Tuesday, January 16, 2024

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

TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2024
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0710E
SUNSET:  1638E

MESSY WINTRY WEATHER TODAY AS YET ANOTHER SYSTEM IMPACTS THE REGION….

Light snow began falling just before midnight last night with
1.2″ being measured at 7am this morning. An additional 2.0″ fell
between 7am and 11:30am for a total of 3.2″. At around 11:30, the
snow mixed with and changed to sleet and freezing rain. The sleet
ended just before noon with light freezing rain changing to plain
rain just before the 1pm observation. Total liquid precipitation
through 1pm is 0.39″

The temperature has been gradually rising today from the low 20s
early this morning, to finally reaching the freezing mark by the
1pm observation.

The wind started the day on the light side, but has been very
gradually increasing as we push into the early afternoon hours.
The average speed has been around 5mph for the day, but has been
closer to 11mph in the most recent hour. The peak gust so far
today is around 21mph.

Visibility has of course been limited to the precipitation and
fog. It was a high as 5-6 miles early this morning, but has
generally been 1 mile or less for most of the daylight hours to
this point.

The maximum temperature so far today is 32F degrees, this is 2
degrees below the normal high of 34F. The minimum temperature
so far since midnight is 22F degrees, this is 4 degrees above
the normal low of 18F.

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus, overcast nimbostratus, light snow
Temperature: 23F; Dew Point: 23F; Relative Humidity: 100%
Wind: ENE @ 5 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1018.0 mb; 30.06 in. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 4 miles, fog
6-hr Max temp: 25F
6-hr Min temp: 22F
24-hr Precip: 0.09 inches
24-hr Snowfall: 1.2 inches
Snow Depth: 1 inch
BHO SA 1155 5 SCT E25 OVC 4S-F 180/23/23/0605/006/ WND LGT TOTAL NEW
SNW PST 24 HRS 1.2 INS/ 8/52/ 4/001 58025 6009/ 70009 10025 20022

10 A.M.
Weather: Sky obscured, vertical visibility 300ft, moderate snow
Temperature: 26F; Dew Point: 26F; Relative Humidity: 100%
Wind: NNE @ 7 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1015.3 mb; 29.98 in. Hg: falling, then more slowly
Visibility: 1/4 mile, fog
3-hr Precip: 0.07 inches
3-hr Snowfall: 0.8 inches
BHO SA 1455 X W3 1/4SF 153/26/26/0207/998/ TOTAL NEW SNW PST 3 HRS
0.8 INS/ 8//// 56027 6007/

1 P.M.
Weather: Sky obscured, vertical visibility 200ft, light rain
Temperature: 32F; Dew Point: 32F; Relative Humidity: 100%
Wind: ENE @ 10 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1007.6 mb; 29.75 in. Hg: falling rapidly
Visibility: 1/4 mile, fog
6-hr Max temp: 32F
6-hr Min temp: 23F
6-hr Precip: 0.30 inches
6-hr Snowfall: 2.0 inches
Snow Depth: 3 inches
BHO SA 1755 X W2 1/4R-F 076/32/32/0610/075/ ZR-E44 R-B44 THN GLZ SOME
SFCS PRESFR TOTAL NEW SNW PST 6 HRS 2.0 INS/ 8//// 4/003 58077 6030/
10032 20023

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SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, JANUARY 15, 2024

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….31   NORMAL…..34
MIN…….17   NORMAL…..18
MEAN……24   NORMAL…..26

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL…………-2
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH…………………..+85 [+5.5 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2023 THRU JUN 2024)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………41  DEPARTURE……..+2
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..481  DEPARTURE…….-86
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………2376  DEPARTURE……-401
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….2341  DEPARTURE…….+35

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)……….E30 WNW  @  12:35 A.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….29 WNW  @  12:35 A.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….30 WNW  @  12:13 A.M.
DAVIS #1……………….31 W    @  12:35 A.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………29 WNW  @  12:35 A.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..30 WNW  @  12:35 A.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..31 WNW  @  12:08 A.M.
MERLIN…………………M
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……31      @  12:35 A.M.

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………20 WNW  @  12:18 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..18      @  12:14 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..23      @  12:14 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………21 W    @  12:10 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………22 WNW  @  12:14 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..17 WNW  @  12:35 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..22 WNW  @  12:14 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE………19      @  12:42 A.M.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL…….8.6 WSW [207 total miles] VECTOR #1……………..8.9
VECTOR #2……………..9.2
DAVIS #1………………9.0 WSW
DAVIS #2………………9.0 W
RMY #1………………..8.6 WSW
RMY #2………………..9.1 W
RICHARDS (C5C)…………9.1

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.09 DEPARTURE…..-0.06
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..6.38 DEPARTURE…..+4.12
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR (2024)……..6.38 DEPARTURE…..+4.12

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…………..1.2 DEPARTURE……+0.6
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………….14.8 DEPARTURE……+6.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON (2023-2024)……15.1 DEPARTURE……-8.5

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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/…/..        45 WNW VEC1 43 WNW RMY 47
1/12  47/33/40/+13/0.00/0.0/…/..        29 SE  VEC1 28 ESE RMY 28
1/13  57/36/47/+21/1.72/0.0/…/..        47 ESE VEC1 51 ESE RMY 49
1/14  39/22/31/+5/0.02/0.4/…/..         53 WNW VEC1 52 WNW RMY 54
1/15  31/17/24/-2/T/T/…/..              30 WNW VEC1 29 WNW RMY 30

1/16 The low since midnight is 22F, the daily normal low is 18F

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JANUARY DAILY RECORDS TO DATE

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

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

RECORDS FOR JANUARY 16
HIGH 63F IN 1995
LOW -12F IN 2004
PRECIP 1.32 INS. IN 1936
SNOWFALL 14.0 INS. IN 1965
PEAK GUST 79 MPH WNW IN 1960

RECORDS FOR JANUARY 17
HIGH 55F IN 1973,1995
LOW -8F IN 1907,1982
PRECIP 1.43 INS. IN 1956
SNOWFALL 13.4 INS. IN 1956
PEAK GUST 65 MPH ESE IN 2022

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas