BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY 
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2011  
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
AUGUST 31 -- END OF THE MONTH AND ALSO THE END OF
METEOROLOGICAL SUMMER, JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST
ALSO THE 57TH ANNIVERSARY OF HURRICANE CAROL IN 1954
 
August 2011 has been a wet and slightly warmer than normal
month. In fact, the rainfall total of 8.36 is more than
twice the 30-year normal for the month which places it
7th wettest on our entire record. The monthly average
temperature will be about one degree above the 30-year normal.
On this date in 1954 Hurricane Carol brought a peak wind
gust to 125 MPH from the SE and 2.46 inches of rainfall as
it moved northward through western New England. 
 
August 28, 2011, Tropical Storm IRENE brought a peak gust
to 77 MPH SE on our manual observation system but peak
gusts over 80 MPH on several other systems including 81 MPH
on ASOS,(Automated Surface Observing System).
 
On August 28, 1971, Tropical Storm DORIA brought a peak
gust to 87 MPH and fastest mile recorded at 67 MPH, not likely
corrected to 62 MPH as would be done by the current correction
standards. 
 
The track of Doria was very similar to Irene, but it was
never a hurricane.  Doria was strongest during its landfall
over Cape Hatteras with peak sustained winds to 65 mph. It
then crossed coastal NJ and western New England as a 50 mph
tropical storm.  Doria brought less rainfall to Blue Hill
than Irene did, just 0.69 inch, though the gust to 87 mph
at the Observatory is the strongest gust at Blue Hill for
any cyclone that passed as a tropical storm since the late 19th
century. The 77 mph gust from Irene was the strongest measured
at the Observatory from a tropical system since Bob (78 mph)
back in 1991. 
 
Our climatology of tropical cyclones in New England was last 
updated in 2009, and this report is now available on our web 
site along with the supplemental list of storms that have affected 
New England since 1851, which is updated through Irene:
 
http://www.bluehill.org/climate/climate.html

 
WETTEST AUGUSTS (inches)
1) 18.78  1955
2) 11.44  1946
3) 10.72  1927
4)  8.92  1976
5)  8.68  2010
6)  8.58  1917
7)  8.36  2011 
8)  8.00  1924
9)  7.72  1975
10  7.48  1936
 
Today's observations:                                                                                
 
7 A.M.  
Weather: Thin broken cirrus, lower cirrus layer SW-NW,
mostly cirrus radiatus
Temperature: 66F, Dew point: 56F; Wind: W at 7 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.20 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 50 miles, distant haze
6-hour min. temp: 61F
BHO SA 1155 250 SCT 300 –BKN 50 227/66/56/2807/020/
LWR CI/CS LYR SW-NW DSNT HZ/ 8/001 53013 10066 20061
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Thin scattered cirrus filosus and radiatus 
Temperature: 77F, Dew Point: 58F; Wind: N at 7 kts,
Wind: Gradually veering
Sea-level pressure: 30.22 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 35 miles, WNW 45 miles, distant haze increasing
BHO SA 1455 250 –SCT 300 –BKN 35 234/77/58/3507/022/ VSBY WNW 45
NE 30 DSNT HZ INCRSG WND GRDLY VEERING/ 8/001 51007  
 
1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered cumulus/moderate cumulus S-W-N, few thin
cirrus, lower ci layer distant SW-NW
Temperature: 79F, Dew Point: 59F; Wind: ENE at 5 kts
Wind: Light 
Sea-level pressure: 30.21 inches Hg, falling
Visibility: 40 miles, WNW 45 miles, distant haze 
6-hour max. 80F 
BHO SA 1755 50 SCT 220 SCT 250 SCT 40 229/79/59/0705/021/
CU/MDT CU S-W-N FEW THN CI LWR CI LYR 220 DSNT SW-NW VSBY
WNW 45 DSNT HZ ALQDS WND LGT/ 8/201 57005 10080 20066
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 30
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....78    NORMAL.....76
MIN.....57    NORMAL.....58
MEAN....68    NORMAL.....67
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.....................+1
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH....................+36 [+1.0 DEGREES/DAY]
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..............16 SW  AT 11:19 P.M. * 
                   AEROVANE...............21 SW  AT 11:19 P.M. 
                   ASOS...................17 WSW AT 11:20 P.M.
                   DAVIS..................17 SW  AT 11:17 P.M. 
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY............13 SW  AT 11:16 P.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.............13 SW  AT 11:20 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE............13 SW  AT 11:16 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.........6.6 NNW   
                   ASOS..................7.4
                   DAVIS.................6.2 WNW [295 deg]
* last of several occurrences....
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00  DEPARTURE.........-0.14
                         ASOS..............0.00  
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........8.36  DEPARTURE.........+4.44
                         ASOS..............8.38
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........38.05  DEPARTURE.........+4.72
                        ASOS..............38.56**
**ASOS data is in error due to system failure on 1/12-13
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR AUGUST 2011 CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/AERO GUST
AERO: Aerovane wind recording system gust when significant
RMY:  R.M. Young wind gust recording system added 8/9/2011
TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day)
....: Data not yet available, records not finalized
 
8/1  91/69/80/+8/T/503/58       24 S
8/2  88/63/76/+4/0.15/657/76    27 NNE AERO 34 MPH TSTM
8/3  76/59/68/-4/0.00/673/78    18 ENE AERO 25 MPH
8/4  77/62/70/-2/0.00/783/91    20 NE  
8/5  78/61/70/-2/0.00/575/67    20 SE
8/6  85/66/76/+4/0.01/265/31    22 SSW AERO 28 MPH
8/7  73/67/70/-1/1.09/000/00    33 SSE AERO 39 MPH
8/8  80/70/75/+4/0.26/332/39    15 NNW
8/9  77/64/71/0/0.82/433/51     29 ESE AERO 36 MPH RMY 32 MPH TSTM **
8/10 79/61/70/-1/1.15/364/43    18 W   AERO 21 MPH RMY 18 MPH
8/11 79/61/70/-1/0.00/776/92    24 W   AERO 29 MPH RMY 27 MPH
8/12 81/58/70/-1/0.00/817/97    18 WNW AERO 25 MPH RMY 21 MPH
8/13 82/63/73/+2/0.00/512/61    15 SSW AERO 21 MPH RMY 19 MPH
8/14 74/65/70/0/0.04/000/00     21 S   AERO 28 MPH RMY 23 MPH
8/15 67/58/63/-7/1.89/000/00    40 NNE AERO 43 NNE RMY 41 MPH
8/16 69/58/61/-6/T/0.09/058/07  21 WNW AERO 24 MPH RMY 19 MPH
8/17 83/61/72/+2/0.00/813/98    20 W   AERO 24 MPH RMY 21 MPH
8/18 85/64/75/+5/0.00/695/84    24 SSW AERO 30 MPH RMY 26 MPH
8/19 85/67/76/+6/T/371/45       31 W   AERO 37 MPH RMY 31 MPH TSTM 
8/20 83/67/75/+6/0.01/411/50    20 SSE AERO 25 MPH RMY 22 MPH
8/21 82/66/74/+5/0.04/311/38    35 S   AERO 42 MPH RMY 36 MPH
8/22 75/60/68/-1/0.67/661/81    33 W   AERO 40 MPH RMY 37 MPH
8/23 77/55/66/-3/0.00/724/89    20 WSW AERO 24 MPH RMY 21 MPH  
8/24 78/61/70/+1/0.00/681/84    33 S   AERO 40 MPH RMY 36 MPH
8/25 83/65/74/+6/..../388/48    36 SSW AERO 44 MPH RMY 39 MPH
8/26 84/66/75/+7/..../758/94    26 WSW AERO 32 MPH RMY N/A
8/27 79/67/73/+5/..../040/05    23 E   AERO 28 MPH RMY N/A
8/28 72/62/67/-1/..../000/00    77 SE  AERO 89 MPH RMY 82 MPH "IRENE"
8/29 77/56/67/0/0.00/.../..     43 SW  AERO 48 MPH RMY N/A
8/30 78/57/68/+1/0.00/.../..    16 SW  AERO 21 MPH RMY 18 MPH  
 
8/31 our morning low temp: 61F; the normal low is now 58F
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR AUGUST 2011
None so far.
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR AUGUST 31
HIGH 94F IN 1953
LOW 42F IN 1976
PRECIP 2.46 INCHES IN 1954
PEAK GUST 125 MPH SE IN 1954 [CAROL - RECORD FOR MONTH]
 
RECORDS FOR SEPTEMBER 1
HIGH 93F IN 1969, 2010
LOW 47F IN 1975
PRECIP 1.60 INCHES IN 1927
PEAK GUST 59e MPH S IN 1945, SSW IN 1965
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling / Mike Iacono
 
If you do not wish to receive this Daily Discussion and
Climate Summary from the Blue Hill Observatory, please
send an email to sitemaster@bluehill.org.