Thursday, January 18, 2024

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

THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2024
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0709E
SUNSET:  1640E

INCREASING AND THICKENING CLOUDS AS OUR NEXT SYSTEM APPROACHES,
STILL QUITE COLD….

Today started with sunshine through some high thin cirrus clouds.
These high clouds have been gradually lowering and thickening as
the day progresses, with an overcast cirrostratus layer taking
over, and significantly dimming the sun by early this afternoon.

Temperatures started the day in the low to mid teens, and have
only recovered to the mid 20s by early this afternoon. This once
again is almost 10F degrees below the expected high for the date!

The wind has been brisk today with an average speed of around
13mph. Frequent gusts of 20-25mph have been the theme keeping
wind chill values in the low-mid teens. The highest gust so far
today is around 28mph, occurring just before 2am this morning.

Visibility has been a bit limited today, generally holding
between 40-50 miles due to haziness.

The maximum temperature so far today is 26F degrees, this is 8
degrees below the normal high of 34F. The minimum temperature
so far since midnight is 13F degrees, this is 5 degrees below
the normal low of 18F.

————————————————————–

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Thin broken cirrus, few stratocumulus offshore distant NE-SE-SSW
Temperature: 14F; Dew Point: 7F; Relative Humidity: 73%
Wind: W @ 12G17 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1019.3 mb; 30.10 in. Hg: rising, then steady
Visibility: 40 miles, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 15F
6-hr Min temp: 13F
24-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
24-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow Depth: 2 inches
BHO SA 1155 E250 -BKN 40 193/14/7/2612G17/010/ FEW SC OFFSHR DSNT
NE-SE-SSW HAZY/ 8/501 4/002 51012 10015 20013

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered cirrostratus, overcast cirrus, few breaks in overcast
distant NNW-N, few stratocumulus offshore distant NE-S
Temperature: 19F; Dew Point: 9F; Relative Humidity: 65%
Wind: WSW @ 10G16 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1020.8 mb; 30.14 in. Hg: rising, then more rapidly
Visibility: 50 miles
3-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
3-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
BHO SA 1455 200 SCT 250 OVC 50 208/19/9/2510G16/014/ FEW BINOVC DSNT
NNW-N FEW SC OFFSHR DSNT NE-S/ 8/505 53015

1 P.M.
Weather: Overcast cirrostratus, few breaks in overcast distant NW-NE,
few stratocumulus offshore distant E-S, sun dimly visible
Temperature: 26F; Dew Point: 15F; Relative Humidity: 63%
Wind: WSW @ 10G16 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1018.2 mb; 30.07 in. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 40 miles, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 26F
6-hr Min temp: 14F
6-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
6-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow Depth: 2 inches
BHO SA 1755 E200 OVC 40 182/26/15/2510G16/007/ FEW BINOVC DSNT NW-NE
FEW SC OFFSHR DSNT E-S SUN DMLY VSBL HAZY/ 8/506 4/002 58026 10026 20014

————————————————————–

SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2024

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….25   NORMAL…..34
MIN…….13   NORMAL…..18
MEAN……19   NORMAL…..26

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL…………-7
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH…………………..+79 [+4.4 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2023 THRU JUN 2024)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………46  DEPARTURE……..+7
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..565  DEPARTURE…….-80
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………2460  DEPARTURE……-395
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….2407  DEPARTURE…….+53

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)……….E29 NW   @  01:11 A.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….28 W    @  03:21 P.M.*
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….28 WNW  @  11:07 A.M.*
DAVIS #1……………….29 W    @  03:21 P.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………28 NW   @  02:40 A.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..27 W    @  03:21 P.M.*
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..27 WNW  @  11:07 P.M.*
MERLIN…………………28 W
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……29      @  03:01 A.M.

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………21 WNW  @  03:44 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..20      @  12:00 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..21      @  12:00 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………21 W    @  12:00 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………21 NW   @  03:44 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..19 W    @  12:00 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..20 W    @  12:00 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE………20      @  01:12 A.M.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL……13.2 W [317 total miles] VECTOR #1…………….M*
VECTOR #2…………….M*
DAVIS #1……………..13.1 W
DAVIS #2……………..13.3 WNW
RMY #1……………….11.6 WNW*
RMY #2……………….12.5 WNW*
RICHARDS (C5C)………..12.9

* Reading impacted by icing

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.00 DEPARTURE…..-0.15
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..6.90 DEPARTURE…..+4.34
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR (2024)……..6.90 DEPARTURE…..+4.34

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…………..0.0 DEPARTURE……-0.6
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………….16.8 DEPARTURE……+7.1
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON (2023-2024)……17.1 DEPARTURE……-7.7

————————————————————–

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/237/43              37 NNW VEC1 36 NNW RMY 39
1/5   32/17/25/-3/0.00/0.0/542/98         40 NW  VEC1 39 NW  RMY 39
1/6   34/24/29/+1/0.11/0.2/022/04         36 E   VEC1 36 E   RMY 36
1/7   33/21/27/0/0.84/13.0/000/00         38 ENE VEC1 37 ENE RMY 42
1/8   32/21/27/0/0.00/0.0/406/73          28 NW  VEC1 28 NW  RMY 31
1/9   40/23/32/+5/0.98/T/000/00           46 SE  VEC1 49 SE  RMY 46
1/10  53/41/47/+20/1.90/0.0/201/36        70 SSE VEC1 69 SSE RMY 75
1/11  43/35/39/+12/0.00/0.0/162/29        45 WNW VEC1 43 WNW RMY 47
1/12  47/33/40/+13/0.00/0.0/533/95        29 SE  VEC1 28 ESE RMY 28
1/13  57/36/47/+21/1.72/0.0/146/26        47 ESE VEC1 51 ESE RMY 49
1/14  39/22/31/+5/0.02/0.4/328/58         53 WNW VEC1 52 WNW RMY 54
1/15  31/17/24/-2/T/T/475/84              30 WNW VEC1 29 WNW RMY 30
1/16  34/19/27/+1/0.61/3.2/000/00         36 NW  VEC1 33 NW* RMY 31*
1/17  25/13/19/-7/0.00/0.0/529/93         29 NW  VEC1 28 W*  RMY 27*

1/18 The low since midnight is 13F, the daily normal low is 18F

* Reading impacted by icing

————————————————————–

JANUARY DAILY RECORDS TO DATE

1/13: RECORD PRECIPITATION OF 1.72 INS,
BEATS PREVIOUS RECORD OF 1.54 INS SET IN 1979

————————————————————–

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

RECORDS FOR JANUARY 18
HIGH 62F IN 1973, 1990
LOW -10F IN 1982
PRECIP 1.68 INS. IN 1915
SNOWFALL 13.0 INS. IN 1948
PEAK GUST 85 MPH SSE IN 2006

RECORDS FOR JANUARY 19
HIGH 59F IN 1973
LOW -11F IN 1887
PRECIP 2.34 INS. IN 1936
SNOWFALL 10.5 INS. IN 1936
PEAK GUST 93e MPH WNW IN 1943

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas