BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02186
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2004
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

CLOUDY, SHOWERY AND WARM WEATHER TODAY...
MARCH AVERAGING MUCH WARMER THAN NORMAL...
A total of 0.27 inch of rain has fallen so far today
in showers that occurred mostly between 4 and 8 AM.
Only traces have been recorded from 8 AM to 1 PM.
The low temperature so far for today of 45 is well
above the normal low of 25, but three degrees short
of the record high minimum for the date of 48 set
in 1979.  Clouds and showers are holding down the
high temperature in the 50s through early afternoon.
The barometric pressure has been very unsteady today,
and there have been many instances of rapid pressure
increases and decreases since 7 AM.  A temperature
below 32 has yet to be recorded this month, and March
is averaging more than 12 degrees warmer than normal
for the first five days.  The seasonal snowfall of 41.7
inches has dropped below the normal through early March.

Today's observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Light rain and fog; overcast nimbo-stratus;
Temperature: 51F, Dewpoint: 51F, Wind: S 22 mph,
Sea-level pressure: 29.52 inches, falling rapidly
BHO SA 1155 -X 15 SCT E65 OVC 2VR-F 998/51/51/1919/952/
F6 HIR CLDS VSBL DSNT NW-N STRA DRFTG OVR SMT VSBY 1V3
VSBY WNW-NNW 15 E-SE 1/8 PRESFR/ 8/67/ 58041 6025/ 70025
10052 20045
METAR KBHO 061155Z 19019KT 2SM SCT15 OVC65 11/11 A2952 RMK
VIS 1V3 VIS WNW-NNW 15 VIS E-SE 1/8 FG BKN000 PRESFR SLP998
60025 70025 8/67/ T01060106 10111 20072 58041

10 A.M.
Weather: Fog, overcast stratus;  Visibility: 3/4 mile, variable
Temperature: 52F, Dew Point: 52F, Wind: S 30 mph, gusting to 39 mph
BHO SA 1455 -X E5 OVC 3/4VF 951/52/52/1826G34/938/ F7 STRA DRFTG
OVR SMT VSBY 1/8V11/2 RE15B30E40 PK WND 1835/43 PRESFR/ 8/6//
58047 6002/
METAR KBHO 061455Z 18026G34KT 3/4SM OVC5 11/11 A2938 RMK PK WND
18035/1443 VIS 1/8V1 1/2 RE15B30E40 FG BKN000 PRESFR SLP951 P0000
60002 8/6// T01110111 58047

1 P.M.
Weather: Overcast stratocumulus; Visibility: 25 miles
Temperature: 55F, Dew Point: 54F, Wind: SW 22 mph, gusting to 35 mph
Sea-Level pressure: 29.39 inches, unsteady
BHO SA 1755 E10 OVC 25 954/55/54/2119G30/939/ RE30 PK WND 2331/03
PRESFR PRES UNSTDY/ 8/5// 50003 6002/
METAR KBHO 061755Z 21019G30KT 25SM OVC10 13/12 A2939 RMK PK WND
23031/1703 RE30 PRESFR SLP954 P0000 60002 8/5// T01280122 10128
20106


WEATHER SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 5:

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....45    NORMAL.....41    ASOS.....44 AT MIDNIGHT PM
MIN.....38    NORMAL.....25    ASOS.....38 AT 3:03 AM
MEAN....42    NORMAL.....33
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL......+9
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.....+64  (+12.6 DEGREES/DAY)

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING DEGREE DAYS FOR YESTERDAY.......23   DEPARTURE.....-9
TOTAL HEATING DEGREE DAYS FOR THE MONTH.......99   DEPARTURE....-66
TOTAL HEATING DEGREE DAYS FOR THE SEASON....4725   DEPARTURE....-10
TOTAL HEATING DEGREE DAYS FOR LAST SEASON...5082   DIFFERENCE..-357


PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY........31 SSE AT 5:53 P.M.
                   AEROVANE.........34 SSE AT 6:18 P.M.
                   ASOS.............31 SSE AT 5:52 P.M.
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY..........24 SSE AT 5:53 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.......26 SSE AT 5:53 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION..12.3 SSE
                   ASOS...........13.4


PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.25   DEPARTURE....+0.10
                         ASOS..............0.25
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.37   DEPARTURE....-0.38
                         ASOS..............0.37
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........3.85   DEPARTURE....-5.74
                         ASOS..............3.36

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M......0.0   DEPARTURE....-0.4
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................0.0   DEPARTURE....-2.0
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............41.7   DEPARTURE....-2.1


PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MARCH 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

3/1 55/38/47/+15/   0/0/588/87/     27 MPH S
3/2 63/37/50/+18/0.04/0/298/44/     50 MPH W     Aerovane 50 MPH W
3/3 53/37/45/+13/   0/0/.../../     46 MPH WNW   Aerovane 51 MPH WNW
3/4 48/35/42/+09/0.07/0/.../../     22 MPH WSW
3/5 45/38/42/+09/..../0/  0/ 0/     31 MPH SSE
3/6 ..morning low 45

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

RECORDS FOR MARCH 06
HIGH 66 IN 1894
LOW   3 IN 1948
PRECIP 1.85 INCHES IN 2001
SNOWFALL 15.5 INCHES IN 2001
PEAK GUST 82 MPH S IN 1959

RECORDS FOR MARCH 07
HIGH 66 IN 1946
LOW  -1 IN 1890
PRECIP 2.05 INCHES IN 1967
SNOWFALL 11.1 INCHES IN 1967
PEAK GUST 66 MPH NE IN 1962

TODAY'S REPORT BY: Mike Iacono