Tuesday, March 10, 2020

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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

ANOTHER WARM AND WINDY DAY, BUT LESS SUNSHINE….

A mix of sun and clouds this morning has become more of
an overcast this afternoon, however this hasn’t stopped
the temperature from rising into the upper 60s. The record
high for today is 69 degrees set back in 1977. As of the
1 P.M. observation we’ve recorded a high of 67 degrees.

Winds have become quite gusty this afternoon with frequent
gusts over 30 mph and a couple up to 40 mph out of the
southwest.

Visibility has been limited all day, starting at 40 miles
early this morning, decreasing to 30 miles. A fog bank that
plagued coastal areas from Hingham to Boston and points north
all morning, has finally moved out over the ocean by early this
afternoon. This feature was reducing visibility to the NNE-E
most of the morning to around 10-20 miles.

On the season, the observatory is considerably dry to start
the year in terms of precipitation. With an annual rain total
of 4.82 inches, we are 5.17 inches below the normal amount.
We continue to depart further from our normal seasonal snow
total of 51.6 inches through this date, being 26.0 inches
below that amount to date.

The high so far today is 67F, this is 25 degrees above the
normal high of 42F. The low since midnight is 49F, this is
25 degrees above the normal low of 24F.

Just a reminder, while most of the country observes Daylight
Saving Time, here at Blue Hill Observatory we do not. As such,
all times referred to within this discussion will be in Eastern
Standard Time.

PRELIMINARY STATS FOR FEBRUARY 2020

TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 40.7 [+3.9] Avg. Min. 25.9 [+6.7] Mean      33.3 [+5.4] 24-hour corrected mean: 33.0
Max. for month: 60F on the 24th
Min. for month: 4F on the 15th

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units:    911 [-164] Total for the season:  4140 [-345] Total for last season: 4485

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 3.20 [-0.87] Greatest in 24 hrs: N/A

SNOWFALL, Inches
Total: 0.6 [-13.3] Greatest in 24 hrs: 0.5 ins. on the 13th

WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 11.5 mph
Avg. corrected wind speed:   12.0 mph
Prevailing wind direction:   W [24%] Peak gust and direction:     71 WSW on the 7th

SUNSHINE:
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 7596 minutes of possible 17796 or 43%
Astronomical total minutes: 7853 minutes of possible 18422 or 43%

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Broken altocumulus, broken cirrus
Temperature: 51F; Dew Point: 30F; Relative Humidity: 44%
Wind: S at 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.11 ins. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 40 miles, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 56F
6-hr Min temp: 49F
24-hr Precip:  0.00 ins.
24-hr Snowfall: 0.0 ins.
BHO SA 1155 E160 BKN 250 BKN 40 196/51/30/1808/011/ FG BNK DSNT
NNE-NE VSBY NNE-NE 15 HAZY/ 8/772 58008 10056 20049

10 A.M.
Weather: Broken altocumulus, thin broken cirrus
Temperature: 56F; Dew Point: 34F; Relative Humidity: 43%
Wind: S at 10 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.04 ins. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 30 miles, hazy
3-hr Precip:  0.00 ins.
3-hr Snowfall: 0.0 ins.
BHO SA 1455 E150 BKN 250 –BKN 30 174/56/34/1910/004/ FG BNK DSNT
NNE-E VSBY NNE-NE 10 ENE-E 20 HAZY/ 8/771 58022

1 P.M.
Weather: Broken altocumulus, broken cirrostratus, thin broken cirrus
Temperature: 66F; Dew Point: 33F; Relative Humidity: 28%
Wind: SW at 15G27 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.92 ins. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 30 miles, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 67F
6-hr Min temp: 51F
6-hr Precip:  0.00 ins.
6-hr Snowfall: 0.0 ins.
BHO SA 1755 E100 BKN 180 BKN 250 –BKN 30 133/66/33/2215G27/992/
FG BNK OFFSHR DSNT NE PK WND 2227/51/ HAZY/ 8/772 58041 10067 20051

SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..72   NORMAL…..42
MIN…..40   NORMAL…..24
MEAN….56   NORMAL…..33

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL……………….+23
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH……………….+84 [+9.1 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………….9  DEPARTURE…….-23
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..212  DEPARTURE…….-84
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………4352  DEPARTURE……-512
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….4844  DEPARTURE……-492

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY………………..32 SW  AT   2:38 P.M.
AERO…………………….32 SW  AT   2:04 P.M.
ASOS…………………….31 SW  AT   2:39 P.M.
DAVIS……………………31 SW  AT   1:12 P.M. RMY 31
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY………………….24 SW  AT   7:02 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE……………….23 SW  AT   7:04 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE………………23 SW  AT   2:40 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION…………..14.2 SW
ASOS…………………..14.9
DAVIS………………….14.2 SW [229 deg.]

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.00  DEPARTURE……-0.18
ASOS…………..0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH……….0.16  DEPARTURE……-1.41
ASOS…………..0.19
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR………..4.82  DEPARTURE……-5.17
ASOS…………..5.10

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……….0.0  DEPARTURE…….-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH…………….0.8  DEPARTURE…….-3.8
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON…………..25.6  DEPARTURE……-26.0

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY 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

02/01  38/30/34/+8/0.01/T/000/00           14 WSW AERO 14 WSW RMY N/A
02/02  40/30/35/+9/0.00/0.0/078/13         18 W   AERO 18 WNW RMY 18
02/03  44/27/36/+10/0.00/0.0/260/43        28 W   AERO 28 W   RMY 28
02/04  44/33/39/+13/0.00/0.0/055/09        19 E   AERO 16 E   RMY 18
02/05  41/30/36/+10/0.00/0.0/000/00        20 NNW AERO 19 NNW RMY N/A
02/06  31/30/34/+8/0.00/0.0/000/00         29 E   AERO 28 E   RMY 27
02/07  53/25/39/+12/…./0.1/000/00        71 WSW AERO 71 SSW RMY 73
02/08  33/20/27/0/T/T/616/100              46 W   AERO 44 W   RMY 44
02/09  33/15/24/-3/T/T/303/49              30 SSE AERO 29 SSE RMY N/A
02/10  42/33/38/+11/…./0.0/000/00        39 SSW AERO 39 SSW RMY 39
02/11  40/36/38/+11/…./0.0/000/00        24 W   AERO 23 W   RMY N/A
02/12  41/30/36/+9/0.00/0.0/314/50         37 W   AERO 36 W   RMY N/A
02/13  35/31/34/+6/…./0.5/000/00         29 SSW AERO 29 SSW RMY N/A
02/14  33/8/21/-7/0.00/0.0/506/80          32 WNW AERO 32 NW  RMY 34
02/15  27/4/16/-12/0.00/0.0/508/80         31 SSW AERO 31 SSW RMY N/A
02/16  40/23/32/+4/0.00/0.0/006/01         38 SW  AERO 38 SW  RMY N/A
02/17  44/28/36/+8/0.00/0.0/582/91         25 WNW AERO 24 WNW RMY 24
02/18  37/27/32/+3/0.31/T/000/00           26 SE  AERO 26 SE  RMY N/A
02/19  42/25/34/+5/0.00/0.0/530/82         45 W   AERO 46 W   RMY 44
02/20  31/18/25/-4/0.00/0.0/389/60         32 W   AERO 32 W   RMY N/A
02/21  30/11/21/-8/0.00/0.0/651/100        24 NNW AERO 21 N   RMY N/A
02/22  44/23/34/+5/0.00/0.0/647/99         26 W   AERO 24 W   RMY 27
02/23  53/30/42/+12/0.00/0.0/636/97        21 SW  AERO 22 WSW RMY 23
02/24  60/32/46/+16/0.00/0.0/606/92        29 S   AERO 29 SSW RMY 31
02/25  53/40/47/+17/…./0.0/033/05        17 NE  AERO 18 ENE RMY 17
02/26  45/39/42/+12/…./0.0/007/01        23 ENE AERO 24 E   RMY N/A
02/27  49/27/38/+7/0.00/0.0/274/41         51 W   AERO 53 W   RMY 52
02/28  36/25/31/0/0.00/0.0/596/89          38 SW  AERO 38 SW  RMY 36
02/29  35/19/27/-4/0.00/0.0/256/38         32 W   AERO 32 W   RMY 34

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

03/01  33/15/24/-7/0.00/0.0/…/..         28 WNW AERO 28 WNW RMY 27
03/02  52/24/38/+7/T/T/…/..              40 S   AERO 39 S   RMY 41
03/03  64/45/55/+23/…./0.0/…/..        30 S   AERO 30 S   RMY N/A
03/04  50/38/44/+12/…./0.0/…/..        56 W   AERO 56 W   RMY 58
03/05  51/32/42/+10/0.00/0.0/…/..        31 W   AERO 31 NW  RMY 32
03/06  47/30/39/+7/…./…/…/..         46 NE  AERO 45 NE  RMY 46
03/07  43/26/35/+2/…./…/…/..         42 N   AERO 43 N   RMY 44
03/08  53/26/40/+7/0.00/0.0/…/..         31 W   AERO 30 W   RMY 28
03/09  72/40/56/+23/0.00/0.0/…/..        32 SW  AERO 32 SW  RMY 31

03/10 The low since midnight is 49F, daily normal minimum is 24F

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

RECORDS FOR MARCH 10
HIGH 69 IN 1977
LOW 2 IN 1984
PRECIP 2.00 INS. IN 1994
SNOWFALL 4.0 INS. IN 1997
PEAK GUST 80 MPH NW IN 1974

RECORDS FOR MARCH 11
HIGH 65 IN 1967
LOW 4 IN 1939, 1960
PRECIP 2.11 INS. IN 1901
SNOWFALL 6.3 INS. IN 1934
PEAK GUST 66e MPH W IN 1980

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas