Tuesday, March 6, 2018

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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2018
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

DRIER AIR BRINGS GOOD VISIBILITY TO GREAT BLUE
HILL TODAY…

Temperatures stayed in the lower 30’s today, due
to mostly cloudy skies and a light northerly wind.
Winds have stayed lighter compared to yesterday’s
moderate winds. During the day, clouds increased
since the 7:00 A.M. observation.
Yesterday’s high temperature was a seasonable 41F.
Overnight temperatures are still above normal with
a low of 29F. This is 6 degrees above the daily
normal of 23F. There was a drop in humidity midday,
allowing for excellent visibility of 80 miles
at the 10 A.M. observation.

PRELIMINARY STATS FOR FEBRUARY 2018

TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max.: 45.1 [+8.3] Avg. Min.: 27.3 [+8.2] Mean:      36.2 [+8.3] 24-hour corrected mean: 36.1
Max. for month: 70 on 21st
Min. for month: 4F on  3rd

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units:  801  [-236] Total for the season: 4122 [-446] Total for last season: 3877

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 4.12 [+0.04] Greatest in 24 hrs: 0.86 ins. on 10th-11th

SNOWFALL, Inches
Total: 10.2 [-3.7] Greatest in 24 hrs: 5.8 in. on 17th-18th

WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 12.5
Avg. corrected wind speed: 12.8
Prevailing wind direction: WNW at 18%
Peak gust and direction: 47 WNW on 5th

SUNSHINE:
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 7212 minutes of possible 17148 or 42%
Astronomical total minutes: 7484 minutes of possible 17784 or 42%

BHO Warmest February Daily Maximum Temperature,
deg F (1885-2017):

1) 71 on 24 Feb 2017
2) 70 on 21 Feb 2018
3) 68 on 24 Feb 1985
68 on 25 Feb 2017
68 on 20 Feb 2018
6) 67 on 26 Feb 1957
67 on 25 Feb 1976
67 on 23 Feb 2017
9) 66 on 20 Feb 1930
66 on 19 Feb 1981

BHO Warmest February Daily High Minimum Temperature,
deg F (1885-2017):

1) 50 on 21 Feb 2018
2) 49 on 20 Feb 1981
3) 48 on 20 Feb 2018
4) 47 on 28 Feb 1910
47 on 23 Feb 1990
47 on 24 Feb 2017
7) 46 on 26 Feb 1957
8) 45 on 22 Feb 1954
45 on 5 Feb 1991
45 on 21 Feb 2002

BHO Warmest February 24-Hour Adjusted Mean Temperature,
deg F (1885-2018):

1) 36.1 in 2018
2) 34.9 in 1984
3) 34.3 in 2012
4) 34.0 in 1998
5) 33.9 in 1954
33.9 in 1981
7) 33.8 in 2017
8) 33.7 in 1976

BHO February Warmest Average Maximum Temperature,
deg F (1885-2018):

1) 45.1 in 2018
2) 44.0 in 1976
3) 43.5 in 1981
4) 43.2 in 1984
43.2 in 2017
6) 43.0 in 2012
7) 42.9 in 1954
42.9 in 2002

BHO February Warmest Average Minimum Temperature,
deg F (1885-2018):

1) 27.9 in 1998
2) 27.3 in 2018
3) 27.1 in 1984
4) 26.4 in 2012
5) 26.3 in 1925
6) 26.2 in 1954
7) 25.7 in 1981
8) 25.5 in 1997
25.5 in 2017

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Broken stratocumulus
Temperature: 30F; Dew Point: 22F; Wind: N at 08G11 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.04 ins. Hg, rising, then more rapidly
Visibility: 70 miles
6-hr Max temp: 31F
6-hr Min temp: 29F
24-hr precip:  0.00 ins.
24-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins.
Snow depth: 0 ins.
BHO SA 1155 E35 BKN 70 176/30/22/3508G11/004/ NEW SNW PAST
24 HRS TRACE/ 8/500 53016 10031 20029

10 A.M.
Weather: Broken stratocumulus
Temperature: 32F; Dew Point: 22F; Wind: NNE at 06G15 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.07 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 80 miles
3-hr precip: 0.00 ins.
3-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins.
BHO SA 1455 E35 BKN 80 183/32/22/0306G15/007/ 8/500

1 P.M.
Weather: Broken stratocumulus
Temperature: 34F; Dew Point: 29F; Wind: NE at 06G12 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.04 ins. Hg, falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 75 miles
6-hr Max temp: 34F
6-hr Min temp: 29F
6-hr precip: 0.00 ins.
6-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins.
Snow depth: 0 in.
BHO SA 1755 E32 BKN 75 173/34/29/0406G12/004/ 8/500 58010
10034 20029
SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2018

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..40   NORMAL…..41
MIN…..29   NORMAL…..23
MEAN….35   NORMAL…..32

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL……………………….+3
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH………………………+35 [+6.8 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY………….30   DEPARTURE……….-3
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………132   DEPARTURE………-35
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON……….4254   DEPARTURE……..-481
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…..4048   DIFFERENCE…….+206

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY……………….40 NE  AT 12:36 A.M.
AERO……………………39 NE  AT 12:36 A.M.
ASOS……………………40 NNE AT 12:36 A.M.
DAVIS…………………..38 M   AT 12:20 A.M ** RMY 40
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY…………………29 NE  AT  9:10 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE………………28 NNE AT  9:10 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE……………..26 M   AT  9:10 A.M.**
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION………….15.5 N
ASOS………………….15.2
DAVIS…………………13.9 **
** Davis direction malfunctioning

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……….3.60  DEPARTURE……+2.91
ASOS…………..3.66
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR……….13.71  DEPARTURE……+4.60
ASOS………….14.51

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……….0.0  DEPARTURE……..-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH…………….1.9  DEPARTURE……..-0.7
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON…………..46.6  DEPARTURE……..-3.1

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

2/1  45/27/36/+10/0.06/0.0/120/20      36 SSW AERO 35 SSW RMY N/A
2/2  34/08/21/-5/0.25/2.5/223/37       43 WNW AERO 46 WNW RMY 46
2/3  25/04/15/-11/0.00/0.0/557/92      26 S   AERO 24 S   RMY 30
2/4  45/23/34/+8/0.32/T/000/00          31 SSE AERO 29 S   RMY 30
2/5  46/19/33/+7/0.36/0.0/464/76       47 WNW AERO 47 WNW RMY 44
2/6  31/17/24/+2/T/T/025/04            26 SSW AERO 23 SSW RMY 23
2/7  42/21/32/+5/0.62/1.1/000/00       45 SW  AERO 46 SW  RMY 47
2/8  30/20/25/-2/0.00/0.0/501/81       38 WNW AERO 38 WNW RMY N/A
2/9  30/16/23/-4/0.00/0.0/384/62       28 S   AERO 25 S   RMY N/A
2/10 51/28/40/+13/0.20/0.0/000/00      31 S   AERO 30 S   RMY 31
2/11 46/36/41/+14/0.70/0.0/000/00      24 SW  AERO 21 SW  RMY N/A
2/12 53/27/40/+13/0.00/0.0/132/21      33 WNW AERO 33 WNW RMY N/A
2/13 31/21/26/-2/0.00/0.0/496/79       22 S   AERO 18 WNW RMY 21
2/14 46/25/36/+8/0.00/0.0/234/37       30 S   AERO 26 SSW RMY 29
2/15 47/35/41/+13/0.02/0.0/000/00      23 SSW AERO 20 SSW RMY N/A
2/16 50/31/41/+13/0.02/0.0/000/00      45 W   AERO 44 W   RMY 42
2/17 38/23/31/+3/0.21/2.0/468/73       33 SSW AERO 29 SSE RMY 33
2/18 42/29/35/+6/0.39/3.8/451/70       32 WNW AERO 29 WNW RMY 34
2/19 48/30/39/+10/0.09/0.0/518/80      39 SSW AERO 37 SSW RMY 40
2/20 68/48/58/+29/0.01/0.0/416/71      32 SSW AERO 30 SSW RMY N/A
2/21 70/50/60/+31/0.00/0.0/456/70      32 SW  AERO 30 SW  RMY 33
2/22 53/30/42/+13/0.10/0.8/000/00      30 N   AERO 28 N   RMY N/A
2/23 41/28/35/+5/0.20/0.0/217/33       34 SW  AERO 20 SW  RMY N/A
2/24 54/35/45/+15/T/0.0/297/45         32 W   AERO 30 W   RMY 29
2/25 39/33/36/+6/0.56/T/000/00         33 ESE AERO 30 ESE RMY 33
2/26 48/35/42/+12/0.00/0.0/213/32      29 WNW AERO 25 WNW RMY 28
2/27 51/29/40/+9/0.00/0.0/669/100      26 WNW AERO 23 WNW RMY 25
2/28 59/37/48/+17/0.01/0.0/571/85      28 SSW AERO 25 SSW RMY 27

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

3/01 61/37/49/+18/0.00/0.0/…/..    39 ENE AERO 37 ENE RMY N/A
3/02 40/32/36/+5/3.47/0.7/000/00     73 NNE AERO 70 NNE RMY N/A
3/03 40/32/26/+4/T/T/…/..          52 NNE AERO 50 NNE RMY 49
3/04 39//34/37/+5/T/T/…/..         36 NNE AERO 32 NNE RMY 32
3/05 40/29/35/+3/…/1.2/…/..      40 NE  AERO 39 NE  RMY 40

3/06 Low temp since midnight is 29F; normal low is now 23F

DAILY RECORDS FOR MARCH 2018

3/02/18: NEW DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM PRECIPITATION OF 3.47 INS.
PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 2.15 INS. SET IN 1983

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

RECORDS FOR MARCH 7
HIGH 66 IN 1946
LOW -1 IN 1890
PRECIP 2.05 INS. IN 1967
SNOWFALL 11.5 INS. IN 2013
PEAK GUST 66 MPH NE IN 1962

RECORDS FOR MARCH 6
HIGH 66 IN 1894
LOW 3 IN 1948, 2007
PRECIP 1.85 INS. IN 2001
SNOWFALL 15.5 INS. IN 2001
PEAK GUST 82 MPH S IN 1959

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Ben Turner and Kaitlin Geagan