BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02186
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
  
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 2008
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME UNLESS NOTED
 
SUNSHINE THROUGH A VEIL OF HIGH MOSTLY THIN CLOUDS
TODAY WITH TEMPERATURES REACHING LOW 40'S BY 
EARLY THIS AFTERNOON
 
High clouds are slowly invading the sky today but thin enough
so the sun is able to be bright enough to be considered
bright sunshine continuing into early this afternoon. 
The air continues very dry with dewpoints in the single 
numbers and relative humidities down in the 20% range. 
 
Today's observations:
 
8 A.M. EDT
Weather: High thin overcast, clear sky band N-E 
Temperature: 27F, Dew point: 9F  Wind: NNW at 6 kts
Wind: gradually veering 
Sea-level pressure: 30.49 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 75 miles,  
6-hour min temp: 24F
Snow depth on ground: none, few patches  
BHO SA 1155 220 SCT 250 –OVC 75 326/27/9/3406/049/ 
LGE BINOVC/CLR SKY BND N-E CI LYR INCRSNG THN K LYR 
ALG S HRZN WND GRDLY VEERING/ 8/006 51006 10028 20024 
  
11 A.M. EDT
Weather: High thin overcast, break distant NE-SE 
Temperature: 35F, Dew point: 10F, Wind: NE at 5 kts 
Sea-level pressure: 30.49 inches Hg, falling
Visibility: 75 miles 
BHO SA 1455 220 SCT 250 –OVC 75 324/35/10/0505/049/ 220 SCT S-W BINOVC
DSNT NE-SE/ 8/007 58002 
 
2 P.M. EDT
Weather: High thin overcast, break distant NE-E few altocumulus and 
cirrocumulus 
Temperature: 40F, Dew point: 05F, Wind: ESE at 6 kts 
Sea-level pressure: 30.40 inches Hg, falling
Visibility: 70 miles
BHO SA 1755 220 SCT 250 –OVC 70 296/40/5/1106/040/
FEW AC/ACSL CC/CCSL BINOVC DSNT NE-E/ 8/047 58028 10041 20027
  
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, MARCH 17
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....41    NORMAL.....45
MIN.....25    NORMAL.....28
MEAN....33    NORMAL.....37
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL...........-4 
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH..........+40 [+2.2 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY............32  DEPARTURE.......+ 3
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH...........485  DEPARTURE.......-45 
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON.........4733  DEPARTURE......-365 
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE....4636  DIFFERENCE......+97  
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY............42 WNW  AT 4:42 A.M.       
                   AEROVANE.............39 WNW  AT 4:42 A.M.      
                   ASOS.................39 WNW  AT 4:42 A.M.     
                   DAVIS................37 NW   AT  n/a       
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY..............30 WNW AT  4:44 A.M.   
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE...........28 WNW  AT 4:44 A.M.    
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE..........30 NW   AT n/a    
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION...... 17.3 NW
                   ASOS................16.6      
                   DAVIS...............18.0 NW [310 deg]    
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M... 0.00   DEPARTURE......-0.16  
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........4.29   DEPARTURE......+1.70 
                         ASOS..............4.29  
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........16.33   DEPARTURE......+4.90
                         ASOS.............18.60 #
# Includes erroneous ASOS precipitation data on 2/13/08.
 
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M......... 0.0   DEPARTURE.....-0.4
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................5.7   DEPARTURE.....-1.7 
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............65.8   DEPARTURE....+13.0 
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MARCH 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, records not finalized
 
3/1  37/20/29/-3/0.34/3.2/034/05   38 W     Aero 40 MPH W
3/2  37/23/30/-2/0/0/564/83        40 WNW 
3/3  46/24/35/+3/0/0/327/48        42 S     Aero 43 MPH S 
3/4  58/36/47/+14/0.41/0/089/13    42 S     Aero 43 MPH S
3/5  57/33/45/+12/0.31/0/199/29    45 S
3/6  46/27/37/+4/0/0/573/83        27 WSW 
3/7  44/31/38/+5/0.28/0/395/57     29 NE
3/8  61/35/48/+14/2.20/0/000/00    69 SSW   Aero 70 MPH S
3/9  47/24/36/+2/0/0/698/100       65 W     Aero 65 MPH W 
3/10 38/19/29/-5/0/0/687/98        31 W 
3/11 42/19/31/-4/0/0/.../..        31 S 
3/12 40/30/35/0/0.26/0.6/.../..    41 WNW
3/13 43/25/34/-1/T/T/.../..        31 W
3/14 53/30/42/+6/0.01/0/.../..     24 ENE 
3/15 37/32/35/-1/0.48/1.9/.../..   39 NNE
3/16 40/31/36/0/T/T/.../..         42 WNW   Aero 42 MPH WNW
3/17 41/25/33/-4/0/0/.../..        42 WNW   Aero 39 MPH WNW
 
3/18 morning low temp. 24F; normal low is now 28F

  
NEW DAILY RECORDS FOR MARCH 2008
 
3/8 PEAK WIND GUST - 69 MPH SSW; PREVIOUSLY 68e MPH NE, 1941
 
3/8 NEW RECORD MAXIMUM DAILY RAINFALL of 2.20 inches; 
the previous record was 1.73 inches in 1933. 
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR MARCH 18
HIGH 68 IN 1999
LOW 0 IN 1885
PRECIP 5.61 INS. IN 1968  [RECORD FOR MONTH]
SNOWFALL 9.3 INS. IN 1985
PEAK GUST 71e MPH WNW IN 1941
 
RECORDS FOR MARCH 19
HIGH 69 IN 1903
LOW -2 IN 1967
PRECIP 1.69 INS. IN 1956
SNOWFALL 17.6 INS. IN 1956 [RECORD FOR MONTH]
PEAK GUST 75e MPH WNW IN 1941
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED By: Robert Skilling