BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02186 ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 2008 ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME UNLESS NOTED A FIFTH AUGUST DAY WITH THUNDER HEARD HERE YESTERDAY BUT VERY LITTLE RAINFALL--ONLY 0.08 INCH WHILE DOWNPOURS BROUGHT HAIL AND INCHES OF RAIN TO OUR WEST THROUGH NORTH AN UNSEASONABLY COOL AND OVERCAST DAY TODAY WITH TEMP- ERATURES STUCK IN THE LOW TO MID 60'S WITH LIGHT RAIN AND SHOWERS NOT AMOUNTING TO MUCH AT ALL Over one inch of rain fell in Boston yesterday including some large hail up to 0.88 inch in diameter while several inches of rain fell in areas to the west and northwest of the city. Here, though, only 0.08 inch was measured as distant thunder was heard and we remained on the fringes of the storms during the afternoon. Sunday became the 5th day this month with thunder heard. The clouds broke to show some blue sky early this afternoon after just some light rain and showers this morning amounting to only 0.06 inch. To our south the New Bedford area received several inches of rain in thunderstorms, and downpours which may have included some hail this morning. Today's observations: 8 A.M. EDT Weather: Scattered to broken stratus fractus, scattered stratocumulus, overcast nimbostratus. Light rain and ended past hour Temperature: 62F, Dew point: 62F, Wind: East at 10 kts Sea-level pressure: 29.87 inches Hg, rising Visibility: 6 miles in light fog 6-hourly minimum temperature: 61F 24-hourly rainfall: 0.08 in. BHO SA 1155 3 VSCT 50 SCT E80 OVC 6F 114/62/62/0810/987/ 3 SCT V BKN SCC/ACC ALQDS RB05E35/ 8/78/ 51004 MANUAL 6000/ ASOS 70007 MANUAL 70008 10063 20061 11 A.M. EDT Weather: Scattered stratus fractus, broken stratocumulus, overcast nimbostratus, light rain occurring, very light Temperature: 63F, Dew point: 62F, Wind: ENE at 10 kts, Wind: gust to 22 kts past hour Sea-level pressure: 29.85 inches Hg, steady Visibility: 10 miles, light rain, 15 miles to the west thru north, 6 miles east through south, thin fog BHO SA 1455 6 SCT E12 BKN 65 OVC 10R- 110/63/62/0710/985/ SC/MDT CUFRM TOPS VSBY W-N 15 E-S 6 THN FG ALQDS PCPN VRY LGT GST 22 KTS PST HR/ 8/72/ 55004 MANUAL 6000 2 P.M. EDT Weather: Broken low stratus fractus clouds and stratocumulus clouds, broken altocumulus clouds, cumulonimbus distant NE moving NE, light rain ended 10 and began 30 ended 45 past this hour Temperature: 63F, Dew point: 62F, Wind: NNE at 9 kts Sea-level pressure: 29.82 inches Hg, falling Visibility: 12 miles, but only 3 miles W-NE 6-hourly max. temp. 64F 6-hourly rainfall: 0.06 inch BHO SA 1755 E5V BKN 20 BKN 100 BKN 200 BKN 12 097/63/62/0309/982/ CB TOP VSB NE CB NE MOVG NE TCU DSNT SE-SSE FEW STRA DRFTG BLO SMT CIG RGD 5 BKN V SCT VSBY W-NE 3 THN FG ALQDS RE10B30E45/ 8/763 56013 MANUAL 6006/ ASOS 60006 10064 20062 WEATHER SUMMARY FOR SUNDAY, AUGUST 10 TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F) MAX.....80 NORMAL.....80 MIN.....61 NORMAL.....62 MEAN....71 NORMAL.....71 DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL............. 0 TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH............-21 [-1.9 DEGREES/DAY] PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY............24 ESE AT 2:07 P.M. AEROVANE.............22 ESE AT 2:07 P.M. ASOS.................23 ESE AT 2:07 P.M. DAVIS................25 ESE AT 2:05 P.M. FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY..............17 ESE AT 2:07 P.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE...........17 ESE AT 2:07 P.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE..........18 ESE AT 2:07 P.M. AVERAGE.............6.1 W ASOS................6.2 DAVIS...............6.0 E [080 deg] PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST) TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.08 DEPARTURE......-0.05 ASOS..............0.07 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........2.88 DEPARTURE......+1.61 ASOS..............2.95 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........33.81 DEPARTURE......+3.13 ASOS.............36.38 # # Includes erroneous ASOS precipitation data on 2/13/08. PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR AUGUST 2008 CALENDAR DAY DATA DATA REPORTED: DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/AERO GUST AERO: Aerovane recording wind system gust when significant TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day) ....: Data not yet available, records not finalized 8/1 85/66/76/+4/0.00/719/83 16 WSW 8/2 80/65/73/+1/0.80/346/40 21 NW TSTM 8/3 81/61/71/-1/0.56/422/49 52 NW Aero 55 MPH NW TSTM 8/4 79/60/70/-2/0.01/731/85 25 WNW 8/5 72/63/68/-4/T/377/44 21 NE 8/6 64/60/62/-10/0.55/000/00 31 ESE 8/7 72/61/67/-4/.../009/01 21 SW TSTM 8/8 77/59/68/-3/.../442/52 23 ENE TSTM 8/9 78/59/69/-2/0.00/534/63 16 SSE 8/10 80/61/71/0/0.08/474/56 24 ESE TSTM 8/11 morning low temp: 61F; our normal low is now 62f NEW DAILY RECORDS FOR AUGUST 8/3 - PEAK GUST OF 52 MPH FROM THE NW IS NEW RECORD FOR THE DATE; PREVIOUS RECORD 41 MPH NE IN 1964 DAILY EXTREMES Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated): RECORDS FOR AUGUST 11 HIGH 97F IN 1944 LOW 49F IN 1972 PRECIP 3.13 INCHES IN 1990 PEAK GUST 44 MPH SW IN 1971 RECORDS FOR AUGUST 12 HIGH 99F IN 1944 LOW 48F IN 1930 PRECIP 1.89 INCHES IN 1979 PEAK GUST 50 MPH NE IN 1983 TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED By: Robert Skilling