BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02186
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
  
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
SATURDAY, JANUARY 12, 2008
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

RECORD DAILY RAINFALL OF 1.58 INCHES ON FRIDAY...
SMALL HAIL WITH THUNDERSTORMS YESTERDAY MORNING...
The storm total precipitation on Friday of 1.58 inches
is a new record for the date surpassing 1.14 inches
in 1956.  There were several thunderstorms during the
morning, with small hail occurring shortly before 
the 10 AM observation. Hail is a very rare occurrence in
January with none being observed in the last 30 years
before yesterday. Earlier records have not been checked. 
After another warm day on Friday, the first 11 days of 
the month are now averaging more than 8 degrees warmer 
than normal per day. 

Today's observations:

7 A.M.   
Weather: Scattered altocumulus and dense cirrus, thin
overcast cirrus
Temperature: 38F, Dew point: 33F, Wind: W at 11 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.93 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 40 miles
6-hour min temp: 38F 
24-hour rainfall: 1.46 in.
Snow on ground: none
BHO SA 1155 150 SCT 200 SCT 250 –OVC 40 134/38/33/2811/
993/ FEW LWR AC FEW PTCHS GF/ 8/071 53020 70146 10044 
20038

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered cirrus, thin overcast cirrus
Temperature: 42F, Dew point: 32F, Wind: W at 8 kts 
Wind: light and direction variable
Sea-level pressure: 29.98 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 40 miles, hazy
BHO SA 1455 200 SCT 250 –OVC 40 151/42/32/2808/998/ FEW AC 
HAZY WND LGT AND VRB/ 8/071 56017

1 P.M. 
Weather: Thin overcast cirrus
Temperature: 45F, Dew point: 29F, Wind: W at 12 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.97 inches Hg, falling
Visibility: 50 miles, hazy   
6-hour max. temp. 46F 
BHO SA 1755 250 –OVC 50 148/45/29/2712/997/ FEW LWR DNS CI 
HAZY/ 8/001 58003 10046 20037

WEATHER SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 11

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....55    NORMAL.....34 
MIN.....35    NORMAL.....18
MEAN....45    NORMAL.....26
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL..........+19 
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH..........+94 [+8.3 DEGREES/DAY] 

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY............20  DEPARTURE......-19 
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH...........330  DEPARTURE......-93 
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON.........2497  DEPARTURE.....-255
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE....2135  DIFFERENCE....+362

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY............46 S   AT 4:13 P.M. * 
                   AEROVANE.............48 S   AT 3:53 P.M. 
                   ASOS.................47 SSW AT 3:54 P.M.
                   DAVIS................43 S   AT 4:27 P.M.
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY..............37 S   AT 3:53 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE...........35 S   AT 4:14 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE..........31 S   AT 4:29 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION........15.1 E
                   ASOS.................14.5    
                   DAVIS................14.7 SSE [151 deg] 
* Last of several occurrences.
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....1.46  DEPARTURE....+1.30 
                         ASOS..............1.54 
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........1.83  DEPARTURE....+0.15
                         ASOS..............1.92  
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........1.83  DEPARTURE....+0.15
                         ASOS..............1.92 

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M............T* DEPARTURE.....-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................1.8  DEPARTURE.....-3.7
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............32.3  DEPARTURE....+13.2
* Trace of small hail.

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/+6/0.24/1.8/055/10   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/-11/0/0/253/46        31 SSW
1/5   38/24/31/+4/0/0/292/53        28 SSW
1/6   47/34/41/+15/0/0/133/24       27 SSW 
1/7   54/39/47/+21/0/0/.../..       29 S 
1/8   65/45/55/+29/0/0/.../..       37 S 
1/9   59/42/51/+25/0.01/0/.../..    48 S
1/10  47/35/41/+15/0/0/.../..       35 W
1/11  55/35/45/+19/1.58/T/0/0       46 S    Aero 48 MPH S

1/12   morning low temp. 37F; our normal low is now 18F

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 1.14 inches in 1956

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

RECORDS FOR JANUARY 12
HIGH 57F IN 1913, 1975
LOW -15F IN 1886
PRECIP 1.46 INS. IN 1900
SNOW 6.0 INS. IN 1923
WIND 84e MPH S IN 1980

RECORDS FOR JANUARY 13
HIGH 57F IN 1890,1932
LOW -10F IN 1912,1914
PRECIP 1.54 INS. IN 1979
SNOWFALL 12.6 INS. IN 1964
PEAK GUST 74 MPH NE IN 1964

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED By: Mike Iacono

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