Thursday, March 29, 2018

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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2018
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

SNOW CONTINUES TO MELT, WIND IS LIGHT AND VARIABLE,
AND ABOVE SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES RETURN…

After a generally below seasonable March, above seasonable
temperatures have finally returned to Great Blue Hill.
Temperatures began to rise quickly yesterday after a close
to seasonable low of 33F. We observed a max of 55F yesterday,
which is 7 degrees above the daily normal of 48F. So far
today we reached a max of 53F, which is already 4 degrees
above the daily normal of 49F. Overnight we measured a
low temperature 39F, which is 8 degrees above the daily
normal of 31F.
Yesterday morning began with a couple quick moving rain
showers which left 0.01 ins. of precipitation. Today
we observed a quick moving rain shower which began and
ended shortly after the 1:00 P.M. observation.
Visibility was limited to 40 miles due to a distant
haze which lingered all day. During the 10:00 A.M.
observation a small fire could be seen ENE within the
Blue Hills about 1-2 miles away.The wind today was light
and variable. Clouds increased throughout the day and we
observed overcast skies at the 1:00 P.M observation.

Blue Hill Observatory Greatest March Snowfall Totals,
Inches (1885-2018)

1) 52.0 in 1956
2) 45.5 in 2018 (through 3/28)
3) 42.2 in 1916
4) 41.4 in 2001
5) 41.0 in 1967
6) 37.8 in 2013
7) 35.5 in 1993

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, scattered cirrostratus,
smoke layer along horizon SSE-NNE
Temperature: 41F; Dew Point: 31F; Wind: NE at 7 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.06 ins. Hg, rising unsteadily
Visibility: 40 miles, distant haze in all directions
6-hr Max temp: 42F
6-hr Min temp: 39F
24-hr precip:  Trace
24-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins.
Snow depth: 4 ins.
BHO SA 1155 90 SCT 250 SCT 40 181/41/31/0407/006/ DSNT
HZ ALQDS K LYR ALG HRZN SSE-NNE/ 8/066 4/004 52012
10042 20039

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, broken cirrostratus,
few altocumulus WSW, fire ENE 2 miles smoke plume
drifting ENE-SE
Temperature: 49F; Dew Point: 32F; Wind: ESE at 3 kts,
Wind: Light and variable, direction estimated
Sea-level pressure: 30.07 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 40 miles, distant haze in all directions
3-hr precip: 0.00 ins.
3-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins.
BHO SA 1455 190 SCT E250 BKN 40 184/49/32/E1203/007/
FEW AC WSW FIRE ENE-SE 2 MI SML K PLUME ENE K LYR
ALG HRZN SSW-NNE HAZY ALQDS WND L/V/ 8/056 50003

1 P.M.
Weather: Overcast stratus
Temperature: 50F; Dew Point: 35F; Wind: NE at 2 kts,
Wind: Light and variable, direction estimated
Sea-level pressure: 30.06 ins. Hg, falling unsteadily
Visibility: 40 miles, distant haze in all directions
6-hr Max temp: 53F
6-hr Min temp: 41F
6-hr precip: 0.00 ins.
6-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins.
Snow depth: 3 ins.
BHO SA 1755 E35 OVC 40 181/50/35/E0402/006/
HAZY ALQDS WND L/V/ 8/6// 4/003 56003 10053 20041

SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2018

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..55   NORMAL…..48
MIN…..33   NORMAL…..31
MEAN….44   NORMAL…..39

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL……………………….+5
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH………………………-45 [-1.8 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY………….21   DEPARTURE……….-5
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………891   DEPARTURE………+50
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON……….5013   DEPARTURE……..-396
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…..4822   DIFFERENCE…….+191

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY……………….21 SSW AT 10:00 A.M.
AERO……………………14 SSW AT  9:57 A.M.
ASOS……………………19 S   AT 10:00 A.M.
DAVIS…………………..18 M   AT 10:00 A.M ** RMY 18
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY…………………13 W   AT 11:59 P.M.*
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE………………13 W   AT 11:59 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE……………..12 M   AT 11:57 P.M.**
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION…………..5.4 WSW
ASOS…………………..5.9
DAVIS………………….5.2
* Last of multiple occurrences
** Davis direction malfunctioning

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.01  DEPARTURE……-0.18
ASOS…………..0.01
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH……….8.61  DEPARTURE……+3.74
ASOS…………..9.32
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR……….18.72  DEPARTURE……+5.43
ASOS………….20.17

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……….0.0  DEPARTURE……..-0.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………45.5  DEPARTURE…….+33.6
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON…………..90.2  DEPARTURE…….+31.2

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MARCH CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOW/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/PEAK GUST/AERO/RMY GUST
AERO: Aerovane wind recording system 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
M:    Missing data

3/01 61/37/49/+18/0.00/0.0/378/56    39 ENE AERO 37 ENE RMY N/A
3/02 40/32/36/+5/3.47/0.7/000/00     73 NNE AERO 70 NNE RMY N/A
3/03 40/32/26/+4/T/T/034/05          52 NNE AERO 50 NNE RMY 49
3/04 39/34/37/+5/T/T/000/00          36 NNE AERO 32 NNE RMY 32
3/05 40/29/35/+3/…/1.2/261/38      40 NE  AERO 39 NE  RMY 40
3/06 34/29/32/0/0.00/0.0/062/09      20 N   AERO 16 N   RMY N/A
3/07 35/31/33/0/…./…/000/00      52 ENE AERO 53 ENE RMY 50
3/08 34/28/31/-2/…./…/000/00     44 NNE AERO 47 NNE RMY N/A
3/09 36/24/30/-3/T/T/265/38          28 W   AERO 26 W   RMY N/A
3/10 37/28/33/0/0.00/0.0/343/49      38 WNW AERO 38 WNW RMY 41
3/11 42/26/34/0/0.00/0.0/583/83      28 NW  AERO 26 NW  RMY 29
3/12 39/26/33/-1/T/T/155/22          36 ENE AERO 33 ENE RMY N/A
3/13 35/26/31/-3/…./23.0/000/00    60 N   AERO 60 N   RMY 64
3/14 36/24/30/-5/…./…/470/66     38 WSW AERO 38 WSW RMY 41
3/15 40/29/35/0/…./…/422/59      44 W   AERO 44 W   RMY 44
3/16 35/23/29/-6/0.00/0.0/308/43     41 NW  AERO 41 NW  RMY 45
3/17 40/15/28/-8/0.00/0.0/533/74     46 W   AERO 45 W   RMY 49
3/18 31/10/21/-15/0.00/0.0/694/96    39 NW  AERO 38 NW  RMY 40
3/19 35/13/24/-12/0.00/0.0/704/97    32 WNW AERO 32 WNW RMY 34
3/20 40/18/29/-8/0.00/0.0/372/51     23 NW  AERO 21 NW  RMY N/A
3/21 35/31/33/-4/…./…/000/00     43 NE  AERO 44 NE  RMY N/A
3/22 39/30/35/-2/…./…/000/00     28 NNW AERO 26 NNW RMY 30
3/23 44/28/36/-2/0.00/0.0/…/..     21 NNW AERO 18 NNW RMY 21
3/24 45/32/39/+1/T/T/…/..          23 NE  AERO 21 NE  RMY N/A
3/25 36/29/33/-5/0.18/1.8/…/..     35 NNE AERO 30 NNE RMY 33
3/26 38/27/33/-6/0.00/0.0/…/..     33 NE  AERO 26 NE  RMY 30
3/27 44/25/35/-4/0.00/0.0/…/…    24 NE  AERO 17 NE  RMY 20
3/28 55/33/44/+5/0.01/0.0/…/..     21 SSW AERO 14 SSW RMY 18

3/29 Low temp since midnight is 39F; normal low is now 31F

DAILY RECORDS FOR MARCH 2018

3/02/18: NEW DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM PRECIPITATION OF 3.47 INS.
PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 2.15 INS. SET IN 1983

3/13/18: NEW DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM SNOWFALL OF 23.0 INS.
PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 10.0 INS. SET IN 1993

3/13/18: NEW MONTHLY RECORD MAXIMUM DAILY SNOWFALL OF 23.0 INS.
PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 18.0 INS. SET ON 8 MARCH 2013

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

RECORDS FOR MARCH 29
HIGH 85 IN 1945
LOW -2 IN 1923
PRECIP 2.78 INS. IN 1984
SNOWFALL 13.5 INS. IN 1984
PEAK GUST 95 MPH ENE IN 1984

RECORDS FOR MARCH 30
HIGH 83 IN 1977
LOW 10 IN 1887
PRECIP 2.92 INS. IN 2010
SNOWFALL 3.9 INS. IN 1957
PEAK GUST 60 MPH NW IN 1999

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Kaitlin Geagan