Thursday, August 8, 2013

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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2013
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

MORNING SHOWERS LEAVE MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES

Rain showers early this morning left just 0.08 inches of rain at the summit,
and had moved to our east by the 7AM observation.  The rest of the day has
featured mostly cloudy skies with just a few breaks in the overcast at
times.  After a morning low of 62F, the temperature had risen to 77F by
the 1PM observation, which is a few degrees below average.  Winds have
been slowly decreasing today but the average speed for the day remains
in the 10-15mph range, and several gusts over 20mph were observed this
morning.  The dew point has also been on the rise today as the air mass
becomes increasingly moist, setting us up for rain tonight and tomorrow.

The average temperature each day so far this month has been at or below
normal, leaving us about 3 degrees below average for the month so far.
The current streak of 9 at or below normal days, including the last two
days of last month, is the longest such streak since 12 straight below
normal days March 14-25.  The streak will likely extend to 10 today.

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Broken stratocumulus (two layers), overcast altostratus, few lower
stratocumulus distant WNW-NW, few altocumulus lenticularis distant SW-NW,
breaks in overcast overhead and N, rain showers ENE-SE, rain ended 6:20 EST
Temperature: 65F; Dew Point: 64F; Wind: S at 15G21 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.09 ins. Hg, rising slightly then falling
Visibility: 40 miles, except 30 miles ENE-SE
6-hr min. temp: 62F
BHO SA 1155 E40 BKN 60 BKN 110 OVC 40 191/65/64/1815G21/009/
FEW SC DSNT WNW-NW FEW ACSL DSNT SW-NW BINOVC OVHD AND N SHRA ENE-SE
VSBY ENE-SE 30 RE20/ 8/54/ 50000 MANUAL 70008 ASOS 70009 MANUAL 60008
ASOS 60009 10065 20062

10 A.M.
Weather:  Broken stratocumulus, overcast stratocumulus, light rain/virga
NE-ENE
Temperature: 71F; Dew Point: 68F; Wind: SSW at 10G19 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.10 ins. Hg, rising
Visibility: 35 miles, except 20 miles N-ENE
BHO SA 1455 E10 BKN 25 OVC 35 194/71/68/2110G19/010/ LGT SHRA/VIRGA NE-ENE
VSBY N-ENE 20/ 8/5// 52003

1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus, overcast stratocumulus, light rain shower/
virga S-SW
Temperature: 76F; Dew Point: 68F; Wind: SW at 9 kt,
Sea-level pressure: 30.09 ins. Hg, falling then rising slightly
Visibility: 40 miles
6-hr max. temp: 77F
BHO SA 1755 20 SCT E30 OVC 40 189/76/68/2209/009/ LGT SHRA/VIRGA S-SW
8/5// 55005 10077 20065

WEATHER SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2013

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..80     NORMAL…..81
MIN…..59     NORMAL…..63
MEAN….70     NORMAL…..72

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL……………….-2
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH………………-19 [-2.9 DEGREES/DAY]

COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JAN TO DEC)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY………….5    DEPARTURE………-2
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………30    DEPARTURE……..-20
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON……….513    DEPARTURE…….+112
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…..527    DIFFERENCE…….-14

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY…………….21 S   AT   4:31 P.M.
AERO…………………21 S   AT   4:31 P.M.
ASOS…………………22 S   AT   4:31 P.M.
DAVIS………………..20 S   AT   4:30 P.M. RMY 26
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY………………15 S   AT  11:56 P.M. *
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE……………15 S   AT   7:56 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE…………..15 S   AT   3:35 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION…………9.6 S
ASOS…………………9.4
DAVIS………………..8.6 S [192 deg.] * last of several occurrences

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.08   DEPARTURE…………-0.06
ASOS…………..0.09
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH……….0.32   DEPARTURE…………-0.72
ASOS…………..0.32
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR……….35.61   DEPARTURE…………+3.58
ASOS…………..N/A*
*ASOS malfunctioned during storm on 2/8-9, leading to erroneous totals

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR AUGUST 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

8/1  81/62/72/0/0.01/503/58          25 S   AERO 26 MPH S   RMY 27
8/2  81/62/72/0/0.23/518/60          26 W   AERO 26 MPH W   RMY 28
8/3  77/63/70/-2/T/276/32            22 WSW AERO 23 MPH WSW RMY 23
8/4  79/58/69/-3/T/645/75            25 WNW AERO 21 MPH WNW RMY 26
8/5  75/54/65/-7/0.00/…/..         26 WNW AERO 25 MPH WNW RMY 27
8/6  78/56/67/-5/0.00/…/..         17 ESE AERO 15 MPH S   RMY 16
8/7  80/59/70/-2/0.00/…/..         21 S   AERO 21 MPH S   RMY 26

8/8  morning low 62F, normal low: 63F

DAILY RECORDS FOR AUGUST 2013
None so far.

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

RECORDS FOR AUGUST 8
HIGH 93F IN 1909,1949
LOW 47F IN 1903
PRECIP 3.08 INCHES IN 1976
PEAK GUST 45 MPH WNW IN 1958

RECORDS FOR AUGUST 9
HIGH 100F IN 1949
LOW 49F IN 1899
PRE 2.65 INS IN 1976
PEAK GUST 90 MPH SW IN 1968

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Jonathan O’Brien and Kevin Pecora