Thursday, April 2, 2015

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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2015
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

TEMPS DIP BELOW FREEZING OVERNIGHT, BOUNCE
BACK TO THE UPPER 50S BY EARLY AFTERNOON

Yesterday, a maximum of 44F was recorded by late afternoon,
still short of yesterday’s daily normal high of 50F. Coupled
with a morning low of 26F, temperatures were 6 degrees below
normal, continuing a slow start to spring.

Mostly cloudy skies this morning eventually gave way to
mostly sunny skies, as winds shifted around from NW last evening
to SSW this afternoon. Hazy conditions were present, with
only 35 miles of visibility in most directions. A maximum
reading of 57F had been recorded by the 1:00 PM EST observation.

The month of March averaged 4.3 degrees colder than normal,
and also finished 2.33 inches of total liquid precipitation
drier than normal. Snowfall however, was just about normal,
with 13.3 inches falling, just 0.6 inches above the norm.

A cold March along with an even colder January through
February have resulted in the coldest start to any
year since 1934:

BHO Coldest Jan-Mar Mean Temperature, deg F (1885-2015)

1) 21.4 in 1885
2) 22.1 in 1923
3) 22.8 in 1904
4) 23.2 in 1888
5) 23.5 in 1920
23.5 in 1934
7) 23.6 in 1893
23.6 in 1912
9) 23.8 in 2015
10) 24.2 in 1916
BHO Coldest Jan-Mar Average Minimum Temperature, deg F (1885-2015)

1) 13.4 in 1885
2) 14.9 in 1923
3) 15.0 in 2015
4) 15.2 in 1888
15.2 in 1934
6) 15.3 in 1904
7) 16.6 in 1920
8) 16.7 in 1912
9) 16.8 in 1887
16.8 in 1893

Average monthly wind speeds were once again below the long
term norm, and have tied for the fifth slowest average
wind speed for March:

BHO Lowest March Wind Speed, mph (1885-2015)

1) 12.1 in 1995
2) 12.8 in 2012
3) 13.1 in 2014
4) 13.2 in 2009
5) 13.4 in 2013
13.4 in 2015
7) 13.6 in 1898
13.6 in 2005

Two significant records were broken during the month of
March, including most notably, the snowiest season on
record here at Blue Hill Observatory in 130 years. As of
today, here is the most up to date list of the snowfall
for this season:

BHO Greatest Seasonal Snowfall, inches (1885-2015):

1) 150.8 in 2014-2015 (through 1 PM April 1st)
2) 144.4 in 1995-1996
3) 136.0 in 1947-1948
4) 119.4 in 2004-2005
5) 113.1 in 2002-2003
6) 111.5 in 1915-1916
7) 109.6 in 1966-1967
8) 106.8 in 1955-1956
9) 103.4 in 1903-1904
10)102.5 in 1922-1923

The second record broken during March came on the 28th
when 5.0 inches of snow fell, setting a new daily record
snowfall, last set in 1932 with 3.0 inches of snow.

——————————————————-

PRELIMINARY STATS FOR MARCH 2015

TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 39.5 [-4.8] Avg. Min. 22.8 [-3.8] Mean      31.2 [-4.3] Corrected mean: 31.0
Max. for month: 55 on 3/11
Min. for month:  5 on 3/6

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units;   1037 [+121] Total for the season:  5745 [+261] Total for last season: 5627

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 3.25 [-2.33]

SNOWFALL, Inches
Total: 13.3 [+0.6]

WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 13.0
Avg. corrected wind speed: 13.4
Prevailing wind direction: NW @ 16%
Peak gust and direction: 53 NW on the 17th

SUNSHINE:
Astronomical total minutes:   N/A
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: N/A

For more information about this historic winter, visit our
web site at bluehillobservatory.org.

——————————————————-

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Broken altocumulus undulatus, broken cirrostratus,
smoke layer along the horizon NE-E
Temperature: 34F; Dew Point: 10F; Wind: estimated WSW at 6 kts
Wind Speed: Light
Sea-level pressure: 30.25 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 70 miles
6-hr Max temp: 34F
6-hr Min temp: 29F
24-hr precip: none
24-hr snowfall: none
Snow depth: 7 inches
BHO SA 1155 E120 BKN 250 BKN 70 243/34/10/E2406/025/
K LYR ALNG HRZN NE-E WND LGT/ 8/036 4/007 51013 10034 20029

10 A.M.
Weather: Broken altocumulus, thin overcast altostratus
Temperature: 45F; Dew Point: 15F; Wind: SSW at 10 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.23 ins. Hg, rising, then falling and lower
Visibility: 40 miles, distant haze
BHO SA 1455 E60 BKN 140 -OVC 40 236/45/15/2010/023/
DSNT HZ ALQDS/ 8/01/ 58007

1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus
Temperature: 56F; Dew Point: 24F; Wind: SSW at 11G20 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.09 ins. Hg, falling rapidly
Visibility: 35 miles, hazy in all directions
6-hr Max temp: 57F
6-hr Min temp: 34F
BHO SA 1755 60 SCT 35 190/56/24/2011G20/009/
HAZY ALQDS PRESFR/ 8/010 58046 10057 20034
SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2015

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..44   NORMAL…..50
MIN…..26   NORMAL…..32
MEAN….35   NORMAL…..41

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL………………………..-6
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH………………………..-6 [-6.2 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………..30  DEPARTURE………..+6
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..30  DEPARTURE………..+6
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………..5775  DEPARTURE………+267
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……5508  DIFFERENCE……..+123

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY………………30  WNW AT   2:16 P.M.
ASOS…………………..30  WNW AT   2:16 P.M.
DAVIS………………….30  WNW AT   2:15 P.M. RMY 31
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY………………..22  WNW AT   2:15 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE……………..22  WNW AT   2:15 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE…………….20  WNW AT   2:15 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION…………..10.9 NW
ASOS…………………..10.9
DAVIS………………….9.4 NW [324 degrees] * Last of several occurrences…

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.00   DEPARTURE…..-0.17
ASOS…………..0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH……….0.00   DEPARTURE…..-0.17
ASOS…………..0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR……….14.59   DEPARTURE…..+0.55
ASOS…………..N/A ***
*** ASOS annual totals not available due to erroneous readings

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M………..0.0  DEPARTURE…..-0.2
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………..0.0  DEPARTURE…..-0.2
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON…………..150.8  DEPARTURE….+90.9

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MARCH AND APRIL CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOWFALL/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/RMY GUST
RMY:  R.M. Young wind gust recording system
TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day)
….: Data not yet available, records not finalized

3/1  29/14/22/-9/…./…/000/00              25 SSW RMY 25
3/2  35/22/29/-2/…./…/480/71              44 WNW RMY 48
3/3  32/13/23/-9/…./2.8/340/50              33 S   RMY N/A
3/4  41/32/37/+5/…./…/000/00              33 SW  RMY 36
3/5  36/16/26/-6/0.02/0.2/000/00              28 NW  RMY 29
3/6  26/5/16/-16/0.00/0.0/681/99              28 NW  RMY 25
3/7  38/13/26/-7/0.00/0.0/567/82              30 WSW RMY 30
3/8  41/25/33/0/T/T/208/30                    38 WNW RMY 41
3/9  45/28/37/+4/0.00/0.0/565/81              40 W   RMY 39
3/10 52/32/42/+9/…./0.0/252/36              28 S   RMY 27
3/11 55/38/47/+13/…./0.0/604/86             37 WNW RMY N/A
3/12 38/23/31/-3/0.00/0.0/677/96              44 N   RMY 48
3/13 40/18/29/-5/0.00/0.0/581/82              23 SSW RMY 26
3/14 41/29/35/0/0.84/0.0/000/00               23 SSW RMY 23
3/15 41/24/33/-2/0.03/0.6/021/03              39 NW  RMY 39
3/16 44/23/34/-1/0.00/0.0/516/72              28 NW  RMY N/A
3/17 48/25/37/+1/0.17/T/173/24                53 NW  RMY 63
3/18 30/19/25/-11/0.00/0.0/700/97             51 NW  RMY 56
3/19 31/15/23/-13/0.00/0.0/696/96             37 NW  RMY 39
3/20 32/19/26/-11/…./…/000/00             17 NNW RMY 15
3/21 41/25/33/-4/…./…/…/..              36 WNW RMY N/A
3/22 36/17/27/-10/0.00/0.0/712/97             50 W   RMY 55
3/23 31/14/23/-15/0.00/0.0/700/95             36 WNW RMY 35
3/24 39/16/28/-10/0.00/0.0/636/86             20 NNW RMY N/A
3/25 48/25/37/-1/0.08/0.0/572/77              32 S   RMY 31
3/26 54/35/45/+6/…./…/052/07              32 SSW RMY 32
3/27 41/36/39/+0/…./0.0/000/00              22 NNE RMY N/A
3/28 36/26/31/-8/0.44/5.0/000/00              30 NNW RMY 30
3/29 40/21/31/-9/0.00/0.0/…/..              26 NW  RMY N/A
3/30 43/28/36/-4/T/T/…/..                   36 SSW RMY 39
3/31 46/32/39/-2/0.00/0.0/…/..              28 W   RMY 30

4/1  44/26/35/-6/0.00/0.0/…/..              30 WNW RMY 31

4/2 low since midnight is 29F normal low is 33F

DAILY RECORDS FOR MARCH 2015

-3/28 5.0 INCHES OF SNOW FELL. SURPASSED OLD RECORD OF 3.0 INCHES SET
BACK IN 1932.

DAILY RECORDS FOR APRIL 2015

-NONE SO FAR

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

RECORDS FOR APRIL 2
HIGH 77 IN 1967
LOW 14 IN 1919
PRECIP 1.83 IN. IN 1970
SNOWFALL 13.0 IN. IN 1887
PEAK GUST 76 MPH SSW IN 1970

RECORDS FOR APRIL 3
HIGH 76 IN 1892
LOW 16 IN 1894
PRECIP 2.18 IN. IN 1990
SNOWFALL 8.0 IN. IN 1915
PEAK GUST 83e MPH NW IN 1977 [RECORD FOR MONTH]

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald