Thursday, March 21, 2024

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

THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2024
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0545E
SUNSET:  1758E

A STRONG COLD FRONT PUSHES THROUGH LAST EVENING WITH RAIN AND SNOW
SHOWERS AND GUSTY WINDS…

After a mostly pleasant day yesterday in which the temperature
reached the low 50s, a strong cold front pushed through the area
during the mid to late evening hours. A sharp drop in temperature,
as well as a sharp increase in wind speeds were the result of the
frontal passage. Rain showers ahead of the front changed to a
brief period of snow showers at the tail end of the precipitation.

A few flurries were also observed very early this morning before
sunrise, otherwise today has featured mainly sunny skies. However
its quite cold with below normal temperatures and strong gusty
winds continuing.

Temperatures have struggled to reach the mid 30s after starting
the day in the mid 20s. The dew point is more reminiscent of
January with values in the upper single digits and low teens.
For reference, the normal high for today should be 45F!

The wind has been busy since the frontal passage last evening.
The average speed for the day so far is around 22mph. Frequent
gusts of 40-50mph have been the theme for over 14 hours at this
point. The peak gust so far for today is 53mph, which occurred
just before 9am.

Visibility has been excellent for the most part today, starting
the day at around 60 miles, and increasing to around 80 miles by
early this afternoon.

The maximum temperature so far today is 37F degrees, which
is 8 degrees below the normal high of 45F. The minimum temperature
since midnight is 24F degrees, which is 4 degrees below the
normal low of 28F.

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few stratocumulus all quadrants, virga distant WNW-N
and distant NE-SSE
Temperature: 25F; Dew Point: 10F; Relative Humidity: 52%
Wind: WNW @ 18G28 kts, peak wind WNW 41mph at 6:21 A.M.
Sea-level pressure: 1011.0 mb; 29.86 in. Hg: steady, then rising
Visibility: 60 miles
6-hr Max temp: 28F
6-hr Min temp: 24F
24-hr Precip:  0.11 inches
24-hr Snowfall: Trace
Snow Depth: 0 inches
BHO SA 1155 CLR 60 110/25/10/2918G28/986/ FEW SC ALQDS VIRGA DSNT WNW-N
AND DSNT NE-SSE PK WND 3036/21/ TOTAL NEW SNW PST 24 HRS TRACE/ 8/500
53019 6000/ 70011 10028 20024

10 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few stratocumulus all quadrants
Temperature: 30F; Dew Point: 11F; Relative Humidity: 44%
Wind: WNW @ 23G38 kts, peak wind WNW 50mph at 9:34 A.M.
Sea-level pressure: 1012.1 mb; 29.89 in. Hg: rising, then falling
Visibility: 70 miles
3-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
3-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
BHO SA 1455 CLR 70 121/30/11/2923G38/989/ FEW SC ALQDS PK WND 2943/34/
8/500 50011

1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus
Temperature: 36F; Dew Point: 11F; Relative Humidity: 35%
Wind: WNW @ 23G38 kts, peak wind WNW 50mph at 12:31 P.M.
Sea-level pressure: 1013.3 mb; 29.92 in. Hg: rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 80 miles
6-hr Max temp: 37F
6-hr Min temp: 25F
6-hr Precip:  0.00 inches
6-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow Depth: 0 inches
BHO SA 1755 50 SCT 80 133/36/11/3023G38/992/ PK WND 3043/31/ 8/500
51012 10037 20025

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SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2024

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….51   NORMAL…..45
MIN…….29   NORMAL…..28
MEAN……40   NORMAL…..37

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL…………+3
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH………………….+158 [+7.7 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2023 THRU JUN 2024)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………25  DEPARTURE……..-4
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..465  DEPARTURE……-159
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………4353  DEPARTURE……-703
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….4290  DEPARTURE…….+63

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)……….E50 WNW  @  11:54 P.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….50 WNW  @  11:54 P.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….48 WNW  @  11:58 P.M.
DAVIS #1……………….51 WNW  @  11:54 P.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………45 W    @  11:58 P.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..51 WNW  @  11:54 P.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..49 WNW  @  11:58 P.M.
MERLIN…………………48 W
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……53      @  11:57 P.M.

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………34 WNW  @  11:55 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..30      @  11:58 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..33      @  08:06 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………33 W    @  11:58 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………33 W    @  11:52 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..29 WNW  @  11:58 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..32 WNW  @  08:06 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE………30      @  11:58 P.M.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL……13.4 WSW [321 total miles] VECTOR #1…………….13.2
VECTOR #2…………….13.9
DAVIS #1……………..13.3 WSW
DAVIS #2……………..13.9 WSW
RMY #1……………….12.9 WSW
RMY #2……………….13.7 SW
RICHARDS (C5C)………..13.0

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.11 DEPARTURE…..-0.08
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..4.50 DEPARTURE…..+0.96
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR (2024)…….15.06 DEPARTURE…..+3.02

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…………TRACE DEPARTURE……-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH………………TRACE DEPARTURE…..-11.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON (2023-2024)……26.1 DEPARTURE…..-37.1

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PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MARCH 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
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated)

3/1   41/18/30/-1/0.00/0.0/649/96         30 NW  VEC1 30 WNW RMY 33
3/2   50/32/41/+9/1.16/0.0/000/00         44 SSE VEC1 46 SE  RMY 42
3/3   55/42/49/+17/0.24/0.0/130/19        32 SSE VEC1 33 SSE RMY 32
3/4   49/36/43/+11/0.01/0.0/116/17        24 ENE VEC1 22 ENE RMY 23
3/5   42/36/39/+7/0.14/0.0/000/00         21 E   VEC1 21 E   RMY 21
3/6   51/39/45/+12/0.44/0.0/000/00        28 NE  VEC1 28 NE  RMY 29
3/7   42/37/40/+7/1.06/0.0/000/00         44 NNE VEC1 44 NNE RMY 42
3/8   45/32/39/+6/0.00/0.0/682/98         35 NNE VEC1 36 NNE RMY 38
3/9   40/32/36/+3/0.21/0.0/000/00         32 E   VEC1 32 E   RMY 31
3/10  51/36/44/+10/1.07/0.0/245/35        45 WNW VEC1 46 SE  RMY 45
3/11  43/30/37/+3/T/T/515/73              53 NW  VEC1 54 NW  RMY 58
3/12  54/33/44/+10/0.00/0.0/680/96        43 NW  VEC1 41 NW  RMY 45
3/13  54/33/44/+10/0.00/0.0/667/94        26 SSE VEC1 25 NNW RMY 25
3/14  58/36/47/+12/0.00/0.0/627/88        23 ENE VEC1 22 NE  RMY 21
3/15  44/37/41/+6/0.02/0.0/000/00         24 N   VEC1 23 NNW RMY 25
3/16  58/36/47/+12/0.00/0.0/510/71        29 S   VEC1 26 S   RMY 26
3/17  59/40/50/+14/0.04/0.0/390/54        38 NW  VEC1 38 NW  RMY 40
3/18  49/33/41/+5/0.00/0.0/558/77         38 W   VEC1 37 W   RMY 38
3/19  46/30/38/+2/0.00/0.0/575/79         44 NW  VEC1 43 NW  RMY 46
3/20  51/29/40/+3/0.11/T/190/26           50 WNW VEC1 50 WNW RMY 51

3/21 The low since midnight is 24F, the daily normal low is 28F.

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MARCH DAILY RECORDS TO DATE

NONE…

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

RECORDS FOR MARCH 21
HIGH 81 IN 1921
LOW 2 IN 1885
PRECIP 2.67 INS. IN 1974
SNOWFALL 10.6 INS. IN 1958
PEAK GUST 72 MPH NE IN 1958

RECORDS FOR MARCH 22
HIGH 81 IN 2012
LOW 3 IN 1885
PRE 3.48 INS. IN 2001
SNOW 8.7 INS. 1967
WIND 84e MPH E IN 1977

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas