Tuesday, February 2, 2016

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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2016
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

NEAR RECORD WARMTH MONDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE LOW 60S,
TUESDAY TEMPS DROP BUT STILL MUCH WARMER THAN NORMAL

Yesterday’s maximum temperature of 64F fell just one degree
behind tying the daily record maximum temperature of 65F back
set back in 1989. Overnight, temperatures dropped to 31F briefly,
reaching the 40s by mid morning today. Clear skies have prevailed
today, along with a continuation of dry conditions ahead of likely
precipitation tomorrow.

The month of January finished significantly warmer than normal,
at 4.0 degrees F above normal. The average minimum temperature of
22.3F was more than 5 degrees above normal as well.
January was drier than normal as well, with precipitation 0.58 inches
less than normal, and 2.8 inches less than normal for snow.

PRELIMINARY STATS FOR JANUARY 2016

TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 37.2 [+3.4] Avg. Min. 22.3 [+5.2] Mean      29.5 [+4.0] 24-hour Corrected Mean: 29.5
Max. for month: 58 on 10th
Min. for month:  4 on  5th

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total cooling units: 1086 [-140] Total for the season: 2742 [-789] Total for last season: 3531

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 3.77 [-0.58] Greatest in 24 hrs: 1.55 ins. on the 10th
Snowfall: 14.3 [-2.8] Greatest in 24 hrs: 7.1 ins. on the 23rd

WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 13.7
Avg. corrected wind speed: 14.0
Prevailing wind direction: NW @ 19%
Peak gust and direction: 55 WNW on the 19th

SUNSHINE:
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: N/A
Astronomical total minutes:   N/A

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few altocumulus distant WSW-NE, few stratocumulus
distant ENE-ESE
Temperature: 33F; Dew Point: 22F; Wind: WNW at 9 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 30.20 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 80 miles
6-hr Max temp: 38F
6-hr Min temp: 31F
24-hr precip: none
24-hr snowfall: none
Snow depth: trace
BHO SA 1155 CLR 80 227/33/22/2909/020/ FEW AC DSNT WSW-NE FEW SC
DSNT ENE-ESE/ 8/530 51024 10038 20031

10 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few cumulus distant W-N and E, few altocumulus
distant NNE-ENE, few cirrus distant SE-SW
Temperature: 42F; Dew Point: 23F; Wind: NW at 8 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 30.30 ins. Hg, increasing then steady
Visibility: 80 miles
BHO SA 1455 CLR 80 260/42/23/3108/030/ FEW CU DSNT W-N AND E FEW
AC DSNT NNE-ENE FEW CI DSNT SE-SW/ 8/131 51033

1 P.M.
Weather: Clear, few small cumulus in all directions
Temperature: 47F; Dew Point: 21F; Wind: estimated W at 5 kts,
Wind Speed and Direction: Light and Variable
Sea-level pressure: 30.30 ins. Hg, about the same as 3 hrs ago
Visibility: 80 miles
6-hr Max temp: 48F
6-hr Min temp: 33F
BHO SA 1755 CLR 80 260/47/21/E2705/030/ FEW SML CU ALQDS
WND LGT AND VRB/ 8/100 51000 10048 20033

SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..64   NORMAL…..34
MIN…..40   NORMAL…..17
MEAN….52   NORMAL…..26

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL……………………+26
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH……………………+26 [+25.8 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………..13   DEPARTURE………-26
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..13   DEPARTURE………-26
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………..2755   DEPARTURE……..-815
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……3395   DIFFERENCE…….-640

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY……………….36 WNW AT   2:53 P.M.
ASOS……………………34 WNW AT   2:53 P.M.
DAVIS…………………..32 SSW AT   1:58 A.M. RMY 34
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY…………………26 WNW AT   2:53 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE………………25 WNW AT   2:55 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE……………..24 SSW AT   2:18 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION……………16.5 S
ASOS……………………16.2
DAVIS…………………..14.7 WSW [249 Deg.]

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.00  DEPARTURE……-0.13
ASOS…………..0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH……….0.00  DEPARTURE……-0.13
ASOS…………..0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR………..3.77  DEPARTURE……-0.71
ASOS…………..3.94

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……….0.0  DEPARTURE…….-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………14.3  DEPARTURE…….-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON…………..15.6  DEPARTURE……-18.0

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JANUARY CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/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

1/1   37/29/33/+6/0.00/0.0/005/01           29 W               RMY 29
1/2   37/27/32/+5/0.00/0.0/461/84           31 W               RMY N/A
1/3   41/27/34/+8/0.00/0.0/501/91           28 W               RMY 29
1/4   30/10/20/-6/T/T/000/00                29 NNW             RMY 29
1/5   23/4/14/-12/0.00/0.0/552/100          28 NNW             RMY N/A
1/6   43/17/30/+4/0.00/0.0/553/100          24 SW              RMY 24
1/7   43/25/34/+8/0.00/0.0/521/94           21 SW              RMY N/A
1/8   40/28/34/+8/T/0.0/000/00              28 E   AERO 25 ENE RMY 25
1/9   39/36/38/+12/T/0.0/000/00             21 ENE AERO 20 ENE RMY N/A
1/10  58/38/48/+23/1.55/0.0/000/00          53 SSE AERO 55 SSE RMY 53
1/11  48/21/35/+10/0.00/0.0/559/100         43 W   AERO 45 WSW RMY N/A
1/12  35/19/27/+2/…./…/359/64           30 SE  AERO N/A    RMY N/A
1/13  30/17/24/-1/…./…/551/98           50 W   AERO 58 W   RMY 54
1/14  28/17/23/-2/T/T/389/69                26 W   AERO N/A    RMY 25
1/15  40/23/32/+7/0.00/0.0/102/18           26 ESE AERO 25 ESE RMY 23
1/16  41/32/37/+12/1.03/T/000/00            32 NNW AERO 32 NNW RMY 28
1/17  33/26/30/+5/…./…/…/..           29 WNW AERO 28 WNW RMY N/A
1/18  26/15/21/-4/…./…/487/82           50 W   AERO 50 W   RMY 47
1/19  22/13/18/-7/0.00/0.0/194/34           55 WNW AERO 59 W   RMY 55
1/20  30/15/23/-2/0.00/0.0/…/..           46 WNW AERO 47 WNW RMY 45
1/21  30/15/23/-2/0.00/0.0/…/..           38 WNW AERO 38 NW  RMY 35
1/22  28/14/21/-4/0.00/0.0/…/..           32 NW  AERO 32 NW  RMY N/A
1/23  30/18/24/-1/0.74/7.1/000/00           54 NE  AERO 56 NE  RMY 50
1/24  33/14/24/-1/T/T/…/..                34 N   AERO 37 N   RMY 29
1/25  37/20/29/+4/0.00/0.0/…/..           22 NW  AERO 22 NW  RMY N/A
1/26  49/27/38/+13/0.00/0.0/…/..          44 SSW AERO 47 SSW RMY 43
1/27  43/27/35/+10/0.00/0.0/…/..          38 WNW AERO 40 SSW RMY 37
1/28  41/23/32/+7/0.00/0.0/…/..           29 SSW AERO 29 SSW RMY 29
1/29  39/32/36/+11/0.00/0.0/…/..          25 NW  AERO 24 NW  RMY 28
1/30  42/26/33/+8/0.00/0.0/…/..           39 SW  AERO 43 SW  RMY 38
1/31  56/36/46/+20/0.00/0.0/…/..          37 S   AERO 38 S   RMY 36

2/1   64/40/52/+26/0.00/0.0/…/..          36 WNW AERO 37 W   RMY 34

2/2 morning low since midnight 31F; normal low is 17F

DAILY RECORDS FOR JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2016

**1/10/16: NEW DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 58F, BREAKS
PREVIOUS RECORD OF 54F SET BACK IN 2000**

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

RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 2
HIGH 55F IN 1951, 1973
LOW -12F IN 1961
PRECIP 1.91 INS. IN 1999
SNOWFALL 16.5 INS. IN 2015
PEAK GUST 92 MPH SW IN 1970

RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 3
HIGH 58F IN 1991
LOW -7F IN 1955
PRECIP 2.14 INS. IN 1970
SNOWFALL 7.0 INS. IN 1913
PEAK GUST 102 MPH S IN 1970 [RECORD FOR MONTH]

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald