Wednesday, February 3, 2016

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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

SOAKING RAIN ENTERS THE REGION, TEMPS CLIMB
TO UNSEASONABLY WARM LEVELS DURING THE AFTERNOON

Rain began briefly this morning by 9:00 AM EST,
with steadier rainfall occurring by mid day. Temperatures
were cool overnight, but still much warmer than normal,
with a low temperature this morning of 34F.

By this afternoon’s 1:00 PM EST observation only a trace of
rain had fallen during a few rounds of brief showers. Temperatures
had risen to the upper 40s and winds had ramped up from the south
to a peak gust so far of 50 MPH.

The month of January finished significantly warmer than normal,
at 4.0 degrees F above normal. The average minimum temperature of
22.3F was more than 5 degrees above normal as well.
January was drier than normal as well, with precipitation 0.58 inches
less than normal, and 2.8 inches less than normal for snow.

PRELIMINARY STATS FOR JANUARY 2016

TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 37.2 [+3.4] Avg. Min. 22.3 [+5.2] Mean      29.5 [+4.0] 24-hour Corrected Mean: 29.5
Max. for month: 58 on 10th
Min. for month:  4 on  5th

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total cooling units: 1086 [-140] Total for the season: 2742 [-789] Total for last season: 3531

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 3.77 [-0.58] Greatest in 24 hrs: 1.55 ins. on the 10th
Snowfall: 14.3 [-2.8] Greatest in 24 hrs: 7.1 ins. on the 23rd

WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 13.7
Avg. corrected wind speed: 14.0
Prevailing wind direction: NW @ 19%
Peak gust and direction: 55 WNW on the 19th

SUNSHINE:
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: N/A
Astronomical total minutes:   N/A

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Broken stratocumulus, overcast cirrostratus
Temperature: 36F; Dew Point: 31F; Wind: SE at 16G22 kts,
Peak Wind: 29 knots SE at 6:30 AM EST
Sea-level pressure: 30.35 ins. Hg, falling, then more quickly
Visibility: 30 miles, except 50 miles NE-S, thin fog
6-hr Max temp: 36F
6-hr Min temp: 34F
24-hr precip: 0.00 ins.
24-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins.
Snow depth: 0 ins.
BHO SA 1155 E30 BKN 250 OVC 30 276/36/31/1416G22/035/
VSBY NE-S 50 MI THN FG ALQDS PK WND 1429/30/ 8/506 58010 10036 20034

10 A.M.
Weather: Vicinity showers SW, broken stratocumulus,
overcast altostratus, showers distant SSW-NE, light rain
shower began at 9:11 AM EST, ends 9:14 AM EST
Temperature: 40F; Dew Point: 33F; Wind: SSE at 18G26 kts,
Peak Wind: 32 knots SSE at 9:34 AM EST
Sea-level pressure: 30.25 ins. Hg, falling rapidly
Visibility: 20 miles, except 15 miles SW, vicinity showers,
distant showers, thin fog
3-hr precip: Trace
BHO SA 1455 E40 BKN 60 OVC 20 245/40/33/1518G26/025/
RW-B11E14 VSBY SW 15 MI VCSH SW SHWRS DSNT SSW-NE THN FG ALQDS
PRESFR PK WND 1532/34/ 8/52/ 57031 MANUAL 6000/

1 P.M.
Weather: Showers distant in all directions, scattered stratocumulus,
overcast altostratus
Temperature: 48F; Dew Point: 42F; Wind: S at 26G43 kts,
Peak Wind: 43 knots S at 12:55 PM EST
Sea-level pressure: 30.09 ins. Hg, falling rapidly
Visibility: 20 miles, except 15 miles SW, showers in all directions
6-hr Max temp: 48F
6-hr Min temp: 36F
6-hr precip: Trace
BHO SA 1755 E20 SCT 30 OVC 20 190/48/42/1726G43/009/
VSBY SW-WSW 15 MI SHWRS DSNT ALQDS PRESFR PK WND 1743/55/
8/52/ 56055 MANUAL 6000/ 10048 20036

SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2016

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..48   NORMAL…..35
MIN…..31   NORMAL…..17
MEAN….40   NORMAL…..26

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL……………………+14
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH……………………+40 [+19.8 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………..25   DEPARTURE………-14
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..38   DEPARTURE………-41
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………..2780   DEPARTURE……..-829
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……3441   DIFFERENCE…….-661

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY……………….23 NW  AT  10:11 A.M.*
ASOS……………………20 WNW AT  10:09 A.M.
DAVIS…………………..20 NW  AT  10:06 A.M. RMY N/A
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY…………………15 NW  AT  10:25 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE………………15 NW  AT  10:25 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE……………..14 NW  AT  10:10 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION……………8.0 NW
ASOS……………………8.1
DAVIS…………………..7.0 WNW [302 Deg.]

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M….0.00  DEPARTURE……-0.14
ASOS…………..0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH……….0.00  DEPARTURE……-0.27
ASOS…………..0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR………..3.77  DEPARTURE……-0.85
ASOS…………..3.94

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…….-1.0
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON…………..15.6  DEPARTURE……-18.5

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

1/1   37/29/33/+6/0.00/0.0/005/01           29 W               RMY 29
1/2   37/27/32/+5/0.00/0.0/461/84           31 W               RMY N/A
1/3   41/27/34/+8/0.00/0.0/501/91           28 W               RMY 29
1/4   30/10/20/-6/T/T/000/00                29 NNW             RMY 29
1/5   23/4/14/-12/0.00/0.0/552/100          28 NNW             RMY N/A
1/6   43/17/30/+4/0.00/0.0/553/100          24 SW              RMY 24
1/7   43/25/34/+8/0.00/0.0/521/94           21 SW              RMY N/A
1/8   40/28/34/+8/0.00/0.0/000/00           28 E   AERO 25 ENE RMY 25
1/9   39/36/38/+12/T/0.0/000/00             21 ENE AERO 20 ENE RMY N/A
1/10  58/38/48/+23/1.55/0.0/000/00          53 SSE AERO 55 SSE RMY 53
1/11  48/21/35/+10/0.00/0.0/559/100         43 W   AERO 45 WSW RMY N/A
1/12  35/19/27/+2/0.18/2.2/359/64           30 SE  AERO N/A    RMY N/A
1/13  30/17/24/-1/0.02/0.2/551/98           50 W   AERO 58 W   RMY 54
1/14  28/17/23/-2/T/T/389/69                26 W   AERO N/A    RMY 25
1/15  40/23/32/+7/0.00/0.0/102/18           26 ESE AERO 25 ESE RMY 23
1/16  41/32/37/+12/1.03/T/000/00            32 NNW AERO 32 NNW RMY 28
1/17  33/26/30/+5/…./…/125/22           29 WNW AERO 28 WNW RMY N/A
1/18  26/15/21/-4/…./…/487/82           50 W   AERO 50 W   RMY 47
1/19  22/13/18/-7/0.00/0.0/194/34           55 WNW AERO 59 W   RMY 55
1/20  30/15/23/-2/0.00/0.0/471/82           46 WNW AERO 47 WNW RMY 45
1/21  30/15/23/-2/0.00/0.0/559/97           38 WNW AERO 38 NW  RMY 35
1/22  28/14/21/-4/0.00/0.0/399/69           32 NW  AERO 32 NW  RMY N/A
1/23  30/18/24/-1/0.74/7.1/000/00           54 NE  AERO 56 NE  RMY 50
1/24  33/14/24/-1/T/T/466/80                34 N   AERO 37 N   RMY 29
1/25  37/20/29/+4/0.00/0.0/444/76           22 NW  AERO 22 NW  RMY N/A
1/26  49/27/38/+13/0.00/0.0/064/11          44 SSW AERO 47 SSW RMY 43
1/27  43/27/35/+10/0.00/0.0/182/31          38 WNW AERO 40 SSW RMY 37
1/28  41/23/32/+7/0.00/0.0/537/91           29 SSW AERO 29 SSW RMY 29
1/29  39/32/36/+11/0.00/0.0/012/02          25 NW  AERO 24 NW  RMY 28
1/30  42/26/33/+8/0.00/0.0/462/81           39 SW  AERO 43 SW  RMY 38
1/31  56/36/46/+20/0.00/0.0/340/57          37 S   AERO 38 S   RMY 36

2/1   64/40/52/+26/0.00/0.0/…/..          36 WNW AERO 37 W   RMY 34
2/2   48/31/40/+14/0.00/0.0/…/..          23 NW  AERO 23 WNW RMY N/A

2/3 morning low since midnight 34F; normal low is 17F

DAILY RECORDS FOR JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2016

**1/10/16: NEW DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 58F, BREAKS
PREVIOUS RECORD OF 54F SET BACK IN 2000**

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

RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 3
HIGH 58F IN 1991
LOW -7F IN 1955
PRECIP 2.14 INS. IN 1970
SNOWFALL 7.0 INS. IN 1913
PEAK GUST 102 MPH S IN 1970 [RECORD FOR MONTH]

RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 4
HIGH 63F IN 1991
LOW -4F IN 1886, 1908
PRECIP 1.80 INS. IN 1926
SNOWFALL 15.0 INS. IN 1961
PEAK GUST 89 MPH SSE IN 1972

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald