BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02186 ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2004 ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME SUNNY AND WARM WEATHER TODAY TO CONTINUE SEVERAL MORE DAYS...JAN-FEB WILL BE 3RD DRIEST ON RECORD... FEBRUARY WILL BE ONE OF THE TOP 5 SUNNIEST ON RECORD... The high temperature so far today of 48 is the warmest since 52 on December 30. February is now averaging about 0.5 degree warmer than normal per day. The record high for Feb 29 is only 56 degrees, which was recorded in 1976, and this may be challenged tomorrow. The combined precipitation for January and February of 3.48 inches will be the third lowest on record. Only 2.04 inches in 1980 and 3.09 inches in 1901 were drier. The Jan-Feb combined snowfall of 11.5 inches will be the eighth lowest on record and the least snow for these months since 6.1 inches in 1992. The least snow for Jan-Feb was 3.1 inches in 1937. The seasonal snowfall of 41.7 inches is very close to the normal through this date. A scant trace of snow remains on the summit as of this morning, and for now, both nearby ponds remain completely ice covered. Sunshine for the month is averaging close to 65 percent through Friday, with the last two days expected to be very sunny. Here is the list of Februarys that had the most sunshine: 1987 71 percent 1901 67 1968 65 1978 65 1980 64 1895 63 Today's observations: 7 A.M. Weather: Thin scattered cirrus; Visibility: 50 miles Temperature: 28F, Dewpoint: 3F, Wind: NW 13 mph, Sea-level pressure: 30.22 inches, rising BHO SA 1155 200 -SCT 50 232/28/3/3212/022/ FEW LWR DNS CI NW/ 8/001 53007 10030 20027 METAR KBHO 281155Z 32012KT 50SM FEW180 SCT200 M02/M16 A3022 RMK SLP232 8/001 T10221161 11011 21028 53007 10 A.M. Weather: Thin scattered cirrus; Visibility: 55 miles Temperature: 41F, Dew Point: 13F, Wind: NW 12 mph BHO SA 1455 200 -SCT 55 232/41/13/3210/022/ FEW LWR CI DSNT SE FEW AC NE WND 29V35/ 8/001 50000 METAR KBHO 281455Z 32010KT 290V350 55SM FEW100 FEW180 SCT200 05/M11 A3022 RMK SLP232 8/031 T00501106 50000 1 P.M. Weather: Sky clear with a few cirrus and AC; Visibility: 60 miles Temperature: 48F, Dew Point: 17F, Wind: W 13 mph, gusting to 25 mph Sea-Level pressure: 30.16 inches, falling BHO SA 1755 CLR 60 212/48/17/3111G22/016/ FEW CI DSNT W-N FEW AC NE WND 27V35/ 8/031 58020 10048 20028 METAR KBHO 281755Z 32011G22KT 270V350 60SM FEW100 FEW250 09/M08 A3016 RMK SLP212 8/031 T00891083 58020 WEATHER SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27: TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F) MAX.....44 NORMAL.....39 ASOS.....44 AT 3:39 PM MIN.....20 NORMAL.....23 ASOS.....20 AT 7:26 AM MEAN....32 NORMAL.....31 DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL......+1 TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.....+20 (+0.5 DEGREES/DAY) HEATING DEGREE DAYS TOTAL HEATING DEGREE DAYS FOR YESTERDAY.......33 DEPARTURE.....-1 TOTAL HEATING DEGREE DAYS FOR THE MONTH......974 DEPARTURE....-26 TOTAL HEATING DEGREE DAYS FOR THE SEASON....4577 DEPARTURE....+41 TOTAL HEATING DEGREE DAYS FOR LAST SEASON...4860 DIFFERENCE..-283 PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY........31 NW AT 8:18 P.M. AEROVANE.........33 NW AT 8:42 P.M. ASOS.............30 NNW AT 8:18 P.M. FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY..........22 NW AT 8:10 P.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.......22 NW AT 8:06 P.M. AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION..12.6 NW ASOS...........12.0 PRECIPITATION (INCHES) TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00 DEPARTURE....-0.15 ASOS..............0.00 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........1.76 DEPARTURE....-2.15 ASOS..............1.59 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........3.48 DEPARTURE....-5.21 ASOS..............2.99 SNOWFALL (INCHES) TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M......0.0 DEPARTURE....-0.4 TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................3.0 DEPARTURE....-9.3 TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............41.7 DEPARTURE....+0.3 PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY, 2004......CALENDAR DAY DATA DATA REPORTED: DATE MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOW/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/AERO GUST AERO: Aerovane recording wind system when significant TSTM: Thunderstorm day ....: Data not yet available 2/1 31/09/20/-06/ 0/ 0/599/100 33 NW Aerovane 38 MPH NW 2/2 37/18/28/+02/ 0/ 0/578/96 21 NNW 2/3 42/25/34/+08/0.51/0.2/000/00 47 SSE Aerovane 49 MPH SSE 2/4 42/24/33/+07/ T/ 0/564/93 46 W Aerovane 47 MPH W 2/5 34/21/28/+01/ 0/ 0/451/74 33 WNW 2/6 33/24/29/+02/1.08/2.3/000/00 28 SSE 2/7 39/24/32/+05/0.12/ T/092/15 37 WNW 2/8 24/12/18/-09/ 0/ 0/616/100 59 WNW Aerovane 62 MPH WNW 2/9 41/20/31/+04/ 0/ 0/279/45 47 SSW Aerovane 48 MPH SSW 2/10 44/32/38/+11/ 0/ 0/546/88 31 WSW 2/11 35/21/28/+01/ 0/ 0/618/99 46 W Aerovane 46 MPH W 2/12 35/16/26/-02/ 0/ 0/294/47 25 SW 2/13 38/26/32/+04/ 0/ 0/535/85 37 W 2/14 40/28/34/+06/ 0/ 0/581/92 32 W 2/15 29/09/19/-09/ T/ T/583/92 39 NW Aerovane 40 MPH NW 2/16 27/08/18/-10/ 0/ 0/631/99 20 NNW 2/17 29/11/20/-09/ 0/ 0/346/54 21 SE 2/18 29/24/27/-02/0.03/0.5/006/01 35 N Aerovane 37 MPH N 2/19 39/20/30/+01/ 0/ 0/632/98 38 NW Aerovane 44 MPH NW 2/20 43/23/33/+04/ T/ T/428/66 18 WNW 2/21 39/29/34/+05/0.02/ T/000/00 27 E Aerovane 30 MPH E 2/22 39/29/34/+04/ 0/ 0/000/00 33 WNW Aerovane 37 MPH NW 2/23 42/24/33/+03/ 0/ 0/649/99 29 NW Aerovane 34 MPH NW 2/24 35/22/29/-01/ 0/ 0/053/08 24 NW 2/25 39/19/29/-02/ 0/ 0/662/100 32 NNW Aerovane 34 MPH NNW 2/26 41/22/32/+01/ 0/ 0/.../... 2/27 44/20/32/+01/ 0/ 0/.../... 2/28 morning low 27, normal 23 DAILY EXTREMES Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated): RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 28 HIGH 62F IN 1976 LOW -02F IN 1907,1934 PRECIP 1.79 INCHES IN 1958 SNOWFALL 7.9 INCHES IN 1956 PEAK GUST 88e MPH SSW IN 1943 RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 29 HIGH 56F IN 1976 LOW 4F IN 1992 PRECIP 0.64 INCHES IN 1968 SNOWFALL 3.5 INCHES IN 1968 PEAK GUST 60 MPH NE IN 1968 TODAY'S REPORT BY: Mike Iacono