Tuesday, March 17, 2020

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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2020
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

A TOUCH OF SNOW THIS MORNING, THEN RAW AND DAMP….

Light snow began early this morning and continued into mid
morning before changing to light rain and drizzle with a
very brief period of sleet in between. A total of 0.4″
accumulated on the summit, 0.3″ of which fell up to the
7am observation. This brings our monthly snowfall to 1.2″
and the seasonal total to 26.0″.

Winds, which started the day out of the southeast, has
since veered through the south into the southwest. Speeds
have been on the light side with a peak gust of only 22mph
this morning, but have since diminished further this
afternoon, even going calm at times.

The high so far today is 42F, this is 2 degrees below the
normal high of 44F. The low since midnight is 28F, this is
1 degree above the normal low of 27F.

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: 0.74 on the 26th-27th

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: Sky obscured, vertical visibility 300 feet, light snow
Temperature: 32F; Dew Point: 30F; Relative Humidity: 92%
Wind: SE at 10 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.29 ins. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 1/2 mile, fog
6-hr Max temp: 32F
6-hr Min temp: 29F
24-hr Precip:  0.03 ins.
24-hr Snowfall: 0.3 ins.
BHO SA 1155 X W3 1/2S-F 257/32/30/1410/029/ TOTAL NEW SNW
PST 24 HRS 0.3 INS/ 8//// 58019 6003 70003 10032 20029

10 A.M.
Weather: Sky obscured, vertical visibility 200 feet, light rain
Temperature: 35F; Dew Point: 35F; Relative Humidity: 100%
Wind: SSE at 10G16 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.21 ins. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 1/4 mile, fog
3-hr Precip:  0.02 ins.
3-hr Snowfall: 0.1 ins.
BHO SA 1455 X W2 1/4R-F 229/35/35/1610G16/021/ PCPN VRY LGT
TOTAL NEW SNW PST 3 HRS 0.1 INS/ 8//// 58028 6002

1 P.M.
Weather: Overcast stratus fractus, light drizzle
Temperature: 41F; Dew Point: 40F; Relative Humidity: 96%
Wind: SW at 4 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.09 ins. Hg: falling, then more slowly
Visibility: 3 miles, fog
6-hr Max temp: 42F
6-hr Min temp: 32F
6-hr Precip:  0.02 ins.
6-hr Snowfall: 0.1 ins.
BHO SA 1755 E4 OVC 3L-F 190/41/40/2204/009/ WND LGT TOTAL NEW
SNW PST 6 HRS 0.1 INS/ 8/7// 56039 6002 10042 20032

SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2020

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..36   NORMAL…..44
MIN…..22   NORMAL…..26
MEAN….29   NORMAL…..35

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL……………….-6
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH………………+148 [+9.1 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………36  DEPARTURE……. +6
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..363  DEPARTURE……-148
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………4503  DEPARTURE……-576
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….5027  DEPARTURE……-524

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY………………..21 NE  AT   9:47 A.M.
AERO…………………….21 ESE AT   4:49 P.M.
ASOS…………………….21 NE  AT  12:17 P.M.
DAVIS……………………22 S   AT   8:33 P.M. RMY 21
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY………………….15 SSE AT   8:35 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE……………….15 SSE AT   8:34 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE………………16 SSE AT   8:35 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION…………..10.0 ESE
ASOS………………….. 9.9
DAVIS………………….10.5 E   [083 deg.]

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.03  DEPARTURE……-0.15
ASOS…………..0.02
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH……….0.40  DEPARTURE……-2.37
ASOS…………..0.48
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR………..5.06  DEPARTURE……-6.13
ASOS…………..5.39

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……….0.3  DEPARTURE…….-0.1
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH…………….1.1  DEPARTURE…….-6.6
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON…………..25.9  DEPARTURE……-28.8

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/T/0.0/055/09           19 E   AERO 16 E   RMY 18
02/05  41/30/36/+10/0.08/T/000/00          20 NNW AERO 19 NNW RMY N/A
02/06  31/30/34/+8/0.56/0.1/000/00         29 E   AERO 28 E   RMY 27
02/07  53/25/39/+12/0.29/0.0/000/00        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/+11/0.16/T/000/00          39 SSW AERO 39 SSW RMY 39
02/11  40/36/38/+11/0.21/0.0/000/00        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/+6/0.58/0.5/000/00         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/+17/0.19/0.0/033/05        17 NE  AERO 18 ENE RMY 17
02/26  45/39/42/+12/0.08/0.0/007/01        23 ENE AERO 24 E   RMY N/A
02/27  49/27/38/+7/0.73/0.0/274/41         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  68/49/59/+26/0.00/0.0/…/..        48 WSW AERO 46 WSW RMY 49
03/11  56/37/47/+13/0.00/0.0/…/..        31 WNW AERO M  M   RMY 21
03/12  46/31/39/+5/…./0.0/…/..         21 SE  AERO 18 SE  RMY N/A
03/13  59/38/49/+15/…./0.0/…/..        46 WNW AERO 44 WNW RMY 46
03/14  51/35/43/+8/0.00/0.0/…/..         37 W   AERO 36 W   RMY 35
03/15  47/28/38/+3/0.00/0.0/…/..         28 NW  AERO 28 NW  RMY N/A
03/16  36/22/29/-6/0.00/0.0/…/..         21 NE  AERO 21 ESE RMY 21

03/17 The low since midnight is 28F, daily normal minimum is 27F

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

RECORDS FOR MARCH 17
HIGH 69 IN 2003
LOW 6 IN 1885
PRECIP 1.97 INS. IN 1968
SNOWFALL 6.5 INS. IN 1956
PEAK GUST 70 MPH SSW IN 1973

RECORDS FOR MARCH 18
HIGH 72 IN 2012
LOW 0 IN 1885
PRECIP 5.61 INS. IN 1968 [RECORD FOR MONTH] SNOWFALL 9.3 INS. IN 1985
PEAK GUST 71e MPH WNW IN 1941

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas