Thursday, July 16, 2026

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

THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0422E
SUNSET:  1918E

A BREAK FROM THE SMOKE THROUGH THIS MORNING, BUT IT IS STARTING
TO RETURN THIS AFTERNOON…

We got a nice reprieve from the wildfire smoke here in eastern
Southern New England for the first half of today. Skies were
blue with only some cirrus clouds around through the morning.
However, both clouds and smoke are beginning to increase in
coverage as we progress through the early afternoon hours.

Temperatures, while starting on the cooler side early this
morning, have warmed nicely through the day reaching the mid
80s by early this afternoon. Dew point values have been much
more comfortable today as well with readings in the upper 50s
to low 60s. Rather refreshing for mid July standards.

Winds have been steady for the most part today, except going
light for a time earlier this morning. The flow has been mainly
out of the west. The average speed for the day so far is around
11mph. The peak gust so far for the day is 31mph, which occurred
just before noon-time.

Visibility has been better today than it was yesterday. The
view today, albeit still on the hazy side, has been around
30-35 miles throughout the day. However it’s likely going to
be dropping off some soon as the smoke continues to advance
into the area.

The maximum temperature so far today is 84F, which is 2 degrees
above the normal high of 82F. The minimum temperature since
midnight is 63F, which is 1 degree below the normal low of 64F.

————————————————————–

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few cirrus distant SE-SW-W
Temperature: 70F; Dew Point: 59F; Relative Humidity: 63%
Wind: W @ 6 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1012.3 mb; 29.89 in. Hg: rising, then steady
Visibility: 35 miles, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 70F
6-hr Min temp: 63F
24-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
BHO SA 1155 CLR 35 123/70/59/2606/989/ FEW CI DSNT SE-SW-W
HAZY WND LGT/ 8/001 51003 10070 20063

10 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few cirrus distant SE-SW-W and distant NW-NE
Temperature: 82F; Dew Point: 62F; Relative Humidity: 51%
Wind: W @ 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1011.3 mb; 29.86 in. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 30 miles, hazy
3-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
BHO SA 1455 CLR 30 113/82/62/2708/986/ FEW CI DSNT SE-SW-W
AND DSNT NW-NE HAZY/ 8/001 58010

1 P.M.
Weather: Broken cirrus, few cumulus all quadrants, thin smoke
layer aloft all quadrants
Temperature: 84F; Dew Point: 60F; Relative Humidity: 43%
Wind: W @ 17G23 kts, peak wind W 31mph at 11:59 A.M.
Sea-level pressure: 1008.7 mb; 29.79 in. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 30 miles, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 84F
6-hr Min temp: 70F
6-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
BHO SA 1755 E250 BKN 30 087/84/60/2717G23/979/ FEW CU ALQDS
THN K LYR ALF ALQDS HAZY PK WND 2827/59/ 8/201 58026 10084 20070

————————————————————–

SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 2026

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….82   NORMAL…..82
MIN…….67   NORMAL…..64
MEAN……75   NORMAL…..73

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL…………….+2
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH………………………+61 [+3.9 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2026 THRU JUN 2027)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………..0  DEPARTURE………0
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH (JUL)………..2  DEPARTURE……..-2
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………….2  DEPARTURE……..-2
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE………..1  DEPARTURE……..+1

COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JAN 2026 THRU DEC 2026)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………….10  DEPARTURE……..+2
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH (JUL)………173  DEPARTURE…….+60
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………..412  DEPARTURE……+160
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE………347  DEPARTURE…….+65

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 *=Last of multiple occurrences

F420C (Official)………..33 WNW  @   02:20 P.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….33 WNW  @   02:05 P.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….35 WNW  @   12:46 P.M.
DAVIS #1……………….32 W    @   02:20 P.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………31 NNW  @   04:29 P.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..33 WNW  @   02:05 P.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..35 WNW  @   12:46 P.M.
MERLIN…………………34 NW
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……32 WNW  @   02:20 P.M.

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………22 WNW  @   05:28 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..20 NW   @   02:21 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..24 WNW  @   02:06 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………21 WNW  @   02:07 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………22 NW   @   02:07 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..20 NW   @   04:30 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..23 WNW  @   02:06 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE………20 WNW  @   02:07 P.M.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL……..13.0 WNW [313 total miles] VECTOR #1………………12.9
VECTOR #2………………14.2
DAVIS #1……………….13.3 WNW
DAVIS #2……………….12.9 WNW
RMY #1…………………12.7 WNW
RMY #2…………………13.8 WNW
RICHARDS (C5C)………….13.0

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.00 DEPARTURE…..-0.12
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH (JUL)……..2.22 DEPARTURE…..+0.54
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR (2026)…….20.88 DEPARTURE…..-8.03

————————————————————–

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JULY 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

7/1  95/68/82/+11/0.00/704/77            23 WSW VEC1 23 SW  RMY 24
7/2  99/72/86/+15/0.04/822/90            40 W   VEC1 39 W   RMY 45 TSTM
7/3  98/77/88/+16/0.00/803/88            32 WNW VEC1 32 WNW RMY 34 TSTM
7/4  94/73/84/+12/0.01/765/84            29 WNW VEC1 29 WNW RMY 29
7/5  83/69/76/+4/T/355/39                20 SSE VEC1 20 SE  RMY 17
7/6  74/60/67/-5/0.05/009/01             24 E   VEC1 24 E   RMY 24
7/7  65/61/63/-9/2.11/000/00             40 ENE VEC1 39 NE  RMY 40
7/8  83/58/72/-1/0.01/780/86             26 N   VEC1 26 N   RMY 25
7/9  91/65/78/+5/0.00/834/92             29 SW  VEC1 27 SW  RMY 29
7/10 88/69/79/+6/0.00/724/80             21 NE  VEC1 21 NE  RMY 23
7/11 82/66/74/+1/0.00/795/88             20 E   VEC1 20 E   RMY 19
7/12 81/61/71/-2/0.00/884/98             18 ENE VEC1 18 ENE RMY 18
7/13 86/62/74/+1/0.00/…/..             30 SW  VEC1 30 SSW RMY 32
7/14 88/67/78/+5/0.00/…/..             32 WSW VEC1 32 WSW RMY 34
7/15 82/67/75/+2/0.00/…/..             33 WNW VEC1 33 WNW RMY 33

7/16 The low since midnight is 63F, the daily normal low is 64F.

————————————————————–

JULY DAILY RECORDS TO DATE

7/2 RECORD HIGH MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 99F,
BEATING THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 95F SET IN 1963

7/2 RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 72F,
THIS TIED THE RECORD WITH 1901, 1913, AND 1963

7/3 RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 77F,
BEATING THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 76F SET IN 2002

————————————————————–

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

RECORDS FOR JULY 16
HIGH 94F IN 1968, 1980, 1983, 1999
LOW 50F IN 1903
PRECIP 2.56 INS IN 2023
WIND 48e MPH SW 1944

RECORDS FOR JULY 17
HIGH 96F IN 1999
LOW 47F IN 1892
PRECIP 1.39 INS IN 1989
WIND 46 MPH WNW IN 1971

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas