Tuesday, October 29, 2013

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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

FIRST FREEZE OF THE SEASON;
COOL STREAK EXTENDS TO 7 DAYS;
SMOKE OBSERVED FROM NEARBY MORNING BRUSH FIRES

The morning low temperature bottomed out at 30.0F on the summit, marking the
first freeze of the fall season. The first freeze last year occurred on
October 13. The average date of the first freeze at Blue Hill is October 20.

Temperatures are running close to 10 degrees below the 30-year normals for
the date. Today marks the 7th consecutive day of below normal temperatures.
The month of October remains approximately 3 degrees above normal due to a
long streak of at or above normal temperatures from October 1-22.

A plume of smoke was observed from a relatively small brush fire on the
eastern edge of the Blue Hill Reservation, approximately 4-5 miles from
the summit of Great Blue Hill and the Observatory. A much smaller fire this
morning approximately 5 miles to the NNW of the summit produced a small
plume of smoke that drifted over the summit at times.

It continues to be very dry, with only 1.02 inches of rainfall so far this
month. From October 7-29, only 0.19 inch of rain has fallen on the summit.
That’s a mere 5% of the 30-year normal. From September 3 through October 29,
only 2.18 inches of rain has fallen, or 27% of the 30-year normal for this
period. Depending on the timing and amount of rain over the next couple
of days, October 2013 could finish in the top ten driest on record at
Blue Hill.

BHO DRIEST OCTOBERS (INCHES, 1886-2013)
1) 0.22 IN 1924
2) 0.39 IN 1994
3) 0.50 IN 1946
4) 0.61 IN 1935
5) 0.63 IN 1897
6) 0.79 IN 2001
7) 1.02 IN 2013 *thru October 28
8) 1.15 IN 1918
9) 1.25 IN 1940
10) 1.31 IN 1967

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus/cumulus, scattered altocumulus (2 levels),
scattered thin cirrus, stratocumulus/cumulus N-ESE, altocumulus/altocumulus
lenticularis ENE-S-W, few cirrus ESE-SSE, parahelion, brush fire 4 miles
ENE and 5 miles NNW (small), smoke plume drifting below summit NNW-ENE-SE,
thin smoke layer along horizon all quadrants, patchy frost
Temperature: 30F; Dew Point: 23F; Wind: NNW at 11 kts.
Sea-level pressure: 30.42 ins. Hg, rising then rising more slowly
Visibility: 70 miles, ESE-WSW 50 miles, NW 85 miles
6-hr min temp: 30F
BHO SA 1155 40 SCT 80 SCT 100 SCT 250 –SCT 70 300/30/23/3411/042/ CU/SC
N-ESE AC/ACSL ENE-S-W FEW CI ESE-SSE PARAHELION BRUSH FIRE 4 ENE AND 5 NNW
K PLUME DRFTNG BLO SMT NNW-ENE-SE THN K LYR ALG HRZN ALQDS PTCHY FROST
VSBY 50 ESE-WSW 85 NW/ 8/571 51011 10034 20030

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered cumulus/stratocumulus, scattered altocumulus, cumulus/
stratocumulus NW-E-S, few moderate cumulus E-ESE, altocumulus/altocumulus
lenticularis distant SE-SW, mostly clear sky SSW-WNW and overhead, brush
fire ENE 4 miles, small smoke plume drifting ENE-SE, thin smoke layer
distant all quadrants, hazy ENE-S
Temperature: 42F; Dew Point: 29F; Wind: WNW at 4 kts,
Wind: Light and variable
Sea-level pressure: 30.42 ins. Hg, rising then falling
Visibility: 70 miles, ENE-S lower, NW 75 miles, hazy ENE-S
BHO SA 1455 35 SCT 80 SCT 70 302/42/29/3304/042/ CU/SC NW-E-S FEW MDT CU
E-ESE AC/ACSL DSNT SE-SW MSTLY CLR SKY SSW-WNW AND OVHD BRUSH FIRE ENE 4
SML K PLUME DRFTNG ENE-SE THN K LYR DSNT ALQDS HAZY ENE-S VSBY ENE-S LWR
NW 75 WND LGT AND VRB/ 8/540 50002

1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered cumulus, scattered stratocumulus cumulogenitus,
scattered altocumulus, cumulus/stratocumulus mostly NNW-NE-SE, few moderate
cumulus NNE-SE, altocumulus/altocumulus lenticularis/altocumulus castellanus
distant SE-WSW, light distant haze
Temperature: 48F; Dew Point: 27F; Wind: WNW at 5 kts,
Wind: Light and variable
Sea-level pressure: 30.39 ins. Hg, falling then falling more slowly
Visibility: 75 miles, light distant haze
6-hr max temp: 49F
BHO SA 1755 35 SCT 40 SCT 80 SCT 75 292/48/27/3005/039/ CU/SC MSTLY
NNW-NE-SE FEW MDT CU NNE-SE AC/ACSL/ACC DSNT SE-WSW LGT DSNT HZ WND LGT AND
VRB/ 8/480 56010 10049 20030

WEATHER SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..55 NORMAL…..56
MIN…..39 NORMAL…..39
MEAN….47 NORMAL…..48

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL…………………-1
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH………………..+92 [+3.1 DEGREES/DAY]

COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JAN TO DEC)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………0 DEPARTURE……….0
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH……………5 DEPARTURE……….0
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………701 DEPARTURE……..+99
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….767 DIFFERENCE…….-66

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………..18 DEPARTURE………+1
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH………….273 DEPARTURE……..-94
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………419 DEPARTURE……..-90
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….379 DIFFERENCE…….+40

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY………………31 W AT 2:43 P.M. *
AERO…………………..33 WSW AT 12:38 P.M.
ASOS…………………..32 W AT 2:44 P.M.
DAVIS………………….32 WSW AT 12:15 P.M. RMY 34
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY………………..26 W AT 2:44 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE……………..24 W AT 2:45 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE…………….23 WSW AT 12:40 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION…………13.3 WSW
ASOS…………………12.2
DAVIS………………..11.7 W [227 degrees] * last of several occurrences

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.00 DEPARTURE………….-0.16
ASOS…………..0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH……….1.02 DEPARTURE………….-3.20
ASOS…………..1.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR……….42.94 DEPARTURE………….-0.36
ASOS…………..N/A**
**ASOS malfunctioned during storm on 2/8-9, leading to erroneous totals

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M………0.0 DEPARTURE…………..0.0
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………0.0 DEPARTURE………….-0.2
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON…………..0.0 DEPARTURE………….-0.2

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR OCTOBER 2013 CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/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

10/1 75/50/63/+6/0.00/676/96 16 WNW AERO 16 MPH WNW RMY 18
10/2 78/56/67/+10/0.00/666/95 29 W AERO 30 MPH W RMY 29
10/3 77/56/67/+11/0.00/628/90 20 WNW AERO 20 MPH WNW RMY N/A
10/4 67/56/62/+6/0.26/028/04 18 NW AERO 20 MPH NW RMY N/A
10/5 67/56/62/+6/0.01/125/18 14 ENE AERO 12 MPH ENE RMY N/A
10/6 58/53/56/+1/0.56/000/00 20 NE AERO 20 MPH NE RMY N/A
10/7 75/57/66/+11/0.07/213/31 48 S AERO 55 MPH S RMY 55
10/8 65/50/58/+4/0.00/581/85 25 NW AERO 27 MPH NW RMY 28
10/9 59/49/54/0/0.00/545/80 25 ENE AERO 24 MPH ENE RMY 25
10/10 61/46/54/0/0.00/095/14 18 NE AERO 17 MPH NE RMY 18
10/11 67/50/59/+6/0.00/473/70 20 NE AERO 20 MPH NE RMY N/A
10/12 59/50/55/+2/0.02/007/01 30 ENE AER0 31 MPH ENE RMY 32
10/13 59/46/53/0/0.00/482/72 23 ENE AERO 23 MPH ENE RMY 23
10/14 64/42/53/+1/0.00/580/87 15 SSW AERO 15 MPH SSW RMY 15
10/15 66/50/58/+6/0.00/266/40 16 ESE AERO 16 MPH ESE RMY N/A
10/16 60/49/55/+4/0.00/013/02 23 ESE AERO 24 MPH ESE RMY 23
10/17 70/52/61/+10/0.06/277/42 21 S AERO 23 MPH S RMY N/A
10/18 67/50/59/+8/T/630/96 32 WNW AERO 32 MPH W RMY 31
10/19 65/45/55/+5/0.00/379/58 21 W AERO 22 MPH W RMY N/A
10/20 61/44/53/+3/0.00/644/99 33 W AERO 36 MPH W RMY 34
10/21 67/43/55/+5/0.00/648/100 23 SSW AERO 25 MPH SSW RMY 27
10/22 69/44/57/+8/T/419/65 25 SSW AERO 27 MPH SSW RMY 27
10/23 50/40/45/-4/0.00/103/16 18 WNW AERO 18 MPH WNW RMY N/A
10/24 53/36/45/-4/0.00/640/100 31 W AERO 31 MPH W RMY 34
10/25 49/34/42/-7/0.00/401/63 25 WNW AERO 26 MPH WNW RMY 26
10/26 54/34/44/-4/0.00/521/82 35 SW AERO 36 MPH SSW RMY 39
10/27 55/39/47/-1/0.04/480/76 30 W AERO 30 MPH W RMY 29
10/28 58/35/47/-1/0.00/…/.. 31 W AERO 33 MPH W RMY 34