BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY 
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2011
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
REMARKABLY RAPID PRESSURE FALLS UP TO 11 MBS.
IN THREE HOURS THROUGH MID-DAY
WINDS ON THE INCREASE FROM SSE-S GUSTING OVER
40-45 MPH EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AS TEMPS. RISE
TOWARD UPPER 40'S WITH ZERO VISIBILITY IN FOG
 
The barometer began falling rapidly this morning
and actually dropped 10.8 millibars in the 3-hours
ending 1 p.m.  Temperatures were on the rise through
the 40's and with dew points rising right along with
the temperature; visibility dropped to zero here by
late morning and early afternoon.  The unusually dense
fog was partly the result of the warm, moist air
blowing over and melting the deep snow cover down from
16 inches early this morning. 
Rainfall was moderate for a couple hours this morning
but the total fell short of a half inch.  In addition,
there was some very light sleet and some freezing rain
causing a light glaze for about an hour or so.
 
The seasonal snowfall total of 89.7 inches is 18th snowiest 
for the entire season (Oct-May), but this amount is 6th 
highest for Oct-Feb.  The winter total of 89.6 inches is
3rd snowiest on record for Dec-Feb. 
 
BHO Snowiest Dec-Feb (inches):
 
1) 117.4 in 1947-48
2) 91.2 in 1995-96
3) 89.6 in 2010-11
4) 89.0 in 1922-23
5) 86.4 in 2004-05
 
BHO Snowiest Oct-Feb (inches):
 
1) 122.2 in 1947-48
2) 97.0 in 1995-96
3) 95.3 in 2002-03
4) 94.2 in 2004-05
5) 90.6 in 1922-23
6) 89.7 in 2010-11
7) 87.8 in 1945-46
  
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M.  
Weather: Obscurement with heavy fog, light showers   
of ice pellets past hour, light freezing drizzle occurring,
began 6:45 a.m., precipitation very light, light glaze,
light rime ice
Temperature: 27F, Dew point: 27F; Wind: SE at 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.06 inches Hg, falling
Visibility: 1/8 mile heavy fog, very light freezing drizzle
24-hour precip.: 0.08 inch
24-hour snowfall: 0.8 inch                                    
Total snow depth on ground: 16 inches
6-hour min. temp: 21F
BHO SA 1155 W3 X 1/8ZL-F 178/27/27/1308/006/
IPB20E25B35E4ZL-B45 TOTAL NEW SNW PST 24 HRS 0.8 IN
FG DEPOSITED THN RIME ICE/ 8//// 4/016 58013 MANUAL 6000/
ASOS 70009 MANUAL 70008 10027 20023
 
10 A.M.  
Weather: Partial obscurement with fog obscuring 3/10 of
the sky, overcast stratus fractus, stratus drifting
over summit, light rain occurring 
Temperature: 32F, Dew point: 32F; Wind: ESE at 10 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 29.80 inches Hg, FALLING RAPIDLY
Visibility: 3/4 mile, light rain and fog, variable,
1/2 to 1.5 miles, 1/8 mile north thru northeast  
3-hour precip: 0.13 in.
3-hour snowfall: trace [ice pellets] 
BHO SA 1455 –X E8 OVC 3/4VR-F 093/32/32/1210/980/F3
STRA DRFTG OVR SMT VSBY 1/2V11/2 N-NE 1/8 CDNS VRBL
PRESFR ZRE00 THN GLZ ALL SFCS/ 8/7// 56085
ASOS 60011 MANUAL 6013/   
 
1 P.M.  
Weather: Heavy fog, rain ended 12:40 p.m.
Temperature: 42F, Dew point: 42F; Wind: SSE at 21 kts,
Wind: Peak wind 28 kts SSE at 12:54 p.m.
Wind: Direction variable ESE-S
Sea-level pressure: 29.49 inches Hg, FALLING RAPIDLY
Visibility: zero, dense fog
6-hour max temp: 42F 
6-hour precip: 0.44 in. 
6-hour snowfall: 0.44 in.  
BHO SA 1755 W1X 0F 985/42/42/1621/949/ RE40 PK WND 1628/54/ 
WND 12V18 PRESFR/ 8//// 58108 MANUAL 6044/ ASOS 60044 10042 
20027 
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....31     NORMAL.....39
MIN.....21     NORMAL.....23
MEAN....26     NORMAL.....31
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL..................-5
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH..................+3 [-0.1 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS    
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY............39    DEPARTURE........+5
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH...........991    DEPARTURE.........9
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON.........4492    DEPARTURE.......-44
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE....4366    DIFFERENCE.....+126
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..............22 NNW AT 11:32 A.M.
                   AEROVANE...............25 NNW AT 11:32 A.M. 
                   ASOS...................22 NNW AT 11:43 A.M. 
                   DAVIS..................22 N   AT 11:31 A.M.  
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY............17 NNW AT 11:30 P.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.............16 NNW AT 11:42 A.M.   
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE............14 NW  AT 11:28 A.M.   
AVERRAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION....... 7.7 NNW
                   ASOS..................8.0               
                   DAVIS.................6.7 N [360 DEG]*
* possibly slowed by icing   
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.08  DEPARTURE.......-0.07
                         ASOS..............0.09   
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........4.48  DEPARTURE.......+0.57
                         ASOS..............4.43   
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........10.49  DEPARTURE.......+1.80
                        ASOS..............11.15**
** ASOS data is in error due to system failure on 1/12-13   
 
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.8  DEPARTURE........+0.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH...............18.5  DEPARTURE........+3.0
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............89.7  DEPARTURE.......+44.8 
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY 2011 CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOW/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/AERO GUST
AERO: Aerovane wind recording system gust when significant
TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day)
....: Data not yet available, records not finalized
 
2/1  20/15/18/-8/0.80/7.5/000/00     27 N
2/2  34/18/26/0/1.17/3.1/000/00      35 NNE  AERO 37 MPH NNE TSTM
2/3  25/15/20/-6/T/T/067/11          21 WNW
2/4  32/13/23/-3/0.00/0.0/595/98     28 SW
2/5  45/22/34/+7/0.24/0.0/000/00     36 SW   AERO 42 MPH SW  TSTM
2/6  41/30/36/+9/0.00/0.0/532/87     53 W    AERO 58 MPH W
2/7  43/28/36/+9/0.04/0.2/049/08     20 SSE
2/8  36/13/25/-2/0.24/1.8/000/00     53 W    AERO 62 MPH W
2/9  28/9/19/-8/0.00/0.0/570/92      42 WNW  AERO 45 MPH WNW
2/10 26/13/20/-7/0.00/0.0/504/81     25 W
2/11 28/11/20/-7/0.00/0.0/537/86     23 SW
2/12 38/21/30/+2/T/T/088/14          39 W    AERO 46 MPH W
2/13 36/19/28/0/0.00/0.0/050/08      37 S    AERO 42 MPH S
2/14 53/33/43/+15/T/0.0/265/42       48 WNW  AERO 51 MPH WNW
2/15 33/16/25/-3/0.00/0.0/629/99     51 WNW  AERO 61 MPH WNW
2/16 39/15/27/-1/0.00/0.0/530/83     30 S    AERO 35 MPH S
2/17 59/34/47/+18/0.00/0.0/276/43    22 WSW
2/18 59/39/49/+20/0.05/0.0/238/37    56 W    AERO 65 MPH W   TSTM
2/19 45/14/30/+1/0.00/0.0/342/53     60 W    AERO 66 MPH W
2/20 33/13/23/-6/0.00/0.0/623/96     45 WNW  AERO 48 MPH WNW
2/21 27/11/19/-10/0.05/1.0/085/13    35 WNW  AERO 39 MPH NW
2/22 34/8/21/-9/0.00/0.0/654/100     28 WNW  AERO 29 MPH WNW
2/23 38/14/26/-4/0.00/0.0/657/100    24 WNW
2/24 42/22/32/+2/.../../.../..       31 S    AERO 33 MPH S
2/25 41/25/33/+2/1.63/1.5/000/00     50 WNW  AERO 56 MPH WNW
2/26 35/21/28/-3/.../.../.../..      36 W    AERO 39 MPH W
2/27 31/21/26/-5/0.26/3.4/000/00     22 NNW
 
2/28 our morning low temp: 23F since midnight; the normal low is 23F
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 2011
None so far.
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 28
HIGH 62F IN 1976
LOW -2F IN 1907,1934
PRECIP 1.79 INCHES IN 1958
SNOWFALL 8.5 INCHES IN 2005
PEAK GUST 88e MPH SSW IN 1943
 
RECORDS FOR MARCH 1
HIGH 62 IN 1972
LOW -3 IN 1886
PRECIP 1.65 INS. IN 1900
SNOWFALL 9.4 INS. IN 1949
PEAK GUST 78 WSW IN 1966
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling/Chris Torchia/Mike Iacono