Tuesday, October 22, 2024

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

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2024
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0606E
SUNSET:  1651E

ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES CONTINUE UNDER ABUNDANT SUNSHINE….

Today is yet another day featuring plenty of bright sunshine and
above normal temperatures. While it’s delightful weather for any
and all outdoor activities, the continued dry spell is becoming a
problem as the threat for brush fires continues across the region.
Rainfall for the month is now more than 3 inches below normal, with
none in sight over the next several days. The big surplus that we
had for the year back in the spring and summer, has now dwindled
to less than 1.25″. What’s left of the surplus will likely be gone
within the next 7 days if we don’t get any rainfall within that
period.

Temperatures aren’t as warm today as they were yesterday, mainly
thanks to an onshore wind today. Still, readings have reached the
mid 70s which is still a good 15 degrees above normal. The dew
point continues to run in the low to mid 50s, so at least the air
isn’t super dry, which should help some with any fire fighting.

As mentioned, the wind has become onshore, but generally at light
speeds. The average speed for the day so far is around 8mph. The
peak gust occurred just after 2am with a value of 17mph.

Visibility has been limited all day due to haziness from mainly
low level pollution. The view has only been 30-40 miles all day.

The maximum temperature so far today is 74F, which is 15 degrees
above the normal high of 59F. The minimum temperature since midnight
is 61F, which is 19 degrees above the normal low of 42F.

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few altocumulus/castellanus distant ESE-SSE,
few cirrus distant W-N-ESE
Temperature: 62F; Dew Point: 53F; Relative Humidity: 71%
Wind: N @ 7 kts
Sea-level pressure: 1025.1 mb; 30.27 in. Hg: risinging, then more rapidly
Visibility: 40 miles, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 62F
6-hr Min temp: 61F
24-hr Precip:  0.00 inches
BHO SA 1155 CLR 40 251/62/53/3607/027/ FEW AC/ACC DSNT ESE-SSE
FEW CI DSNT W-N-ESE HAZY/ 8/081 53015 10062 20061

10 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few cirrus distant WSW-N-ESE
Temperature: 70F; Dew Point: 53F; Relative Humidity: 55%
Wind: ENE @ 6 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1026.2 mb; 30.30 in. Hg: rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 30 miles, hazy
3-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
BHO SA 1455 CLR 30 262/70/53/0706/030/ FEW CI DSNT WSW-N-ESE HAZY
WND LGT/ 8/001 51011

1 P.M.
Weather: Clear, few cirrus all quadrants
Temperature: 71F; Dew Point: 54F; Relative Humidity: 54%
Wind: NE @ 6 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1025.2 mb; 30.27 in. Hg: steady, then falling
Visibility: 30 miles, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 74F
6-hr Min temp: 62F
6-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
BHO SA 1755 CLR 30 252/71/54/0406/027/ FEW CI ALQDS HAZY WND LGT/
8/001 58010 10074 20062

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SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2024

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….82R NORMAL…..59
MIN…….52  NORMAL…..42
MEAN……67  NORMAL…..51

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL…………..+16
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH……………………..+21 [+0.8 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2024 THRU JUN 2025)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………….0  DEPARTURE…….-15
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..205  DEPARTURE…….-26
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………….275  DEPARTURE…….-73
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……..252  DEPARTURE…….+23

COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JAN 2024 THRU DEC 2024)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………….2  DEPARTURE……..+2
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………….2  DEPARTURE……..-5
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………….759  DEPARTURE…….+82
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……..704  DEPARTURE…….+55

PEAK WIND GUST (MPH):
Note: Instruments designated #1 = Main Tower, #2 = South Tower,
F420C, Contacting, Merlin, and Richards are all on Main Tower.
E=Estimated

F420C (Official)……….E25 WNW  @   03:46 P.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….25 W    @   03:05 P.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….29 W    @   03:23 P.M.
DAVIS #1……………….26 W    @   03:05 P.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………27 W    @   03:24 P.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..26 W    @   03:05 P.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..30 WNW  @   03:27 P.M.
MERLIN…………………24 W
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)…..OTS

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………17 WNW  @   03:30 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..19      @   03:19 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..20      @   03:25 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………19 W    @   03:48 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………19 WNW  @   03:25 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..18 W    @   03:19 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..19 WNW  @   03:25 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE……..OTS

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL……10.9 W [261 total miles] VECTOR #1…………….10.9
VECTOR #2…………….11.0
DAVIS #1……………..11.3 W
DAVIS #2……………..11.0 W
RMY #1……………….10.5 W
RMY #2……………….11.0 W
RICHARDS (C5C)………….OTS

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.00 DEPARTURE…..-0.19
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..0.53 DEPARTURE…..-3.14
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR (2024)…….43.57 DEPARTURE…..+1.23

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PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR OCTOBER CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/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

10/1   66/55/61/+3/T/134/19               28 ENE VEC1 28 ENE RMY 29
10/2   66/52/59/+1/T/252/36               21 ENE VEC1 20 ENE RMY 20
10/3   72/52/62/+5/0.00/592/85            23 S   VEC1 23 S   RMY 23
10/4   74/54/64/+7/0.00/452/65            23 SW  VEC1 22 SW  RMY 22
10/5   72/52/62/+5/T/457/66               24 NNW VEC1 23 NNW RMY 24
10/6   65/47/56/0/0.00/655/95             20 SE  VEC1 19 SE  RMY 18
10/7   60/51/56/0/0.27/021/03             29 SSE VEC1 29 SSE RMY 31
10/8   64/45/55/0/0.00/663/97             21 NW  VEC1 21 NW  RMY 21
10/9   64/46/55/0/T/639/94                24 W   VEC1 23 WNW RMY 23
10/10  60/42/51/-4/0.00/616/91            36 NW  VEC1 36 NW  RMY 38
10/11  67/40/54/0/0.00/635/94             28 WSW VEC1 27 WSW RMY 27
10/12  71/48/60/+6/0.00/652/97            44 NW  VEC1 43 NW  RMY 45
10/13  50/44/47/-7/0.20/007/01            32 ENE VEC1 32 ENE RMY 30
10/14  51/38/45/-8/0.06/000/00            35 NW  VEC1 34 WNW RMY 36
10/15  55/35/45/-8/0.00/617/93            31 W   VEC1 30 WNW RMY 31
10/16  56/38/47/-5/0.00/615/93            32 NW  VEC1 31 NW  RMY 32
10/17  54/35/45/-7/0.00/…/..            22 NE  VEC1 22 NE  RMY 20
10/18  59/40/50/-2/0.00/…/..            28 NNE VEC1 28 NE  RMY 27
10/19  72/46/59/+8/0.00/…/..            20 WSW VEC1 19 WSW RMY 19
10/20  76/47/62/+11/0.00/…/..           21 WSW VEC1 22 WSW RMY 23
10/21  82/52/67/+16/0.00/…/..           25 WNW VEC1 25 W   RMY 26

10/22  The low since midnight is 61F, the daily normal low is 42F.

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OCTOBER DAILY RECORDS TO DATE

10/21 RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 82F, OLD RECORD WAS 79F IN 1979

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

RECORDS FOR OCTOBER 22
HIGH 85F IN 1979
LOW 23F IN 1940
PRECIP 2.38 INCHES IN 2014
SNOWFALL TRACE IN 1969, 2010
PEAK GUST 67 MPH ESE IN 1988

RECORDS FOR OCTOBER 23
HIGH 82F IN 1947
LOW 24F IN 1969
PRECIP 3.66 INCHES IN 2014
SNOWFALL 3.0 INCHES IN 1891
PEAK GUST 78e MPH NW IN 1941

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas