Thursday, August 22, 2024

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

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2024
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0459E
SUNSET:  1834E

ANOTHER DELIGHTFUL DAY WITH BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND VERY
COMFORTABLE HUMIDITY LEVELS….

The little taste of early fall continues today with cooler
than normal temperatures and low humidity levels. Skies started
the day mainly on the clear side, however as low level heating
took place, convective cumulus clouds have developed giving us
a partly cloudy sky into early this afternoon.

Temperatures are once again running 5-10 degrees below normal
early this afternoon with readings in the low 70s. The dew point
remains at very pleasant levels, holding in the low to mid 50s.

Interesting note, after the first few days of August averaged just
over 10 degrees above normal, we have now erased all of the
positive departure for the month, and the month is now averaging
just below the 30-year (1991-2020) normal to date.

The wind has been generally on the light side today mainly out
of the west and west-northwest. The average speed for the day so
far is around 9mph. The peak gust so far is 20mph, which occurred
around 11:30am this morning.

Visibility has been excellent today, holding at around 70 miles
all day.

The maximum temperature so far today is 72F, which is 8 degrees
below the normal high of 80F. The minimum temperature since
midnight is 52F, which is 10 degrees below the normal low of 62F.

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Clear, stratocumulus distant W-NW, few cumulus offshore
distant ENE-S, few altocumulus/castellanus distant W-N, thin smoke
layer aloft all quadrants
Temperature: 56F; Dew Point: 51F; Relative Humidity: 83%
Wind: WNW @ 6 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1019.6 mb ; 30.11 in. Hg: rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 70 miles
6-hr Max temp: 56F
6-hr Min temp: 52F
24-hr Precip:  0.00 inches
BHO SA 1155 CLR 70 196/56/51/2906/011/ FEW SC DSNT W-NW FEW CU OFFSHR
DSNT ENE-S FEW AC/ACC DSNT W-N THN K LYR ALF ALQDS WND LGT/ 8/880
51014 10056 20052

10 A.M.
Weather: Broken cumulus, broken altocumulus
Temperature: 64F; Dew Point: 53F; Relative Humidity: 66%
Wind: W @ 4 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1020.4 mb; 30.13 in. Hg: rising unsteadily
Visibility: 70 miles
3-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
BHO SA 1455 E30 BKN 55 BKN 70 204/64/53/2804/013/ WND LGT/ 8/250 52008

1 P.M.
Weather: Broken cumulus, broken altocumulus
Temperature: 71F; Dew Point: 54F; Relative Humidity: 55%
Wind: WNW @ 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1020.2 mb; 30.13 in. Hg: falling, then steady
Visibility: 70 miles
6-hr Max temp: 72F
6-hr Min temp: 56F
6-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
BHO SA 1755 E40 BKN 55 BKN 70 202/71/54/2908/013/ 8/260 51002 10072 20056

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SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2024

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….73  NORMAL…..80
MIN…….51  NORMAL…..62
MEAN……62  NORMAL…..71

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL…………..-9
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH…………………….-12 [-0.8 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2024 THRU JUN 2025)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………….3  DEPARTURE……..+3
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………….8  DEPARTURE……..+3
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON……………8  DEPARTURE……..-4
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……….0  DEPARTURE……..+8

COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JAN 2024 THRU DEC 2024)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………….0  DEPARTURE……..-6
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..146  DEPARTURE……..-8
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………….643  DEPARTURE……+103
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……..538  DEPARTURE……+105

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)……….E20 WNW  @   01:06 P.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….19 WNW  @   10:01 P.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….20 W    @   09:57 P.M.
DAVIS #1……………….19 WSW  @   04:32 P.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………18 W    @   11:57 A.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..20 W    @   12:51 P.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..21 W    @   11:58 A.M.
MERLIN…………………18 W
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)…..OTS

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………13 W    @   09:52 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..14      @   09:55 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..15      @   10:01 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………15 W    @   09:55 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………14 WNW  @   10:01 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..14 W    @   03:20 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..15 WNW  @   10:01 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE……..OTS

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL…….8.0 W [193 total miles] VECTOR #1……………..8.6
VECTOR #2……………..8.7
DAVIS #1………………8.8 W
DAVIS #2………………8.6 WNW
RMY #1………………..8.2 W
RMY #2………………..8.6 W
RICHARDS (C5C)…………OTS

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.00 DEPARTURE…..-0.12
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..2.96 DEPARTURE…..+0.25
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR (2024)…….41.21 DEPARTURE…..+7.80

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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/779/90                24 W   VEC1 24 W   RMY 23
8/2   94/73/84/+11/0.01/579/67            31 SSW VEC1 31 SSW RMY 30 TSTM
8/3   92/75/84/+11/0.00/612/71            29 W   VEC1 28 W   RMY 28
8/4   85/68/77/+4/0.20/318/37             29 WSW VEC1 29 WSW RMY 31 TSTM
8/5   90/67/79/+6/T/686/80                28 SSW VEC1 28 SSW RMY 29
8/6   73/60/67/-6/0.56/009/01             26 ENE VEC1 26 ENE RMY 26
8/7   69/57/63/-10/0.18/119/14            25 NE  VEC1 23 NE  RMY 23
8/8   72/58/65/-7/0.09/187/22             20 ESE VEC1 20 ESE RMY 19
8/9   82/62/72/0/0.48/127/15              50 SSW VEC1 48 S   RMY 50
8/10  85/68/77/+5/0.37/659/78             41 SSW VEC1 41 SSW RMY 43
8/11  81/63/72/0/0.00/741/88              30 W   VEC1 29 SW  RMY 30
8/12  77/59/68/-4/0.15/638/76             35 WNW VEC1 34 WNW RMY 36
8/13  80/58/69/-3/0.00/787/94             21 NW  VEC1 22 NW  RMY 21
8/14  82/62/72/0/0.00/676/81              16 NNW VEC1 15 NNW RMY 15
8/15  84/62/73/+1/0.57/491/59             44 N   VEC1 42 N   RMY 46 TSTM
8/16  74/61/68/-4/0.00/415/50             13 ESE VEC1 13 ESE RMY 13
8/17  75/60/68/-4/0.00/323/39             17 SE  VEC1 16 SE  RMY 15
8/18  71/62/67/-4/0.09/008/01             18 SE  VEC1 19 SE  RMY 17
8/19  78/66/72/+1/0.19/164/20             23 SSW VEC1 23 SSW RMY 22 TSTM
8/20  69/54/62/-9/0.07/238/29             32 NW  VEC1 32 NW  RMY 33
8/21  73/51/62/-9/0.00/752/92             20 WNW VEC1 19 WNW RMY 20

8/22  The low since midnight is 52F, the daily normal low is 62F.

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AUGUST DAILY RECORDS TO DATE

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

8/15 PEAK GUST 44e MPH N,
TIED THE PREVIOUS RECORD SET IN 1941

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

RECORDS FOR AUGUST 22
HIGH 90F IN 1939
LOW 42F IN 1894
PRECIP 2.28 INCHES IN 1935
PEAK GUST 47 MPH ESE IN 2021 [TROPICAL STORM HENRI]

RECORDS FOR AUGUST 23
HIGH 89F IN 2020
LOW 45F IN 1923
PRECIP 2.21 INCHES IN 2020
PEAK GUST 60e MPH NW IN 1940, 60 WNW IN 2020* [*TSTM]

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas