Tuesday, January 2, 2018

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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
TUESDAY, JANUARY 2, 2018
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

A COLD BUT SUNNY START TO THE NEW YEAR…

An Arctic blast has kept temperatures well below
normal for about a week now. The lowest temperature
of -5F was recorded yesterday morning. Since midnight
the low minimum recorded was -2F. This is 21 degrees
below the normal of 19F. So far today we have had
a high of 14F. This is also 21 degrees below the
daily normal of 35F. Winds continue to be from
the WNW and have been moderate today, frequently
gusting up to 20 kts (23 MPH).

December has ended below normal for temps, precip,
and snowfall at Blue Hill. Despite a bitter cold
finish, 2017 will go down as a warmer than normal
year at the Observatory, and with precipitation very
close to average.

PRELIMINARY STATS FOR DECEMBER 2017

TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 33.9 [-5.2] Avg. Min. 21.2 [-2.4] Mean      27.6 [-3.7] Corrected mean: 27.2
Max. for month: 58 on the  5TH
Min. for month: -3 on the 29TH

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units:   1153 [+110] Total for the season:  2122 [-183] Total for last season: 2032

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 2.98 [-1.91]

SNOWFALL, Inches
Total: 9.4 [-4.0]

WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 11.6
Avg. corrected wind speed: 12.0
Prevailing wind direction: W @ 23%
Peak gust and direction: 62 S on the 5th

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

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few stratocumulus distant offshore ENE-S
Temperature: -1F; Dew Point: -6F; Wind: NNW at 11 kts
Windchill: -18F
Sea-level pressure: 30.28 ins. Hg, rising, then more quickly
Visibility: 40 miles, distant fog in all directions
6-hr Max temp:  2F
6-hr Min temp: -2F
24-hr precip: 0.00 ins.
24-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins.
Snow depth: 2 ins.
BHO SA 1155 CLR 40 253/M1/M6/3011/028/ FEW SC DSNT OFFSHR
ENE-S WINDCHILL -18F DSNT FG ALQDS/ 8/500 53015 4/002
10002 21002

10 A.M.
Weather: Clear, stratocumulus distant offshore ENE-E
Temperature: 8F; Dew Point: -5F; Wind: W at 10 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.32 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 60 miles
3-hr precip: 0.00 ins.
BHO SA 1455 CLR 60 268/8/M5/2810/032/ FEW SC DSNT OFFSHR ENE-E/
8/500 51015

1 P.M.
Weather: Clear, stratocumulus distant offshore ENE-E
Temperature: 14F; Dew Point: -6F; Wind: W at 13G21 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.18 ins. Hg, falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 70 miles
6-hr Max temp: 14F
6-hr Min temp: -2F
6-hr precip: 0.00 ins.
6-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins.
Snow depth: 2 ins.
BHO SA 1755 300 SCT 70 243/14/M6/2713G21/024/ FEW SC DSNT OFFSHR
ENE-E/ 8/500 56025 4/002 10014 21002

SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, JANUARY 1, 2018

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..11   NORMAL…..35
MIN…..-5   NORMAL…..19
MEAN…..3   NORMAL…..27

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL……………………..-24
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH……………………..-24 [-24.2 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY………….62  DEPARTURE………+24
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH………….62  DEPARTURE………+24
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON……….2184  DEPARTURE……..-159
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…..2062  DIFFERENCE…….+122

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY……………..30  NW  AT 11:56 A.M.
AERO………………….30  NW  AT 11:56 A.M.
ASOS………………….31  NNW AT 11:56 A.M.
DAVIS…………………30  NW  AT  2:35 A.M. RMY 31
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY……………….22  WNW AT  1:29 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE…………….20  WNW AT  2:27 P.M
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE……………22  NW  AT  1:29 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION………..14.4  WNW
ASOS………………..14.6
DAVIS……………….13.8 NW [306 DEG.]

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.00  DEPARTURE……-0.15
ASOS…………..0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH……….0.00  DEPARTURE……-0.15
ASOS…………..0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR………..0.00  DEPARTURE……-0.15
ASOS…………..0.00

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……….0.0  DEPARTURE…….-0.6
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH…………….0.0  DEPARTURE…….-0.6
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON……………9.4  DEPARTURE…….-7.2

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR DECEMBER 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

12/01 50/35/43/+6/0.04/0.0/262/47      28 NW  AERO 29 NW  RMY 30
12/02 42/29/36/0/0.00/0.0/033/06       20 NNW AERO 18 NNW RMY N/A
12/03 42/32/37/+1/0.00/0.0/172/31      14 N   AERO 10 N   RMY N/A
12/04 43/32/38/+3/0.00/0.0/522/94      16 E   AERO 14 E   RMY N/A
12/05 58/34/46/+11/0.18/0.0/000/00     62 S   AERO 66 S   RMY 65
12/06 56/32/44/+9/0.54/0.0/160/29      52 S   AERO 55 S   RMY N/A
12/07 44/30/37/+3/0.00/0.0/540/98      25 WSW AERO 24 WSW RMY 25
12/08 38/28/33/-1/0.00/0.0/116/21      21 W   AERO 18 W   RMY 20
12/09 34/28/31/-3./0.70/5.5/000/00     23 NNW AERO 23 NNW RMY 23
12/10 35/27/31/-2/0.02/0.1/384/70      30 W   AERO 30 W   RMY 27
12/11 38/29/34/+1/T/T/301/55           23 W   AERO 21 W   RMY 22
12/12 43/31/37/+4/0.06/0.0/000/00      35 W   AERO 31 W   RMY N/A
12/13 31/18/25/-7/0.00/0.0/372/68      44 W   AERO 44 W   RMY 44
12/14 27/14/21/-11/T/T/257/47          35 WSW AERO 33 W   RMY 34
12/15 24/12/18/-14/0.00/0.0/011/02     25 W   AERO 23 W   RMY N/A
12/16 32/17/25/-6/0.00/0.0/382/70      33 W   AERO 35 W   RMY 36
12/17 27/14/21/-10/0.00/0.0/425/78     21 NW  AERO 21 NW  RMY 20
12/18 35/20/28/-3/T/T/011/02           20 SSE AERO 16 SSE RMY 20
12/19 49/34/42/+12/0.00/0.0/185/34     36 WNW AERO 35 SW  RMY 38
12/20 42/26/34/+4/T/T/447/82           41 W   AERO 40 W   RMY 45
12/21 32/23/28/-2/0.00/0.0/533/98      26 NW  AERO 24 NW  RMY 27
12/22 32/21/27/-2/…./…/000/00      18 E   AERO 17 E   RMY N/A
12/23 36/24/30/+1/…./…/000/00      31 WSW AERO 28 WSW RMY 31
12/24 35/29/32/+3/…./…/191/35      30 ENE AERO 25 ENE RMY N/A
12/25 35/21/28/0/…./…/098/18       50 W   AERO 54 W   RMY 47
12/26 24/13/19/-9/0.00/0.0/529/97      39 W   AERO 39 W   RMY 41  12/27 19/6/13/-15/0.00/0.0/530/97      28 WNW AERO 25 WNW RMY N/A
12/28 10/1/6/-22/0.00/0.0/…./..      37 WNW AERO 44 WNW RMY 43  12/29 13/-3/5/-22/0.00/0.0/…/..      25 W   AERO 25 W   RMY 27
12/30 14/1/8/-19/0.03/0.5/…/..       21 W   AERO 18 W   RMY 24
12/31 10/0/5/-22/0.00/0.0/…/..       32 WNW AERO 32 WNW RMY 35

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 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

1/01 11/-5/3/-24/0.00/0.0/…/..       30 NW AERO 30 NW RMY 31

1/2 Low temp since midnight is -2F; normal low is now 19F

DAILY RECORDS FOR DECEMBER 2017

12/28/17: DAILY RECORD LOW MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 10F,
PREVIOUS RECORD OF 18 SET IN 1894

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

RECORDS FOR JANUARY 2
HIGH 62F IN 1890
LOW -7F IN 1899,1918
PRECIP 2.10 INS. IN 1987
SNOWFALL 9.0 INS. IN 1904
PEAK GUST 85e MPH S IN 1942

RECORDS FOR JANUARY 3
HIGH 64F IN 2000
LOW -4F IN 1904
PRECIP 1.93 INS. IN 1999
SNOW 11.3 INS. 1996
PEAK GUST 92 MPH S IN 1960

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Kaitlin Geagan