Tuesday, March 19, 2024

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

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2024
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0548E
SUNSET:  1756E

CLEAR SKIES EARLY THIS MORNING FILLED WITH DIURNAL CLOUDS AS THE
DAY PROGRESSED…

It was clear and cold early this morning with a brilliant
sunrise being enhanced by some distant stratocumulus clouds
out over the ocean. The sunny skies soon began to fill with
more diurnal stratocumulus clouds as the mid to late morning
progressed, with the sky coverage becoming broken (mostly
cloudy) as we moved into the early afternoon hours.

Temperatures started the day at 30F, and have only recovered
to the low-mid 40s early this afternoon. The dew point has been
dropping from the mid 20s early this morning to the mid teens
early this afternoon. The drying out of the air is making it
feel a bit chillier than it is out there.

The wind is also adding to the chill as it’s been quite gusty
all day. The average speed for the day so far has been around
14mph, mainly out of the west-northwest. The peak gust so far
has been 44mph, which occurred around 8am this morning.

Visibility continues to be excellent today with the view of
70-80 miles being observed, courtesy in part to the lowering
dew point (drier air).

The maximum temperature so far today is 45F degrees, which
is equal to the normal high of 45F. The minimum temperature
since midnight is 30F degrees, which is 2 degrees above the
normal low of 28F.

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few stratocumulus distant SW-NW-NE-ESE, few cirrus
distant N-NNE
Temperature: 32F; Dew Point: 24F; Relative Humidity: 71%
Wind: WNW @ 14G21 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1002.8 mb; 29.61 in. Hg: rising steadily
Visibility: 70 miles
6-hr Max temp: 32F
6-hr Min temp: 30F
24-hr Precip:  0.00 inches
24-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow Depth: 0 inches
BHO SA 1155 CLR 70 028/32/24/3014G21/961/ FEW SC DSNT SW-NW-NE-ESE
FEW CI DSNT N-NNE/ 8/501 52007 10032 20030

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus, Scattered cirrus
Temperature: 41F; Dew Point: 19F; Relative Humidity: 40%
Wind: NW @ 13G25 kts, peak wind NW 35 mph at 9:15am
Sea-level pressure: 1004.1 mb; 29.65 in. Hg: rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 80 miles
3-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
3-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
BHO SA 1455 40 SCT 250 SCT 80 041/41/19/3113G25/965/ PK WND 3230/15/
8/501 51013

1 P.M.
Weather: Broken stratocumulus, broken cirrus
Temperature: 43F; Dew Point: 13F; Relative Humidity: 29%
Wind: NW @ 13G25 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1003.5 mb; 29.63 in. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 80 miles
6-hr Max temp: 45F
6-hr Min temp: 32F
6-hr Precip:  0.00 inches
6-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow Depth: 0 inches
BHO SA 1755 E50 BKN 250 BKN 80 035/43/13/3113G25/963/ VIRGA ALQDS/
8/501 58006 10045 20032

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SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2024

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….49   NORMAL…..44
MIN…….33   NORMAL…..27
MEAN……41   NORMAL…..36

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL…………+5
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH………………….+153 [+8.3 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2023 THRU JUN 2024)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………24  DEPARTURE……..-5
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..413  DEPARTURE……-154
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………4301  DEPARTURE……-698
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….4230  DEPARTURE…….+71

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)……….E38 W    @  11:14 A.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….37 W    @  11:14 A.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….37 W    @  10:20 A.M.
DAVIS #1……………….37 W    @  10:14 A.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………36 WNW  @  10:20 A.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..38 W    @  10:14 A.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..37 W    @  10:20 A.M.
MERLIN…………………M
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……38      @  11:40 A.M.

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………30 WNW  @  09:47 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..27      @  11:15 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..27      @  10:00 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………28 W    @  11:17 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………27 W    @  11:16 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..25 W    @  11:15 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..26 W    @  10:00 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE………26      @  11:16 A.M.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL……13.7 WNW [328 total miles] VECTOR #1…………….13.3
VECTOR #2…………….14.4
DAVIS #1……………..13.9 WNW
DAVIS #2……………..14.2 WNW
RMY #1……………….12.6 WNW
RMY #2……………….14.0 WNW
RICHARDS (C5C)………..13.6

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.00 DEPARTURE…..-0.19
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..4.39 DEPARTURE…..+1.23
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR (2024)…….14.95 DEPARTURE…..+3.29

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…………..0.0 DEPARTURE……-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH………………TRACE DEPARTURE…..-10.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON (2023-2024)……26.1 DEPARTURE…..-36.1

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PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MARCH 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
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated)

3/1   41/18/30/-1/0.00/0.0/649/96         30 NW  VEC1 30 WNW RMY 33
3/2   50/32/41/+9/1.16/0.0/000/00         44 SSE VEC1 46 SE  RMY 42
3/3   55/42/49/+17/0.24/0.0/130/19        32 SSE VEC1 33 SSE RMY 32
3/4   49/36/43/+11/0.01/0.0/116/17        24 ENE VEC1 22 ENE RMY 23
3/5   42/36/39/+7/0.14/0.0/000/00         21 E   VEC1 21 E   RMY 21
3/6   51/39/45/+12/0.44/0.0/000/00        28 NE  VEC1 28 NE  RMY 29
3/7   42/37/40/+7/1.06/0.0/000/00         44 NNE VEC1 44 NNE RMY 42
3/8   45/32/39/+6/0.00/0.0/682/98         35 NNE VEC1 36 NNE RMY 38
3/9   40/32/36/+3/0.21/0.0/000/00         32 E   VEC1 32 E   RMY 31
3/10  51/36/44/+10/1.07/0.0/245/35        45 WNW VEC1 46 SE  RMY 45
3/11  43/30/37/+3/T/T/515/73              53 NW  VEC1 54 NW  RMY 58
3/12  54/33/44/+10/0.00/0.0/680/96        43 NW  VEC1 41 NW  RMY 45
3/13  54/33/44/+10/0.00/0.0/667/94        26 SSE VEC1 25 NNW RMY 25
3/14  58/36/47/+12/0.00/0.0/627/88        23 ENE VEC1 22 NE  RMY 21
3/15  44/37/41/+6/0.02/0.0/000/00         24 N   VEC1 23 NNW RMY 25
3/16  58/36/47/+12/0.00/0.0/510/71        29 S   VEC1 26 S   RMY 26
3/17  59/40/50/+14/0.04/0.0/390/54        38 NW  VEC1 38 NW  RMY 40
3/18  49/33/41/+5/0.00/0.0/558/77         38 W   VEC1 37 W   RMY 38

3/19 The low since midnight is 30F, the daily normal low is 28F.

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MARCH DAILY RECORDS TO DATE

NONE…

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

RECORDS FOR MARCH 19
HIGH 77 IN 2012
LOW -2 IN 1967
PRECIP 1.69 INS. IN 1956
SNOWFALL 17.6 INS. IN 1956
PEAK GUST 75e MPH WNW IN 1941

RECORDS FOR MARCH 20
HIGH 79 IN 1945
LOW 4 IN 1885
PRECIP 1.39 INS. IN 1957
SNOWFALL 11.4 INS. IN 1957
PEAK GUST 63 MPH SE IN 1975

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas