Wednesday, May 1, 2024

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

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2024
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)
SUNRISE: 0439E
SUNSET:  1844E

WE OPEN MAY WITH BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND OVERCAST SKIES….

Periods of light rain fell overnight amounting to 0.07″ in the
rain gauge. The rain ended early this morning, but skies have
remained cloudy all day.

With the cloud cover and wind off the ocean, temperatures are
once again on the cool side with readings spending a good part
of the day in the 40s. We have finally reached the low 50s
early this afternoon, but this is a good 10+ degrees below
normal levels for early May.

An easterly wind has been on the light side today with an
average speed of only around 7mph. The peak gust for the day so
far is 18mph, which occurred just after midnight.

Visibility has been limited today with the view generally
holding at around 25 miles.

The maximum temperature so far today is 51F degrees, which is
12 degrees below the normal high of 63F. The minimum temperature
since midnight is 42F degrees, which is 2 degrees below the
normal low of 44F.

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PRELIMINARY STATS FOR APRIL 2024

TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 57.0 [+0.7] Avg. Min. 38.3 [+0.4] Mean      47.7 [+0.6] 24-hour corrected mean: 46.8
Max. for month: 73F on the 15th
Min. for month: 29F on the 25th

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units:    527 [-013] Total for the season:  5168 [-719] Total for last season: 4971

COOLING DEGREE DAYS
Total cooling units:    000 [-003] Total for the season:   000 [-003] Total for last season:  009

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 4.91 [+0.15] Greatest in 24 hrs: 2.06 on the 3rd-4th

SNOWFALL, Inches
Total: 0.7 [-2.1] Greatest in 24 hrs: 0.7 on the 4th

WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 11.5 mph
Avg. corrected wind speed:   12.0 mph
Prevailing wind direction:   Northwest [11%] Peak gust and direction:  63 ENE on the 4th

SUNSHINE:
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 10554 of a possible 23250, or 45%
Astronomical total minutes: 10947 of a possible 24146, or 45%

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Today’s Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Broken stratus fractus, overcast stratocumulus, few
breaks in overcast NE-E, few lower stratus fractus W-N
Temperature: 43F; Dew Point: 42F; Relative Humidity: 97%
Wind: ENE @ 5 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1014.4 mb; 29.96 in. Hg: rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 25 miles, 10 miles WNW, 7 miles NW-NNW, thin fog
6-hr Max temp: 43F
6-hr Min temp: 42F
24-hr Precip:  0.07 inches
BHO SA 1155 E6 BKN 13 OVC 25 144/43/42/0605/996/ FEW BINOVC NE-E
FEW LWR STFRA W-N HIER CLDS VSBL NE-E THN F ALQDS VSBY 10 WNW
7 NW-NNW WND LGT/ 8/7// 51011 6004/ 70007 10043 20042

10 A.M.
Weather: Overcast stratocumulus, sun dimly visible
Temperature: 48F; Dew Point: 44F; Relative Humidity: 85%
Wind: ENE @ 6 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1014.9 mb; 29.97 in. Hg: rising, then falling
Visibility: 25 miles, thin fog
3-hr Precip:  0.00 inches
BHO SA 1455 E15 OVC 25 149/48/44/0706/997/ SUN DMLY VSBL THN F ALQDS
WND LGT/ 8/5// 50005

1 P.M.
Weather: Overcast stratocumulus, sun dimly visible
Temperature: 51F; Dew Point: 44F; Relative Humidity: 76%
Wind: E @ 5 kts, wind light
Sea-level pressure: 1015.2 mb; 29.98 in. Hg: rising, then falling
Visibility: 25 miles, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 51F
6-hr Min temp: 43F
6-hr Precip:  0.00 inches
BHO SA 1755 E15 OVC 25 152/51/44/1005/998/ SUN DMLY VSBL HAZY WND LGT/
8/5// 50003 10051 20043

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SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2024

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX…….60   NORMAL…..63
MIN…….44   NORMAL…..43
MEAN……52   NORMAL…..53

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR (1991-2020) NORMAL………….-1
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH……………………+19 [+0.4 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON: JUL 2023 THRU JUN 2024)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY……………13  DEPARTURE……..+1
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH…………..527  DEPARTURE…….-13
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON…………5168  DEPARTURE……-719
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE…….4971  DEPARTURE……+197

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)……….E25 E    @  10:57 P.M.
VECTOR #1 (1-Sec)……….23 SSE  @  12:32 P.M.
VECTOR #2 (1-Sec)……….24 ENE  @  10:56 P.M.
DAVIS #1……………….24 ENE  @  10:56 P.M.
DAVIS #2 ………………25 S    @  12:53 P.M.
RMY #1 (Instantaneous)…..26 E    @  10:56 P.M.
RMY #2 (Instantaneous)…..24 ENE  @  10:57 P.M.
MERLIN…………………22 ENE
RICHARDS (C5C) (Inst)……23      @  10:56 P.M.

FASTEST MILE:
CONTACTING ANEMOMETER/OFFICIAL………………19 E    @  10:57 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #1 AVERAGE…………..15      @  12:47 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE VECTOR #2 AVERAGE…………..18      @  10:57 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #1 AVERAGE……………19 E    @  10:57 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS #2 AVERAGE……………18 E    @  10:57 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #1 AVERAGE……………..18 E    @  10:57 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RMY #2 AVERAGE……………..18 ENE  @  10:57 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE RICHARDS (C5C) AVERAGE………18      @  10:57 P.M.

AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION:
CONTACTING/OFFICIAL…….7.7 ESE [185 total miles] VECTOR #1……………..8.0
VECTOR #2……………..8.2
DAVIS #1………………8.0 SE
DAVIS #2………………8.0 SE
RMY #1………………..7.9 SE
RMY #2………………..8.2 SE
RICHARDS (C5C)…………8.5

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M……..0.07 DEPARTURE…..-0.07
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH…………..4.91 DEPARTURE…..+0.15
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR (2024)…….25.02 DEPARTURE…..+6.25

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST):
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M…………..0.0 DEPARTURE…….0.0
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH………………..0.7 DEPARTURE……-2.1
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON (2023-2024)……26.8 DEPARTURE…..-42.9

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PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR APRIL 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
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated)

4/1   56/40/48/+7/0.00/0.0/153/20         20 SSE VEC1 20 SSE RMY 19
4/2   47/35/41/0/0.07/0.0/115/15          25 E   VEC1 25 E   RMY 25
4/3   41/34/38/-4/1.10/T/000/00           53 E   VEC1 53 E   RMY 53
4/4   36/32/34/-8/1.25/0.7/000/00         63 ENE VEC1 64 ENE RMY 68
4/5   45/31/38/-5/0.01/T/147/19           33 WNW VEC1 31 WNW RMY 33
4/6   43/33/38/-5/0.08/093/12             35 N   VEC1 35 N   RMY 35
4/7   48/34/41/-3/T/0.0/094/12            32 N   VEC1 31 N   RMY 31
4/8   66/36/51/+7/0.00/0.0/636/81         23 WNW VEC1 23 WNW RMY 22
4/9   63/40/52/+8/0.00/0.0/741/94         22 ENE VEC1 21 ENE RMY 21
4/10  65/38/52/+7/T/0.0/348/44            26 S   VEC1 26 S   RMY 30
4/11  55/42/49/+4/0.04/0.0/000/00         32 SSE VEC1 32 SSE RMY 31
4/12  60/46/53/+7/1.03/0.0/032/04         62 SSE VEC1 62 S   RMY 63
4/13  54/43/49/+3/T/0.0/271/34            43 W   VEC1 42 WNW RMY 46
4/14  58/42/50/+3/0.09/0.0/384/48         33 WSW VEC1 33 WSW RMY 35
4/15  73/43/58/+11/T/0.0/764/95           33 NW  VEC1 33 NW  RMY 34
4/16  68/44/56/+9/0.00/0.0/759/94         29 NW  VEC1 28 NW  RMY 29
4/17  60/40/50/+2/0.00/0.0/656/81         25 ESE VEC1 24 ESE RMY 24
4/18  47/40/44/-4/0.21/0.0/000/00         25 E   VEC1 25 E   RMY 23
4/19  60/41/51/+2/T/0.0/399/49            29 S   VEC1 29 S   RMY 29
4/20  57/40/49/0/0.38/0.0/082/10          34 WNW VEC1 37 WNW RMY 39
4/21  50/34/42/-8/0.00/0.0/295/36         30 NW  VEC1 30 WNW RMY 31
4/22  57/34/46/-4/0.00/0.0/822/100        29 NW  VEC1 29 NW  RMY 29
4/23  63/37/50/0/0.00/0.0/710/86          30 S   VEC1 29 S   RMY 29
4/24  63/33/48/-3/0.04/0.0/265/32         52 WNW VEC1 51 WNW RMY 58
4/25  55/29/42/-9/0.00/0.0/831/100        28 SE  VEC1 28 SE  RMY 26
4/26  56/32/44/-8/0.00/0.0/833/100        25 S   VEC1 24 S   RMY 24
4/27  66/37/52/0/0.00/0.0/627/75          26 SW  VEC1 27 SW  RMY 27
4/28  67/41/54/+2/0.02/0.0/385/46         28 WSW VEC1 27 WSW RMY 29
4/29  70/53/62/+9/0.00/0.0/446/53         26 ENE VEC1 25 ENE RMY 27
4/30  60/44/52/-1/0.59/0.0/059/07         25 E   VEC1 23 SSE RMY 26 TSTM

5/1 The low since midnight is 42F, the daily normal low is 44F.

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APRIL DAILY RECORDS TO DATE

NONE…

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

RECORDS FOR MAY 1
HIGH 87F IN 1899
LOW 29F IN 1978
PRECIP 2.53 INCHES IN 1921
SNOWFALL TRACE IN 1905,1917,1921,1995,2016
PEAK GUST 57 MPH NW IN 1974

RECORDS FOR MAY 2
HIGH 92F IN 2001
LOW 29F IN 1903
PRECIP 1.36 INCHES IN 2006
SNOWFALL TRACE IN 1920, 1941
PEAK GUST 58 MPH S IN 1983

TODAY’S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas