BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02186 ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2005 ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME [unless otherwise noted] TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA PASSES OFFSHORE WITH MINIMAL IMPACT ON NEW ENGLAND...SEPTEMBER CONTINUES TO AVERAGE WARMER THAN NORMAL... Tropical Storm Ophelia is now racing to the northeast away from New England this afternoon after passing about 70 miles southeast of Nantucket shortly after sunrise this morning. The Nantucket Shoals buoy about 54 miles southeast of the island recorded a peak gust to 54 mph as the storm passed. Cape Cod and the islands have received 3-5 inches of rain during the past two days. At the Observatory, the heavy rain occurred on Thursday when 2.43 inches was recorded. The additional 0.18 inch on Friday night raised the monthly total to over three inches. The warm temperatures continue to hold the average departure for the month to about 4 degrees per day warmer than normal. Today's observations: 7 A.M. EST Weather: Sky obscured in heavy fog with a light rain shower Temperature: 61F, Dew point: 61F, Wind: NNW 12 mph Sea-level pressure: 29.89 inches, falling Visibility: 1/16 mile BHO SA 1155 W2 X 1/16RW-F 122/61/61/3310/989/ PCPN VRY LGT/ 8//// 55007 6002/ 70018 10063 20061 10 A.M. EST Weather: Sky obscured with heavy fog and light drizzle Temperature: 63F, Dew point: 63F, Wind: N 11 mph Sea-level pressure: 29/90 inches, rising Visibility: 1/16 mile BHO SA 1455 W1 X 1/16L-F 126/63/63/3509/990/ WND 32V01/ 8//// 53004 6000/ 1 P.M. EST Weather: Overcast with stratus and very light drizzle Temperature: 65F, Dew point: 65F, Wind: NNW 8 mph Sea-level pressure: 29.90 inches, steady Visibility: 8 miles BHO SA 1755 E3 OVC 8L- 126/65/65/3307/990/ FEW LWR STRA BLO SMT NE-E L-B50 PCPN VRY LGT WND LGT/ 8/6// 50000 6000/ 10065 20061 WEATHER SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F) MAX.....68 NORMAL.....71 ASOS.....67 AT N/A MIN.....62 NORMAL.....53 ASOS.....61 AT N/A MEAN....65 NORMAL.....62 DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL......+3 TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.....+69 (+4.1 DEGREE/DAY) PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.........24 NNE AT 6:32 P.M. AEROVANE..........27 NNE AT 6:32 P.M. ASOS..............23 NE AT N/A DAVIS.............24 NNE AT 6:31 P.M. FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........17 NNE AT 6:26 P.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.......N/A AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION...10.6 NNE ASOS.............N/A PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST) TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.18 DEPARTURE....+0.04 ASOS..............0.15 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........3.02 DEPARTURE....+0.85 ASOS..............3.03 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........42.11 DEPARTURE....+6.62 ASOS...............N/A* *EXCLUDES 3.19 INCHES OF ERRONEOUS PRECIPITATION RECORDED FROM 1/23-1/28. PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR SEPTEMBER 2005......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 9/1 81/73/73/+6/0.41/773/98 28 WNW 9/2 83/62/73/+7/0/786/100 23 WSW 9/3 78/61/70/+4/0/782/100 25 WNW 9/4 78/60/69/+3/0/725/93 21 NE 9/5 70/57/64/-1/0/770/99 24 NNE 9/6 74/56/65/0/775/100 16 S 9/7 81/57/69/+4/0/742/96 21 S 9/8 83/59/71/+6/0/670/87 20 SSW 9/9 70/60/65/+1/0/276/36 21 NW 9/10 71/53/62/-2/0/756/99 21 NNW 9/11 73/49/61/-3/0/709/93 28 SSW 9/12 88/60/74/+11/0/691/91 29 SW 9/13 81/66/74/+11/0/688/91 23 SSE 9/14 85/65/75/+12/0/550/73 27 S 9/15 72/66/69/+7/.../.../.. 23 WNW 9/16 68/62/65/+3/.../.../.. 24 NNE 9/17 ..overnight low 61 DAILY EXTREMES Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated): RECORDS FOR SEPTEMBER 17 HIGH 86F IN 1915,1941,1991 LOW 38F IN 1959 PRECIP 2.73 INCHES IN 1933 PEAK GUST 60 MPH WNW IN 1999 RECORDS FOR SEPTEMBER 18 HIGH 88F IN 1906 LOW 36F IN 1919 PRECIP 4.25 INCHES IN 1996 PEAK GUST 77e MPH WNW IN 1948 TODAY'S REPORT BY: Mike Iacono