Wednesday, January 31, 2024

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

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2024
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0659E
SUNSET:  1656E

OVERCAST AND COLD TODAY WITH A LIGHT WIND….

Yet another day with no sunshine (at least through this point)
as the past week has been mostly devoid of sightings of our
yellow star. As a matter of fact, in the past 9 days, we’ve
only recorded a meager 112 minutes (about 1.87 hours) of
sunshine! Most of that (88 minutes) came late last Thursday
afternoon. If we don’t see any sunshine today, the month will
finish with only 100.9 hours of sunshine, which is only 34%
of the possible sunshine. So it has indeed been a mostly cloudy
month.

The temperature today has been slowly rising through the 20s
and has reached the 30 degree mark by the 1pm observation.
Dew point has been very slowly rising from around 19F early
this morning to 22 by 1pm.

The wind has been light all day with an average speed so far
for the day only around a measly 4mph. The peak gust (if we can
even call it that) thus far is only around 10mph.

Visibility has been steady at around 30 miles all day.

The maximum temperature so far today is 30F degrees, which is
4 degrees below to the normal high of 34F. The minimum
temperature so far since midnight is 23F degrees, this is 6
degrees above the normal low of 17F.

It’s no secret that January has been very wet in terms of overall
precipitation. The monthly total as of 7am this morning is 9.24″.
This ranks as the 5th wettest January on record. Here is the
rankings list as compiled by our Chief Scientist, Mike Iacono.

BHO Highest January Precipitation, inches (1886-2024):

1) 11.61 in 1979
2) 10.97 in 1958
3) 9.85 in 1978
4) 9.56 in 1956
5) 9.24 in 2024 (through 1/31)
6) 8.49 in 1996
7) 8.47 in 1999
8) 8.41 in 1936

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Overcast stratus, thin smoke layer below inversion NW-NNE
Temperature: 24F; Dew Point: 19F; Relative Humidity: 82%
Wind: SW @ 2 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1022.5 mb; 30.19 in. Hg: rising, then falling
Visibility: 30 miles, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 24F
6-hr Min temp: 23F
24-hr Precip: 0.01 inches
24-hr Snowfall: Trace
Snow Depth: 2 inches
BHO SA 1155 E20 OVC 30 225/24/19/2302/019/ THN K LYR BLW INVSN NW-NNE
HAZY WND LGT TOTAL NEW SNW PST 24 HRS TRACE/ 8/6// 4/002 58001 70000
10024 20023

10 A.M.
Weather: Overcast stratus, lower stratus layer distant W-NNE
Temperature: 27F; Dew Point: 20F; Relative Humidity: 75%
Wind: SW @ 2 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1021.7 mb; 30.17 in. Hg: falling, then more slowly
Visibility: 30 miles, hazy
3-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
3-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
BHO SA 1455 E25 OVC 30 217/27/20/2302/017/ LWR ST LYR DSNT W-NNE HAZY
WND LGT/ 8/6// 56008

1 P.M.
Weather: Overcast stratus
Temperature: 30F; Dew Point: 22F; Relative Humidity: 73%
Wind: WSW @ 5 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1020.4 mb; 30.13 in. Hg: falling, then more slowly
Visibility: 30 miles, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 30F
6-hr Min temp: 24F
6-hr Precip: 0.00 inches
6-hr Snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow Depth: 2 inches
BHO SA 1755 E30 OVC 30 204/30/22/2405/013/ HAZY WND LGT/ 8/6// 4/002
56013 10030 20024

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SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2024

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….30   NORMAL…..35
MIN…….21   NORMAL…..17
MEAN……26   NORMAL…..26

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL………….0
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH………………….+117 [+3.7 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2023 THRU JUN 2024)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………39  DEPARTURE………0
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH………….1033  DEPARTURE……-121
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………2928  DEPARTURE……-436
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….2788  DEPARTURE……+140

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

F420C (Official)……….E26 ENE  @  12:06 P.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….26 ENE  @  12:06 P.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….27 NNE  @  12:09 P.M.
DAVIS #1……………….26 E    @  12:06 P.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………25 NE   @  11:57 A.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..28 ENE  @  12:06 P.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..27 ENE  @  01:04 P.M.
MERLIN…………………26 ENE
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……27      @  12:06 P.M.

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………18 ENE  @  11:52 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..18      @  12:07 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..19      @  12:11 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………18 ENE  @  12:07 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………19 E    @  12:11 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..18 ENE  @  12:07 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..18 ENE  @  12:11 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE………18      @  12:07 P.M.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL…….8.9 ENE [213 total miles] VECTOR #1……………..8.6
VECTOR #2……………..9.4
DAVIS #1………………9.4 ENE
DAVIS #2………………9.3 ENE
RMY #1………………..8.8 ENE
RMY #2………………..9.0 ENE
RICHARDS (C5C)…………9.5

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.01 DEPARTURE…..-0.12
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..9.24 DEPARTURE…..+4.88
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR (2024)……..9.24 DEPARTURE…..+4.88

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…………TRACE DEPARTURE……-0.7
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH……………….20.6 DEPARTURE……+2.7
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON (2023-2024)……20.9 DEPARTURE…..-12.1

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

1/1   37/25/31/+2/0.00/0.0/296/54         15 N   VEC1 14 N   RMY 15
1/2   39/19/29/+1/0.00/0.0/550/100        17 WNW VEC1 17 WNW RMY 17
1/3   42/25/34/+6/0.00/0.0/347/63         20 WNW VEC1 21 WNW RMY 21
1/4   42/21/32/+4/T/T/237/43              37 NNW VEC1 36 NNW RMY 39
1/5   32/17/25/-3/0.00/0.0/542/98         40 NW  VEC1 39 NW  RMY 39
1/6   34/24/29/+1/0.11/0.2/022/04         36 E   VEC1 36 E   RMY 36
1/7   33/21/27/0/0.84/13.0/000/00         38 ENE VEC1 37 ENE RMY 42
1/8   32/21/27/0/0.00/0.0/406/73          28 NW  VEC1 28 NW  RMY 31
1/9   40/23/32/+5/0.98/T/000/00           46 SE  VEC1 49 SE  RMY 46
1/10  53/41/47/+20/1.90/0.0/201/36        70 SSE VEC1 69 SSE RMY 75
1/11  43/35/39/+12/0.00/0.0/162/29        45 WNW VEC1 43 WNW RMY 47
1/12  47/33/40/+13/0.00/0.0/533/95        29 SE  VEC1 28 ESE RMY 28
1/13  57/36/47/+21/1.72/0.0/146/26        47 ESE VEC1 51 ESE RMY 49
1/14  39/22/31/+5/0.02/0.4/328/58         53 WNW VEC1 52 WNW RMY 54
1/15  31/17/24/-2/T/T/475/84              30 WNW VEC1 29 WNW RMY 30
1/16  34/19/27/+1/0.61/3.2/000/00         36 NW  VEC1 33 NW* RMY 31*
1/17  25/13/19/-7/0.00/0.0/529/93         29 NW  VEC1 28 W*  RMY 27*
1/18  26/13/20/-6/0.00/0.0/069/12         30 WSW VEC1 30 WSW RMY 29
1/19  27/16/22/-4/T/T/000/00              31 NW  VEC1 30 NW  RMY 34
1/20  20/10/15/-11/0.05/0.7/172/30        30 NW  VEC1 30 NW  RMY 31
1/21  25/10/18/-8/0.00/0.0/513/89         30 NW  VEC1 31 NW  RMY 32
1/22  37/13/25/-1/0.00/0.0/416/72         35 SW  VEC1 35 SW  RMY 36
1/23  38/30/34/+8/0.07/0.5/006/01         30 WSW VEC1 30 WSW RMY 31
1/24  39/29/34/+8/0.40/0.7/000/00         26 S   VEC1 26 S   RMY 26
1/25  50/38/44/+18/0.18/0.0/088/15        35 SW  VEC1 34 SSW RMY 36
1/26  40/35/38/+12/0.69/0.0/000/00        23 ESE VEC1 23 ESE RMY 23
1/27  36/33/35/+9/0.06/0.0/000/00         20 NNE VEC1 20 NNE RMY 19
1/28  35/31/33/+7/0.70/0.6/000/00         33 NNE VEC1 33 NNE RMY 35
1/29  34/29/32/+6/0.13/0.9/018/03         38 N   VEC1 38 N   RMY 39
1/30  30/21/26/0/0.06/0.4/000/00          26 ENE VEC1 26 ENE RMY 28

1/31 The low since midnight is 23F, the daily normal low is 17F

* Reading impacted by icing

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JANUARY DAILY RECORDS TO DATE

1/13: RECORD PRECIPITATION OF 1.72 INS,
BEATS PREVIOUS RECORD OF 1.54 INS SET 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 JANUARY 31
HIGH 58F IN 1947, 2013
LOW -12F IN 1920
PRECIP 1.03 INS. IN 1914
SNOWFALL 9.0 INS. IN 1898
PEAK GUST 75 MPH NW IN 1974

RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 1
HIGH 65F IN 1989
LOW -9F IN 1920
PRECIP 1.86 INS. IN 2021
SNOWFALL 12.7 INS. IN 2021
PEAK GUST 66e MPH SSW IN 1951

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas