Wednesday, January 1, 2014

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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2014 NEW YEARS DAY
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

Happy New Year!

FULL FORCE OF NEXT ARCTIC AIR MASS YET TO ARRIVE
EARLY MORNING TEMPERATURES FALLING FROM 19F TO LOW OF 16F

The coldest air of the season is on the way here but it did not
get unusually cold last night as e low reading of 16F was actually
less cold than the low of 11F as recorded yesterday morning.
Our attention now turns to a potentially significant coastal snow storm
forecast for this Thursday with 6+ inches of snow expected across the
region along with strong winds with blowing and drifting snow.

THE PRELIMINARY DECEMBER 2013 STATS

TEMPERATURE: Deg. F
Av. Max. 38.0
Av. Min. 23.7
Mean     30.9 [-0.4] 24-hr. corrected mean: 30.7
Max. temp: 63F on 22nd
Min. temp: 7F  on 17th
Total heating degree day units: 1053 [+10] Total seasonal heating units:   2277 [-28 less than average] [Season starts 7/1 ] Seasonal total this date 2012:  2028 [249 more than last season]

PRECIPITATION: Inches
Total: 5.27 [+0.38] Greatest in 24 hours: 1.43 (14-15th)
Total snowfall: 15.5 [+2.1] *
Greatest in 24 hours: 6.8 inches (14-15th)
* 1981-2010 average 13.4

WIND
Av. speed (uncorrected) 11.9 mph
Av. speed (corrected)   12.3 mph
Prevailing direction: W 15%

SUNSHINE
Yet to be determined
Available next few days

Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Clear, cumulus/stratocumulus layer along and offshore NE-ESE and
cumulus fractus and cumulus/stratocumulus distant SSE-SSW, patch of cirrus/
dense cirrus extending from the ESE-SW, colorful orange sunrise
Temperature: 16F; Dew Point: 5F; Wind: WSW at 9 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.31 ins. Hg, rising then more slowly
Visibility: 40 miles, WNW 45 miles, distant haze
6-hr. min temp: 16F
BHO SA 1155 CLR 40 263/16/5/2409/031/ CU/SC LYR ALG/OFFSHR NE-ESE
AND CUFRA/CU/SC DSNT SSE-SSW PTCH CI/DNS CI RADIATUS XTDNG ESE-SW
DSNT HZ WND GRDLY BACKING/ 8/801 51015 10019 20016

10 A.M.
Weather: Clear, cumulus fractus/cumulus forming all quadrant,
cirrus/cirrus radiatus ESE-SW
Temperature: 22F; Dew Point: 6F; Wind: W at 10 kts,
Wind: Direction variable WSW-WNW
Sea-level pressure: 30.37 ins. Hg, rising then more slowly
Visibility: 55 miles, distant haze
BHO SA 1455 CLR 55 284/22/6/2710/037/ CUFRA/CU FRMG ALQDS
CI/CI RADIATUS DSNT ESE-SW DSNT HZ WND 24V30/ 8/101 51021

1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered cumulus and stratocumulus generated by cumulus,
scattered cirrus and cirrostratus (layer SE-WSW)
Temperature: 25F; Dew Point: 6F; Wind: W at 14 kts,
Wind: Direction variable WSW-NW,
Wind: Gust to 21 kts past hour
Sea-level pressure: 30.32 ins. Hg, falling
Visibility: 60 miles, distant haze
6-hr max. temp: 25F
BHO SA 1755 45 SCT 250 SCT 60 266/25/6/2814/032/ CU/SCCG ALQDS
CI/CS LYR SE-WSW DSNT HZ WND 24V32 WND GUST TO 21 KTS PST HR
/ 8/408 56018 10025 20016

WEATHER SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2013

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…..24    NORMAL…..35
MIN…..11    NORMAL…..19
MEAN….18    NORMAL…..27

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL…………………..-9
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH………………….-11 [-0.4 DEGREE/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY…………..47  DEPARTURE…….. +9
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………1053  DEPARTURE……..+10
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON………..2277  DEPARTURE……..-28
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE……2028  DIFFERENCE……+249

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY………………30 W  AT 10:21 P.M.
AERO…………………..31 W  AT 10:21 P.M.
ASOS…………………..32 W  AT 10:21 P.M.
DAVIS………………….28 W  AT 10:20 P.M. RMY 30
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY………………..21 W  AT 10:22 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE……………..22 W  AT 10:25 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE…………….19 W  AT 10:22 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION………… 8.8 W
ASOS………………….8.8
DAVIS…………………7.7  W [280 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……….5.27  DEPARTURE………….+0.38
ASOS…………..5.27
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR……….51.87  DEPARTURE………….-1.55
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………….-0.6
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH…………15.5     DEPARTURE………….+2.1
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON………..15.7     DEPARTURE………….-0.2

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR DECEMBER 2013 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

12/1  45/30/38/+1/0.28/T/000/00           22 SSE AERO 23 MPH SSE RMY 23
12/2  38/34/36/0/T/0.0/000/00             15 NW  AERO 15 MPH NW  RMY 16
12/3  45/32/39/+3/0.00/0.0/284/51         18 NNW AERO 18 MPH NNW RMY 20
12/4  43/29/36/+1/0.00/0.0/389/70         21 WNW AERO 21 MPH WNW RMY 21
12/5  53/38/46/+11/0.02/0.0/000/00        36 S   AERO 40 MPH S   RMY 39
12/6  55/33/44/+9/0.38/T/000/00           25 SSW AERO 28 MPH SSW RMY N/A
12/7  40/26/33/-1/0.12/T/287/52           23 NW  AERO 25 MPH NW  RMY N/A
12/8  30/22/26/-8/T/T/039/07              25 NW  AERO 27 MPH NW  RMY N/A
12/9  41/25/33/-1/0.35/0.6/000/00         28 E   AERO 28 MPH E   RMY 24
12/10 33/21/27/-6/0.14/2.1/000/00         28 W   AERO 28 MPH W   RMY 28
12/11 28/19/24/-9/0.00/0.0/345/63         27 SW  AERO 28 MPH SW  RMY 27
12/12 23/14/19/-14/0.00/0.0/542/99        28 WNW AERO 31 MPH NW  RMY 30
12/13 28/14/21/-11/0.00/0.0/405/74        31 W   AERO 32 MPH W   RMY 33
12/14 28/9/19/-13/0.45/4.8/000/00         30 E   AERO 26 MPH E   RMY N/A
12/15 36/21/29/-3/0.98/2.0/000/00         48 NE  AERO 50 MPH NE  RMY 51
12/16 27/14/21/-10/0.00/0.0/529/97        36 W   AERO 37 MPH W   RMY N/A
12/17 23/7/15/-16/0.53/5.5/104/19         28 N   AERO 30 MPH N   RMY 28
12/18 32/15/24/-7/0.00/0.0/436/80         29 WNW AERO 30 MPH NW  RMY 29
12/19 42/22/32/+2/0.00/0.0/425/78         38 SW  AERO 44 MPH SW  RMY 42
12/20 52/34/43/+13/0.00/0.0/332/61        26 SSW AERO 29 MPH SSW RMY 29
12/21 58/42/50/+20/0.00/0.0/082/15        28 SSW AERO 29 MPH SSW RMY 30
12/22 63/35/49/+20/0.01/0.0/000/00        37 SW  AERO 41 MPH SW  RMY 41
12/23 37/32/35/+6/0.73/0.0/000/00         24 NW  AERO 25 MPH NW  RMY 25
12/24 36/25/31/+2/T/T/142/26              25 NW  AERO
12/25 25/13/19/-9/0.00/0.0/480/88         29 NW  AERO 30 MPH WNW RMY 30
12/26 35/19/27/-1/0.05/0.5/000/00 *       24 W   AERO 25 MPH W   RMY 25
12/27 32/22/27/-1/0.00/0.0/344/63         25 W   AERO 25 MPH W   RMY 26
12/28 46/25/36/+8/0.00/0.0/300/55         30 WSW AERO 32 MPH SW  RMY 32
12/29 42/34/38/+11/1.23/0.0/000/00        36 NNE AERO 37 MPH NNE RMY 38
12/30 39/17/28/+1/0.00/0.0/…/..         38 W   AERO 39 MPH W   RMY 36
12/31 24/11/19/-9/0.00/0.0/…/..         30 W   AERO 31 MPH W   RMY 30

* snowfall 12/26 corrected to 0.5 inch

1/1    morning low temp: 16F; the normal low is now 19F

DAILY RECORDS FOR DECEMBER 2013
12/22- NEW DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 63F;
surpasses previous record of 62F set in 1994

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

RECORDS FOR JANUARY 1
HIGH 58F IN 1966
LOW -6F IN 1918
PRECIP 1.45 INS. IN 1982
SNOWFALL 7.2 INS. IN 1938
PEAK GUST 90e MPH S IN 1945

RECORDS FOR JANUARY 2
HIGH 62F IN 1890
LOW -7F IN 1899,1918
PRECIP 2.10 INS. IN 1987
SNOWFALL 9.0 INS. IN 1904
PEAK GUST 85e MPH S IN 1942

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling