Tuesday, March 4, 2014

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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

UNSEASONABLY COLD LOW TEMPERATURE OF 6F THIS MORNING
INCREASING AND THICKENING HIGH CIRRUS AND CIRROSTRATUS CLOUDS
SUN CASTING A FAINT SHADOW THROUGH DENSE HIGH CLOUDS EARLY
THIS AFTERNOON

The low temperature of 6 degrees this morning was 17 degrees
below the 30-year average for March 4 but far above the minimum
record of 5 below zero in 1950.  High clouds increased and
thickened during the morning to a dense cirrostratus overcast
by early this afternoon. The dimming of the sunshine slowed
the temperature rise so that by early afternoon our maximum
was 26F, normal high for this date is 41F

THE PRELIMINARY FEBRUARY 2014 STATS

[Departures are relative to the 1981-2010 averages]

TEMPERATURE: Deg. F
Avg. Max. 34.0 [-2.8] Avg. Min. 18.9 [-0.2] Mean      26.5 [-1.4] 24-hr. adjusted mean:  26.4
Max. temp: 53F on 2nd
Min. temp: 2F  on 12th
Total heating degree day units: 1074 [+37] Total seasonal heating units:   4591 [+23]  [Season starts 7/1 ] Seasonal total this date 2013:  4120 [471 more than last season]

PRECIPITATION: Inches
Total: 5.47 [+1.40] Greatest in 24 hours: 1.34 inches on the 5-6th
Total snowfall: 33.0 [+19.1] Greatest in 24 hours: 11.1 inches on the 5-6th

WIND
Av. speed (uncorrected): 12.2 mph
Av. speed (corrected):   12.6 mph
Prevailing direction: W 19%
Peak gust: 48 mph W on 14th and WNW on 24th

SUNSHINE
Total astronomical minutes: 9610/17785 or 54% of possible
Total Campbell Stokes card minutes: 9276/17148 or 54% of possible

PRELIMINARY WINTER (DEC-FEB) STATS FOR 2013-2014

[Departures are relative to the 1981-2010 averages]

TEMPERATURE: Deg. F
Avg. Max. 35.1 [-1.5] Avg. Min. 19.8 [-0.1] Mean      27.5 [-0.7] 24-hr. adjusted mean:  27.3

PRECIPITATION: Inches
Total: 15.36 [+2.05] Snowfall: 81.6 [+37.2]

BHO Snowiest Dec-Feb, inches (1885-2014)

1) 117.4 in 1947-48
2) 91.2 in 1995-96
3) 89.6 in 2010-11
4) 89.0 in 1922-23
5) 86.4 in 2004-05
6) 85.8 in 2002-03
7) 82.7 in 1903-04
8) 81.9 in 1993-94
9) 81.6 in 2013-14

BHO Snowiest Oct-Feb, inches (1885-2014)

1) 122.2 in 1947-48
2) 97.0 in 1995-96
3) 95.3 in 2002-03
4) 94.2 in 2004-05
5) 90.6 in 1922-23
6) 89.7 in 2010-11
7) 87.8 in 1945-46
8) 86.5 in 1903-04
9) 82.2 in 1993-94
10) 81.8 in 2013-14

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Thin scattered cirrus radiatus (ESE-S-W), few stratocumulus
distant offshore NE-ESE
Temperature: 7F; Dew Point: -4F; Wind: NNW at 9 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.34 ins. Hg, increasing, then more quickly
Visibility: 55 miles, distant haze
6-hr min temp: 6F
6-hr max temp: 10F
Snow depth: 7 inches
BHO SA 1155 300 –SCT 55 276/7/-4/3309/034/ FEW SC DSNT OFFSHR NE-ESE
THN CI RADIATUS XTDNG ESE-S-W DSNT HZ/ 8/501 4/007 53009 10010 20006

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered opaque cirrus/cirrostratus, thin overcast of
cirrus/cirrostratus, few stratocumulus offshore distant NE-ESE,
altocumulus/altocumuus lenticularis distant WNW-NW, break in
overcast is a clear sky band distant NNW-NE, high clouds, cirrus
and cirrostratus advancing past hour
Temperature: 18F Dew Point: -6F; Wind: W at 4 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 30.38 ins. Hg, increasing, then steady or
more slowly
Visibility: 45 miles, thin smoke layer NNW-E, distant haze
BHO SA 1455 250 SCT 300 –OVC 45 287/18/-6/2804/038/ SC OFFSHR DSNT NE-ESE
FEW AC/ACSL DSNT WNW-NW BINOVC/CLR SKY BND DSNT NNW-NE CI/CS CLDS
ADVCNG PST HR THN K LYR NNW-E DSNT HZ WND LGT/ 8/546 51011

1 P.M.
Weather: Dense cirrostratus overcast, higher clouds visible distant N
Temperature: 25F; Dew Point: -4F; Wind: SW at 6 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 30.29 Hg, falling then more quickly
Visibility: 55 miles, distant haze
6-hr max. temp: 26F
6-hr min. temp:  7F
BHO SA 1755 E220 OVC 55 259/25/-4/2206/029/ HIER CLDS VSB DSNT N
DSNT HZ/ 8/007 58028 10026 20007

WEATHER SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..28    NORMAL…..41
MIN…..11    NORMAL…..23
MEAN….20    NORMAL…..32

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL……………………-12
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH……………………-18 [-6.2 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………..45  DEPARTURE………+12
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH………….119  DEPARTURE………+18
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………..4710  DEPARTURE………+41
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……4207  DIFFERENCE…….+503

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY………………29 NNW AT   5:56 A.M.
AERO…………………..30 NNW AT   5:56 A.M.
ASOS…………………..31 NNW AT   5:56 A.M.
DAVIS………………….27 NNW AT   5:56 A.M. RMY N/A
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY………………..22 NNW AT   6:41 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE……………..21 NNW AT   6:42 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE…………….18 NNW AT   6:42 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION…………10.3 NNW
ASOS…………………10.0
DAVIS…………………8.6 NNW [330 deg.] * last of several occurrences….

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.00  DEPARTURE………….-0.17
ASOS…………..0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH……….0.00  DEPARTURE………….-0.52
ASOS…………..0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR……….10.09  DEPARTURE………….+1.15
ASOS………….10.52

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……….0.0  DEPARTURE…………..-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH…………….0.0  DEPARTURE…………..-1.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON…………..81.8  DEPARTURE………….+33.3

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY & MARCH 2014 CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOW/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/AERO GUST
AERO: Aerovane wind recording system gust
RMY:  RMY = R.M. Young wind gust recording system added 8/9/2011
TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day)
….: Data not yet available, records not finalized

2/1  45/30/38/+12/0.00/0.0/402/67         24 S   AERO 23 MPH S   RMY 25
2/2  53/33/43/+17/T/0.0/181/30            22 S   AERO 21 MPH WNW RMY 21
2/3  36/22/29/+3/0.32/2.8/000/00          22 NNE AERO 18 MPH NNE RMY 21
2/4  33/18/26/0/0.00/0.0/377/62           20 NW  AERO 16 MPH NW  RMY 17
2/5  31/21/26/0/1.32/10.7/000/00          32 ENE AERO 30 MPH ENE RMY 30
2/6  26/15/21/-5/0.02/0.4/398/65          22 WNW AERO 21 MPH WNW RMY 22
2/7  29/13/21/-6/0.00/0.0/615/100         25 W   AERO 23 MPH W   RMY 27
2/8  28/12/20/-7/0.00/0.0/612/99          24 W   AERO 23 MPH W   RMY 23
2/9  28/19/24/-3/0.05/1.0/112/18          21 N   AERO 17 MPH N   RMY 19
2/10 27/14/21/-6/T/T/617/99               28 NW  AERO 28 MPH NW  RMY 30
2/11 24/8/16/-11/0.00/0.0/625/100         22 WNW AERO 20 MPH WNW RMY 25
2/12 25/2/14/-13/0.00/0.0/509/81          25 NNW AERO 23 MPH NW  RMY 21
2/13 33/19/26/-2/1.67/5.0/000/00          46 NE  AERO 51 MPH NE  RMY 51
2/14 34/27/31/+3/0.39/0.4/348/55          48 W   AERO 51 MPH WNW RMY 49
2/15 34/27/31/+3/0.68/7.2/025/04          35 NW  AERO 35 MPH NW  RMY 48
2/16 30/18/24/-4/0.03/0.4/549/86          45 NW  AERO 46 MPH NW  RMY N/A
2/17 27/9/18/-10/0.00/0.0/635/99          38 NW  AERO 38 MPH NW  RMY 41
2/18 32/12/22/-7/0.32/4.0/000/00          27 ESE AERO 25 MPH WNW RMY 28
2/19 35/20/28/-1/0.25/0.1/168/26          21 W   AERO 20 MPH ESE RMY 26
2/20 48/30/39/+10/0.13/T/487/75           26 WNW AERO 28 MPH W   RMY 26
2/21 49/33/41/+12/0.22/0.0/000/00         32 S   AERO 35 MPH S   RMY 35 TSTM
2/22 50/33/42/+13/0.00/0.0/655/100        38 SSW AERO 39 MPH SSW RMY 42
2/23 50/36/43/+13/0.00/0.0/290/44         25 SW  AERO 27 MPH SW  RMY 29
2/24 40/20/30/0/0.00/0.0/495/75           48 WNW AERO 50 MPH WNW RMY 49
2/25 27/16/22/-8/0.00/0.0/431/65          37 W   AERO 38 MPH W   RMY 35
2/26 29/9/19/-11/T/T/180/27               30 WSW AERO 30 MPH WSW RMY 31
2/27 27/7/17/-14/0.07/1.0/227/34          44 WNW AERO 44 MPH WNW RMY 45
2/28 23/5/14/-17/0.00/0.0/672/100         36 W   AERO 37 MPH W   RMY N/A

3/1  34/12/23/-8/0.00/0.0/…/..          28 SSW AERO 29 MPH SSW RMY 30
3/2  37/28/33/2/T/T/…/..                22 SW  AERO 22 MPH SW  RMY 29
3/3  28/11/20/-12/0/00/0/0/…/..         29 NNW AERO 30 MPH NNW RMY N/A

3/4  morning low temp: 6F; the normal low is now 23F

DAILY RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 2014
None so far.

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

RECORDS FOR MARCH 4
HIGH 69 IN 1974
LOW -5 IN 1950
PRECIP 1.80 IN 1960
SNOWFALL 17.3 IN 1960
PEAK GUST 81e MPH SSW IN 1971

RECORDS FOR MARCH 5
HIGH 64 IN 1979
LOW -2 IN 1948
PRECIP 1.76 INS. IN 2001
SNOWFALL 13.0 INS. IN 1891
PEAK GUST 76e MPH WNW IN 1971

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling