BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2011
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
SUNSHINE THROUGH HIGH CLOUDS AND MILDER TEMPS.
 
The sun was out again today after a day with 100% of
the possible bright sunshine yesterday. Temperatures
started out at 40F which is two degrees above normal
for a change this morning and the afternoon high was
approaching 60F. This will be the first warmer than
normal day during the past week.
 
The record-breaking month of October has come to an end.  Overall,
the month can be summed up as warm, wet, and snowy.  Three new daily
record snowfalls were set in October.  Below are a few notable stats
as well as the preliminary stats for the month.
 
The first freeze of the fall season on the summit occurred on October
27 with a minimum temperature of 32F.  The long term average date of
the first freeze is October 20.
 
BHO Largest October single storm snowfalls (inches):
1) 6.8 on 10 October 1979
2) 6.0 on 29-30 October 2011
3) 4.2 on 13 October 1934
4) 3.0 on 23 October 1891
   3.0 on 24-25 October 1960
   3.0 on 26 October 1962
   3.0 on 18 October 2009
8) 2.5 on 27 October 2011
9) 2.0 on 14 October 1913
   2.0 on 10 October 1925
 
The earliest measurable snowfall was 0.2 inch on 9 October 1888.
The earliest trace of snow occurred on 8 October 1988 and 2001.
A trace or more has occurred in October in 40 of the last 125 years.
 
BHO Snowiest Octobers (inches):
1) 8.5 in 2011
2) 6.8 in 1979
3) 4.2 in 1934
 
BHO Wettest Octobers (inches):
1) 14.72 in 2005
2) 11.76 in 1996
3) 10.84 in 1962
4)  9.96 in 2011
5)  8.89 in 1932
6)  8.12 in 1955
7)  8.07 in 1989
 
OCTOBER 2011 PRELIMINARY STATS
Average Max Temp:  61.1F [+0.8F]
Average Min Temp:  46.5F [+3.6F]
Mean Temp:  53.8F [+2.2F]
24-hr. Corr Mean Temp:  53.1F
Max Temp:  82F on 9th
Min Temp:  30F on 28th
Total heating degree day units (month):  351  [-71]
Total heating degree day units (season): 426 [-165] *start July 1
Total cooling degree day units (month):   12   [+9]
Total cooling degree day units (season): 736 [+178] *start  Jan 1
Total precipitation:  9.96 ins. [+5.54 ins.]
Total snowfall:  8.5 ins. [+8.3 ins.]
Avg wind speed:  12.0 MPH W 13%
Avg corrected wind speed:  12.3 MPH W 13%
Peak gust:  44 MPH S on 20th
Peak fastest mile:  35 MPH S on 20th
October average wind speed of 12.3 MPH was
sixth lowest on record.
SUNSHINE....
Total astronomical minutes: 11088; possible 20551; OR 54%
Total card minutes from Campbell-Stokes sunshine recorder:
10692; possible 19824; or 54%, just one point less than average.
 
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M. 
Weather: Clear, thin undercast fog below summit and inversion
estimated top 4 hundred feet, heavy dew
Temperature: 42F, Dew point: 40F; Wind: SW at 14 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.13 inches Hg, falling
Visibility: 6 miles, thin fog, except 10+ miles above inversion
SW and N
Snow depth: Zero
6-hour min. temp: 40F
BHO SA 1155 CLR 6F 203/42/40/2314/013/ SKC
THN UNDRCST BLO SMT/INVSN ALQDS ESTMTD TOP 4 HND
VSBY SW AND N 10+ ABV INVSN/UNDRCST HVY DEW/
58013 10042 20040 
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered dense cirrus, layer extending S-W-N  
Temperature: 52F, Dew Point: 42F; Wind: SW at 15 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 30.08 inches Hg, falling 
Visibility: 15 miles, except 20 miles WNW, hazy 
BHO SA 1455 220 SCT 15 185/52/42/2215/008/ DNS CI LYR
XTDNG S-W-N VSBY WNW 20 HAZY ALQDS/ 8/002 58018
 
1 P.M. 
Weather: Dense broken cirrostratus, overcast dense cirrostratus,
few altocumulus, few thin spots in overcast distant NE-SE
Temperature: 57F, Dew Point: 38F; Wind: SW at 11 kts,
Wind: Gust to 20 kts past hour
Sea-level pressure: 30.00 inches Hg, falling
Visibility: 30 miles, hazy   
6-hour max. temp: 58F 
BHO SA 1755 E200 BKN 220 OVC 30 159/57/38/2311/000/ FEW AC
FEW THN SPTS IOVC DSNT NE-SE WND GST 20 KTS PST HR HAZY/
8/047 58026 10058 20042
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....54    NORMAL.....54
MIN.....34    NORMAL.....38
MEAN....44    NORMAL.....46
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL....................-2
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH....................-5 [-2.3 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY............21    DEPARTURE........+2
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH............42    DEPARTURE........+4
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON..........468    DEPARTURE......-161
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.....528    DIFFERENCE......-60
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..............17 S   AT 10:45 P.M. *  
                   AERO...................18 S   AT 10:45 P.M. *  
                   ASOS...................18 S   AT 10:38 P.M. 
                   DAVIS..................18 S   AT  9:57 P.M. RMY N/A
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY............15 S   AT 10:37 P.M.  
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.............15 S   AT 10:38 P.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE............14 S   AT 10:38 P.M. 
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.........8.3 N  
                   ASOS..................8.4
                   DAVIS.................8.0 NE [050 deg]
* last of several occurrences....
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00 DEPARTURE..........-0.15
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH  ........0.00 DEPARTURE..........-0.30
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........54.02 DEPARTURE.........+11.70
                        ASOS..............54.45**
**ASOS data is in error due to system failure on 1/12-13/11
 
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.0  DEPARTURE.........0.0
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................0.0  DEPARTURE.........0.0
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON...............8.5  DEPARTURE........+8.3
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR NOVEMBER 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
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
 
11/1  50/38/44/-3/0.00/0.0/286/46/ 25 ENE AERO 24 MPH ENE RMY 24
11/2  54/34/44/-2/0.00/0.0/619/100 17 S   AERO 16 MPH S   RMY N/A
 
11/3  our morning low temp: 40F; the normal low now 38F
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 2011
None to date
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR OCTOBER 2011
10/4 - NEW DAILY RECORD PRECIPITATION OF 1.87 INCHES;
surpasses the previous record of 1.07 set in 1986.
10/9 - NEW DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM TEMP OF 82F;
surpasses the previous record of 81F set in 1909.
10/9 - NEW DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMP OF 61F;
surpasses the previous record of 60F set in 1970.
10/27 - NEW DAILY RECORD SNOWFALL OF 2.5 INCHES;
surpasses the previous record of 0.1 inch in 1957.
10/29 - NEW DAILY RECORD SNOWFALL OF 4.0 INCHES;
surpasses the previous record of 1.5 inches in 2005
10/30 - NEW DAILY RECORD SNOWFALL OF 2.0 INCHES;
surpasses the previous record of 0.6 inches in 2000.
 
NEW MONTHLY RECORD FOR OCTOBER 2011
Total snowfall of 8.5 inches; previous record was
6.8 inches in October 1979.
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 3
HIGH 75 IN 1990
LOW 21 IN 1891
PRECIP 1.92 INCHES IN 1951
SNOWFALL 0.1 IN 1951
PEAK GUST 96e SSE IN 1951
 
RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 4
HIGH 77 IN 1987
LOW 22 IN 1891
PRECIP 3.27 INCHES IN 1910
SNOWFALL 6.4 IN 1945
PEAK GUST 73 WNW IN 1965
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling