BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY 
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
SUNDAY, JULY 3, 2011
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
TEMPERATURE NEAR NORMAL TO BEGIN JULY
The first two days of July have averaged
our right on our normal.
 
It has been more than three weeks since the first,
single ripe blueberry was observed, and it took until
yesterday July 1 for additional multiple ripe blueberries
to appear around the summit.
 
This delay was likely due to the cooler and cloudier weather
in the second half of June compared to the very warm temperatures
in late May and early June.
 
Last month was also notable for having a very small range between
the maximum and minimum pressures of around 0.50 inch.
The final pressures are being tabulated and will be reported later;
the rankings of the smallest pressure range for previous years in
June (back to 1942) are listed below. 
 
FROM THE RECORD BOOKS...100 years ago this week the
area experienced a five-day heat wave from July 2-6,
1911 that reached a peak temperature of 99 on Blue Hill
on the 3rd. Readings of 94 were recorded on the 2nd
and 98 on each day from the 4th-6th. This was followed
by temperatures of 99 on the 10th and 98 on the 11th
of July, 1911.  This was also the first time the
temperature had reached as high as 98 or 99 during
the Observatory's first quarter century.
 
JUNE 2011 PRELIMINARY STATS
Average Max Temp:  73.6F [-1.9F]
Average Min Temp:  56.5F [+0.6F]
Mean Temp:  65.1F [-0.6F]
24-hr. Corr Mean Temp:  64.9F
Max Temp:  90F on 8th
Min Temp:  46F on 4th, 5th
Total precipitation:  5.12 ins. [+1.19 in.]
Total heating degree day units (month):    86  [+12]
Total heating degree day units (season): 6239 [-132]
Avg wind speed:  10.0 MPH W 13%
Avg corrected wind speed:  10.6 MPH W 13%
Peak gust:  57 MPH W on 9th
Peak fastest mile:  40 MPH WSW on 2nd
SUNSHINE:
Total Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 14742; poss. 26376; 56%
Total astronomical minutes:         15324; poss. 27362; 56%
 
Earliest Ripe Blueberries (1886-2011)
1) 7 Jun 2011
2) 9 Jun 1934
3) 10 Jun 1922
   10 Jun 1944
   10 Jun 1991
   10 Jun 1994
7) 11 Jun 1977
8) 11 Jun 1985
(Mean date is 21 June)
 
June Lowest Mean Wind Speed in mph (Corrected)
1) 9.8 in 2009
2) 10.3 in 1895
3) 10.6 in 2005
   10.6 in 2008
   10.6 in 2011
6) 10.8 in 2003
7) 10.9 in 2010
 
June Lowest Max-Min Pressure Difference (inches), 1942-2010:
1) 0.48 in 1951
2) 0.51 in 1968
3) 0.52 in 1945
   0.52 in 1983
5) 0.53 in 1969
6) 0.55 in 1953
   0.55 in 1987
8) 0.56 in 1961
 
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M.  
Weather: Scattered altocumulus and altocumulus castellanus,
line of castellanus NE-SSE but also observed all quadrants,
some with virga, broken altocumulus, sky chaotic, dense cirrus
all quadrants, thin spots in overcast covered by thin cirrus,
few stratus dissipating E-S
Temperature: 69F, Dew point: 65F; Wind: SSE at 8 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 29.93 inches Hg, falling 
Visibility: 15 miles, thin fog and hazy  
6-hour min. temp: 64F
24-hour precip.: 0.00 inch
BHO SA 1155 150 SCT E180 BKN 200 BKN 220 OVC 15 135/69/65/1608/993/
FEW STRA E-S DSPTNG ACC ALQDS LINE ACC NE-SSE AC CHAOTIC DNS CI ALQDS
PTCHS VIRGA HIER CI VSB OVC PTLY THN THN FHZ ALQDS/
8/682 58001 10069 20064
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, broken dense cirrus, few
altocumulus castellanus ENE, few altocumulus of chaotic sky
W-N, dense cirrus overhead thru N-E-S, thin cirrus SW-NW    
Temperature: 75F, Dew point: 65F; Wind: S at 9 kts,
Wind: Direction variable SE-SSW 
Sea-level pressure: 29.92 inches Hg, falling
Visibility: 25 miles, hazy 
BHO SA 1455 180 SCT E200 BKN 250 BKN 300 BKN 25 133/75/65/1709/992/
FEW ACC ENE FEW AC CHAOTIC W-N DNS CI OVHD-N-E-S THN CI SW-NW WND 14V20
LGT HZ/ 8/082 58002
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR SATURDAY, JULY 2
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....80    NORMAL.....78
MIN.....61    NORMAL.....60
MEAN....71    NORMAL.....70
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL....................+1
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.....................0 [0.0 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAY SEASON IS COMPLETE 7/1/10 THRU 6/30/11
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (FINAL TOTALS FOR 2010-2011 SEASON)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR JUNE.................86    DEPARTURE........+12
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON.........6239    DEPARTURE.......-132
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE....5678    DIFFERENCE......+561
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..............17 SE  AT  5:17 P.M.
                   AEROVANE...............23 SE  AT  5:17 P.M.
                   ASOS...................20 SSE AT  9:35 P.M.  
                   DAVIS..................20 ESE AT  5:16 P.M. 
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY............14 SSE AT  9:47 P.M.  
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.............14 S   AT 11:39 P.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE............14 ESE AT  5:17 P.M. 
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.........8.1 SSE 
                   ASOS..................7.8 
                   DAVIS.................7.3 SE [130 deg]
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00  DEPARTURE........-0.13
                         ASOS..............0.00  
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.01  DEPARTURE........-0.25
                         ASOS..............0.01
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........27.32  DEPARTURE........+1.39
                        ASOS..............27.87**
**ASOS data is in error due to system failure on 1/12-13
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JUNE-JULY 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
TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day)
....: Data not yet available, records not finalized
 
6/1  80/60/70/+8/0.64/425/47         39 S    AERO 44 MPH S TSTM
6/2  72/52/62/0/0.00/697/77          50 WSW  AERO 54 MPH WSW
6/3  69/48/59/-3/0.00/870/96         36 W    AERO 39 MPH WNW
6/4  64/46/55/-8/0.00/881/97         27 NE  
6/5  70/46/58/-5/0.00/854/94         20 N
6/6  75/54/65/+2/0.00/801/88         17 SSE
6/7  85/59/72/+8/0.00/865/95         22 NW
6/8  90/64/77/+13/0.00/756/83        32 SW   TSTM (no rain)
6/9  88/65/77/+13/0.84/347/38        57 W    AERO 60 MPH W TSTM
6/10 74/60/67/+3/0.00/694/76         21 W
6/11 60/50/55/-10/0.83/000/00        28 ENE  AERO 30 MPH ENE
6/12 55/50/53/-12/0.56/000/00        29 N
6/13 64/51/58/-7/0.08/220/24         17 NNE
6/14 56/51/54/-11/0.04/000/00        28 NNW
6/15 70/51/61/-5/T/815/89            27 N
6/16 86/55/71/+5/0.00/870/95         24 SW
6/17 71/62/67/+1/0.12/174/19         41 S    AERO 43 MPH S
6/18 82/60/71/+5/0.00/633/69         22 WSW
6/19 76/59/68/+1/0.00/871/95         24 NW
6/20 79/58/69/+2/0.00/816/89         17 WSW
6/21 80/60/70/+3/0.00/770/84         21 SE
6/22 70/62/66/-1/1.42/000/00         28 E
6/23 62/57/60/-8/0.21/000/00         33 ENE  AERO 36 MPH ENE
6/24 60/56/58/-10/0.08/000/00        28 NE
6/25 68/54/61/-7/0.30/064/07         18 NNW  TSTM  
6/26 78/59/69/+1/0.00/174/19         17 SSW
6/27 80/61/71/+2/0.00/788/86         17 NE
6/28 82/64/73/+4/0.00/458/50         20 S
6/29 82/62/72/+3/T/631/69            29 W
6/30 80/58/69/0/0.00/.../..          27 WNW
7/1  78/59/69/-1/0.01/.../..         15 WNW
7/2  80/61/71/+1/0.00/.../..         17 SE
 
7/3  our morning low temp: 64F; the normal low 60F 
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR JUNE 2011
DAILY RECORDS FOR JULY 2011
None so far...
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR JULY 3
HIGH 99F IN 1911
LOW 47F IN 1914
PRECIP 1.36 IN 1985
PEAK GUST 52 MPH NW IN 1963
 
RECORDS FOR JULY 4
HIGH 98F IN 1911, 1919, 1949
LOW 48F IN 1914
PRECIP 1.78 IN 1950
PEAK GUST 50e MPH WNW IN 1949
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling