BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02186
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
  
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2008
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
HEAVY RAIN, SLEET, FOG AND THUNDER ON FRIDAY...
JANUARY 2008 WAS WARMER THAN AVERAGE...
A strong low pressure system moved through northern
New England yesterday and a cold front passed through
the area late on Friday.  This brought periods of heavy
rain during the day with a 0.1 inch of sleet and a few 
snow flakes at mid-day.  The high temperature of 53 
occurred at 11:30 PM just before the cold frontal
passage.  The peak gust for the day of 54 mph SSE
also occurred just before midnight, and there was
a brief thunderstorm between 10 and 11 PM.  Strong
winds continue today, with a peak gust to 53 mph SW
at 3:18 AM and another gust to 50 mph WSW at 11:52 AM.
 
January 2008 Summary
 
Temp Max: 37.8 [+4.0]
Temp Min: 22.7 [+4.6] 
Temp Mean: 30.3 [+4.3]
Heating Degree Days = 1070 [-137]
Precipitation: 3.87 ins. [-0.91]
Snowfall: 13.6 ins. [-2.2]
Wind speed (corrected): 14.0 mph 
Prevailing direction: WSW 16%
Peak Gust: 53 MPH WSW [30th]
Mean Station Pressure: 993.8 mb (29.35 inches)
Mean Vapor Pressure: 4.0 mb
 

Today's observations:
 
7 A.M. 
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus, few altocumulus,
stratocumulus advancing from NW
Temperature: 38F, Dew point: 32F, Wind: WSW at 20G30 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.85 inches Hg, rising rapidly
Visibility: 70 miles, 45 miles W-NW
6-hour min temp: 38F 
24-hour precipitation: 1.16 inches
BHO SA 1155 35 SCT 70 107/38/32/2420G30/985/ FEW AC 
VSBY W-NW 45 PRESRR PK WND 2438/02/ 8/570 53054 70116 
10046 20038
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Overcast stratocumulus, few breaks in overcast
Temperature: 40F, Dew point: 30F, Wind: WSW at 20G33 kts 
Wind: Peak gust past hour 36 kts WSW at 8:59 A.M.
Sea-level pressure: 29.97 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 70 miles
BHO SA 1455 30 SCT E35 OVC 70 148/40/30/2420G33/997/ 
BINOVC NNW-SE PK WND 2436/1359/ 8/5// 53041
 
1 P.M.
Weather: Broken stratocumulus
Temperature: 43F, Dew point: 28F, Wind: WSW at 26G39 kts 
Wind: Peak gust past hour 39 kts WSW at 12:52 P.M.
Sea-level pressure: 30.00 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 60 miles, 50 miles W-NW
6-hour max. temp. 44F
BHO SA 1755 E35 BKN 60 158/43/28/2526G39/000/ VSBY W-NW 50 
PK WND 2539/52/ 8/5// 53010 10044 20038
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....53    NORMAL.....34 
MIN.....26    NORMAL.....18
MEAN....40    NORMAL.....26
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL..........+14 
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH..........+14 [+14 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY............25  DEPARTURE......-14
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH............25  DEPARTURE......-14 
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON.........3262  DEPARTURE.....-313  
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE....2981  DIFFERENCE....+281  
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY............54 SSE AT 11:34 P.M. 
                   AEROVANE.............59 SSE AT 11:34 P.M. 
                   ASOS.................55 S   AT 11:34 P.M.
                   DAVIS................58 SSE AT 11:34 P.M. 
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY..............40 SSE AT 11:39 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE...........39 S   AT 11:41 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE..........40 SSE AT 11:38 P.M. 
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.......18.4 ENE    
                   ASOS................17.7 
                   DAVIS...............17.7 ENE [68 deg]   
   
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....1.16  DEPARTURE.....+1.01    
                         ASOS..............1.20 
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........1.16  DEPARTURE.....+1.01
                         ASOS..............1.20  
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........5.03  DEPARTURE.....+0.10
                         ASOS..............5.16 
  
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.1  DEPARTURE.....-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................0.1  DEPARTURE.....-0.5 
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............44.2  DEPARTURE....+14.2 
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 2008 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
 
1/1   38/28/33/+6/0.24/1.8/049/09   30 E   
1/2   29/7/18/-9/T/T/006/01         43 NW   Aero 43 MPH NW
1/3   11/2/7/-20/0/0/539/98         35 NW
1/4   30/2/16/-11/0/0/242/44        31 SSW
1/5   38/24/31/+4/0/0/287/52        28 SSW
1/6   47/34/41/+15/0/0/133/24       27 SSW 
1/7   54/39/47/+21/0/0/188/34       29 S 
1/8   65/45/55/+29/0/0/283/51       37 S 
1/9   59/42/51/+25/0.01/0/167/30    48 S
1/10  47/35/41/+15/0/0/340/61       35 W
1/11  55/35/45/+19/1.58/T/0/0       46 S    Aero 48 MPH S
1/12  47/32/40/+14/0/0/376/67       28 W
1/13  42/30/36/+10/0/0/455/81       33 ENE 
1/14  36/24/30/+4/1.45/10.3/000/00  37 NE   Aero 36 MPH NE
1/15  30/21/26/0/T/T/000/00         25 NW 
1/16  30/16/23/-3/0/0/560/99        28 NW
1/17  32/17/25/-1/T/T/165/29        23 ESE  Aero 19 MPH ESE
1/18  44/28/36/+10/0.39/0.2/331/58  41 W    Aero 39 MPH W
1/19  33/24/29/+4/0/0/086/15        25 W 
1/20  29/13/21/-4/0/0/367/64        38 WNW  Aero 40 MPH WNW  
1/21  21/10/16/-10/0/0/564/98       35 W    Aero 33 MPH W 
1/22  37/15/26/+1/0.03/0.1/110/19   52 S    Aero 55 MPH S   
1/23  35/23/29/+4/0/0/574/99        31 W 
1/24  29/19/24/-2/0/0/203/35        28 NW   Aero 25 MPH NW
1/25  28/11/20/-6/0/0/583/100       36 W    Aero 33 MPH W 
1/26  31/17/24/-2/0/0/.../..        23 WSW
1/27  30/21/26/0/0.13/1.2/000/00    47 N    Aero 44 MPH N      
1/28  38/19/29/+3/0/0/384/65        40 NW   Aero 39 MPH NNW  
1/29  46/22/34/+8/T/0/.../..        23 SE 
1/30  47/28/38/+12/0.04/0/.../..    53 WSW
1/31  34/21/28/+2/0/0/.../..        28 WSW  Aero 25 MPH WSW
 
NEW DAILY RECORDS FOR JANUARY 2008:
 
1/8 - New record high temperature of 65 deg; 
the previous record, 59 deg. in 1930
New record high minimum temperature of 45 deg; 
the previous record, 41 deg. in 1930, 1935, 1967
 
1/9 - New record high minimum temperature of 42 deg;
the previous record, 39 deg. in 1937, 1956.
 
1/11 - New record rainfall of 1.58 inches; surpasses
previous record of 1.14 inches in 1956
 
1/14 - New record daily snowfall of 10.3 inches; surpasses 
previous record of 9.0 inches in 1999. 
New record maximum daily precipitation of 1.45 inches; 
surpasses 1.35 inches in 2006
 

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY 2008 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   53/26/40/+14/1.16/0.1/0/0       54 SSE  Aero 59 MPH SSE TSTM
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 2
HIGH 55F IN 1951, 1973
LOW -12F IN 1961
PRECIP 1.91 INS. IN 1999
SNOWFALL 5.5 INS. IN 1916, 1934
PEAK GUST 92 MPH SW IN 1970
 
RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 3
HIGH 58F IN 1991
LOW -7F IN 1955
PRECIP 2.14 INS. IN 1970
SNOWFALL 7.0 INS. IN 1913
PEAK GUST 102 MPH S IN 1970 [RECORD FOR MONTH]
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED By: Mike Iacono