/53/ TOTAL
NEW SNW PST 6 HRS 3.1 INS/ 8//// 4/009 58042 6054/ 10033 20032

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SUMMARY FOR SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 2024

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….34   NORMAL…..35
MIN…….24   NORMAL…..20
MEAN……29   NORMAL…..28

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL…………+1
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH…………………..+11 [+1.6 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2023 THRU JUN 2024)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………36  DEPARTURE……..-2
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..210  DEPARTURE…….-12
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………2105  DEPARTURE……-327
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….2059  DEPARTURE…….+46

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)……….E36 E    @  11:50 P.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….36 E    @  11:37 P.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….31 ESE  @  11:50 P.M.
DAVIS #1……………….35 ESE  @  11:37 P.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………33 ESE  @  11:50 P.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..36 E    @  11:37 P.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..33 ESE  @  11:50 P.M.
MERLIN…………………M
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……35      @  11:50 P.M.

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………24 ESE  @  11:53 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..22      @  11:56 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..21      @  11:26 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………24 E    @  11:56 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………22 E    @  11:26 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..23 E    @  11:56 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..22 E    @  11:26 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE………22      @  11:56 P.M.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL…….7.0 E [168 total miles] VECTOR #1……………..7.3
VECTOR #2……………..7.5
DAVIS #1………………7.5 ESE
DAVIS #2………………7.2 ESE
RMY #1………………..7.4 E
RMY #2………………..7.4 E
RICHARDS (C5C)…………8.0

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.83 DEPARTURE…..+0.67
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..0.83 DEPARTURE…..-0.09
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR (2024)……..0.83 DEPARTURE…..-0.09

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…………..6.8 DEPARTURE……+6.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH………………..6.8 DEPARTURE……+3.6
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON (2023-2024)…….7.1 DEPARTURE…..-11.2

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

1/1   37/25/31/+2/0.00/0.0/296/54         15 N   VEC1 14 N   RMY 15
1/2   39/19/29/+1/0.00/0.0/550/100        17 WNW VEC1 17 WNW RMY 17
1/3   42/25/34/+6/0.00/0.0/347/63         20 WNW VEC1 21 WNW RMY 21
1/4   42/21/32/+4/T/T/…/..              37 NNW VEC1 36 NNW RMY 39
1/5   32/17/25/-3/0.00/0.0/…/..         40 NW  VEC1 39 NW  RMY 39
1/6   34/24/29/+1/0.11/0.2/…/..         36 E   VEC1 36 E   RMY 36

1/7 The low since midnight is 24F, the daily normal low is 19F

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JANUARY DAILY RECORDS TO DATE

NONE.

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

RECORDS FOR JANUARY 7
HIGH 60F IN 1930
LOW -8F IN 2018
PRECIP 1.97 INS. IN 1977
SNOWFALL 16.0 INS. IN 1977
PEAK GUST 74 MPH NW IN 1968

RECORDS FOR JANUARY 8
HIGH 65F IN 2008
LOW -8F IN 1968
PRECIP 1.70 INS. IN 1958, 1979
SNOWFALL 12.5 INS. IN 1996
PEAK GUST 77 MPH NNW IN 1958

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas