Thursday, December 3, 2015

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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

FOG AND SHOWERS CLEAR THE REGION, TEMPERATURES RISE
TO THE LOW 50S OVERNIGHT, CONDITIONS DRY OUT TODAY

Showers wrapped up near midnight this morning as temperatures
reached their maximum reading of 53F. Since showers began
late Monday, a storm total of 0.37 inches was measured, keeping
the month of December near ‘normal’ levels of precipitation
after a drier than normal November. The annual precipitation
deficit is above 9 inches for the year.

Intermittent fog at the 7:00 AM EST observation cleared out
by 9:00 AM EST this morning, with some lingering showers and
virga by the 1:00 PM EST observation. A couple brief sprinkles
left another trace of precipitation by that time with winds
becoming strong from the WNW. A peak gust of 41 MPH had been
reached so far today.
BHO Warmest Novembers, deg F (1885-2015):

1) 47.9 in 2011
2) 47.4 in 1975
3) 47.1 in 2006
4) 46.4 in 1948
46.4 in 1979
46.4 in 2009
7) 46.1 in 2015
8) 46.0 in 2001
9) 45.7 in 1953
45.7 in 1999
PRELIMINARY STATS FOR OCTOBER 2015

TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 54.3 [+4.3] Avg. Min. 38.6 [+5.1] Mean      46.5 [+4.8] Corrected mean: 46.1
Max. for month: 72 on 5th
Min. for month: 23 on 24th

COOLING DEGREE DAYS
Total cooling units: 1 [+1] Total for the season: 811 [+209] Total for last season: 595

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units: 548 [-150] Total for the season: 1002 [-259] Total for last season: 1159

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 2.59 [-2.18] Greatest in 24 hrs: 1.18 from 20th
Snowfall: Trace [-2.3] Seasonal: Trace [-2.6]

WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 12.4
Avg. corrected wind speed: 12.7
Prevailing wind direction: W @ 13%
Peak gust and direction: 43 SSE on the 20th

SUNSHINE:
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 9222 or 54%
Astronomical total minutes:   9562 or 54%

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Intermittent fog, broken altocumulus, broken
cirrostratus
Temperature: 47F; Dew Point: 47F; Wind: W at 7 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.62 ins. Hg, rising, then more quickly
Visibility: 5 miles varying to 60 miles, intermittent fog
6-hr Max temp: 53F
6-hr Min temp: 47F
24-hr precip: 0.20 inches
BHO SA 1155 -X E70 BKN 200 BKN 5F 032/47/47/2607/962/
F1 VSBY 5V60 MI FG INTMT/ 8/738 53012 ASOS 60001 70020
MANUAL 70020 10053 20047

10 A.M.
Weather: Two layers broken stratocumulus
Temperature: 44F; Dew Point 40F; Wind: W at 13G20 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 29.67 ins. Hg, rising, then falling and lower
Visibility: 70 miles, except 40 miles W-NW, distant thin fog
BHO SA 1455 E18 BKN 25 BKN 70 049/44/40/2713G20/967/
VSBY W-NW 40 MI THN FG W-NW/ 8/800 53017

1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus, scattered altocumulus,
showers distant E, virga N and SSW-SSE
Temperature: 44F; Dew Point 33F; Wind: WNW at 21G30 kts,
Peak Wind: 35 kts WNW at 12:28 PM EST
Sea-level pressure: 29.70 ins. Hg, falling, then rising and higher
Visibility: 70 miles, except 50 miles N, showers distant E,
virga N and SSW-SSE
6-hr max. temp: 48F
6-hr min. temp: 43F
6-hr precip: Trace
BHO SA 1755 31 SCT 80 SCT 70 058/44/33/2921G30/970/
VSBY N 50 MI SHWRS DSNT E VIRGA N AND SSW-SSE PK WND 2935/28/
8/530 53009 MANUAL 6000/ 10048 20043
SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..53   NORMAL…..44
MIN…..37   NORMAL…..28
MEAN….45   NORMAL…..36

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL………………….+9
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH………………….+8  [+3.8 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………..20   DEPARTURE……….-9
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..49   DEPARTURE……….-9
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………..1051   DEPARTURE……..-268
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……1205   DIFFERENCE…….-154

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY……………….25 SSE  AT   7:48 P.M.
ASOS……………………24 S    AT   8:10 P.M.
DAVIS…………………..24 SSE  AT   7:48 P.M. RMY 25
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY…………………19 SSE  AT   7:49 P.M.*
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE………………18 S    AT   8:11 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE……………..18 SSE  AT   7:48 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION…………….8.7 SSW
ASOS…………………….9.0
DAVIS……………………8.1 SW [220 Deg.] * Last of several occurrences

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…..0.20  DEPARTURE……+0.04
ASOS……………0.20
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH………..0.37  DEPARTURE……+0.05
ASOS……………0.36
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR………..39.79  DEPARTURE……-9.07
ASOS…………….N/A ***
*** ASOS annual total not available due to erroneous readings

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……….0.0  DEPARTURE……-0.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH…………….0.0  DEPARTURE……-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON………….TRACE  DEPARTURE……-3.1
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR NOVEMBER & DECEMBER CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/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

11/1  59/45/52/+6/T/006/01                  30 SSW RMY 31
11/2  62/47/55/+9/0.00/476/77               24 W   RMY N/A
11/3  71/44/58/+12/0.00/616/100             25 W   RMY 25
11/4  66/49/58/+13/0.00/601/98              22 SSW RMY N/A
11/5  72/51/62/+17/0.00/281/46              31 SW  RMY 36
11/6  71/60/66/+21/0.00/109/18              35 SSW RMY 38
11/7  64/46/55/+10/0.00/029/04              33 WNW RMY 35
11/8  54/39/47/+3/0.00/591/98               26 NW  RMY 30
11/9  59/38/49/+5/0.00/577/96               20 W   RMY 21
11/10 53/45/49/+5/…./000/00               28 NE  RMY N/A
11/11 48/43/46/+3/…./000/00               41 NE  RMY N/A
11/12 55/42/49/+6/…./000/00               28 S   RMY 30
11/13 57/41/49/+6/…./385/65               40 WSW RMY 47
11/14 45/31/38/-4/0.00/425/72               40 NW  RMY 47
11/15 51/31/41/-1/0.00/241/41               25 W   RMY 27
11/16 59/36/48/+6/0.00/416/71               25 NNW RMY 29
11/17 45/28/37/-4/0.00/572/98               18 NNE RMY N/A
11/18 50/35/43/+2/0.00/575/99               17 SSE RMY N/A
11/19 55/38/47/+6/…./000/00               29 SSE RMY N/A
11/20 58/41/50/+10/…./416/72              43 SSE RMY N/A
11/21 46/35/41/+1/0.00/380/66               20 ENE RMY 21
11/22 45/35/40/+0/…./000/00               26 NW  RMY 28
11/23 40/25/33/-6/0.00/543/95               24 NW  RMY 29
11/24 42/23/33/-6/0.00/564/99               20 WSW RMY 19
11/25 46/31/39/+0/0.00/568/100              18 SSE RMY N/A
11/26 58/37/48/+10/0.00/386/68              33 S   RMY 35
11/27 63/48/54/+18/0.00/249/44              35 SW  RMY 38
11/28 55/38/47/+9/0.19/000/00               23 SW  RMY N/A
11/29 42/28/35/-2/0.00/410/73               17 NNW RMY 21
11/30 37/27/32/-5/T/T/151/27                17 S   RMY 18

12/1  42/30/36/-1/…./000/00               19 NNE RMY 19
12/2  53/37/45/+9/…./000/00               25 SSE RMY 25

12/3 low since midnight is 47F; normal low is now 28F

DAILY RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 2015

**11/6 DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 71F
TIES PREVIOUS RECORD OF 71F SET IN 1959

**11/6 DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 60F
BREAKS PREVIOUS RECORD OF 58F SET IN 1938

**11/6 DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 60F
TIES PREVIOUS MONTHLY RECORD OF 60F SET ON
11/8/1996

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

RECORDS FOR DECEMBER 3
HIGH 67 IN 2009
LOW  -1 IN 1890
PRECIP 2.10 INS. IN 1986
SNOWFALL 6.0 INS. IN 1963
PEAK GUST 73e MPH W IN 1942

RECORDS FOR DECEMBER 4
HIGH 67 IN 1998
LOW -4 IN 1940
PRECIP 1.87 INS. IN 1968
SNOWFALL 6.0 INS. IN 1907
PEAK GUST 73 MPH WNW IN 1980

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald