BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2011 HALLOWEEN DAY
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
WEEKEND NORTHEASTER WAS AN HISTORIC OCTOBER SNOWFALL
EVENT ACROSS A HALF DOZEN STATES IN NORTHEAST U.S.
SNOWIEST OCTOBER AND 4TH WETTEST OCTOBER IN 2011
THREE DAILY RECORDS BROKEN 
NEW RECORD OCTOBER SNOWFALL TOTAL SET
WHITE HALLOWEEN!
 
The weekend northeaster, which spanned two dates 
(the 29th and 30th) and brought snowfall totals
of 20 to 32 inches to the highest elevations
in western Massachusetts, caused widespread and
long lasting power outages from Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, New York to southern New England.
High winds caused widespread power losses on Cape Cod.
 
SNOWSTORM BROUGHT 6 INCHES TO THE SUMMIT...
Here at Blue Hill a number of branches were broken
off trees as viewed from along the road to the summit. 
The October 2011 snowfall total of 8.5 inches
breaks the previous record of 6.8 inches in 1979.
Three daily records were set in the last few days 
including the 2.5 inches on the 27th and new
daily records for October 29th and 30th with amounts
yet to be finalized.
In addition, 9.96 inches of precipitation for the month
places the month 4th wettest on our list of wettest
Octobers. (see ranking below).
 
A white halloween is being observed today for what is
likely another record.
 
BHO Largest October 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
11) 1.5 on 29 October 2005
12) 1.3 on 23 October 2002
13) 1.0 on 19 October 1972
 
Earliest measurable snow was 0.2 inch on 9 October 1888.
Earliest trace of snow occurred on 8 October 1988 and 2001.
Trace or more has occurred in October in 40 of the last 125 years.
 
BHO Snowiest Octobers (inches):
 
1) 8.5 in 2011 (through 30th)
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 (through 30th)
5) 8.89 in 1932
6) 8.12 in 1955
7) 8.07 in 1989 
 
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M. 
Weather: Thin broken cirrus, two layers   
Temperature: 36F, Dew point: 28F; Wind: NW at 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.39 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 55 miles, distant haze 
24-hour snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow depth: 3 inches
24-hour precip: 0.00 inch
6-hour min. temp: 32F
BHO SA 1155 250 –SCT 300 –BKN 55 292/36/28/3208/039/
VRY THN FG BLO INVSN/SMT ESE-SW-N FEW DNS PTCHS W
THN STEAM FG OVR PONDS ESE-SSE DSNT HZ/ 8/001 4/003 51012
10036 20032 
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Thin overcast cirrus/cirrostratus,
lower cirrus southeast thru southwest 
Temperature: 47F, Dew Point: 30F; Wind: NNW at 2 kts (estimated)
Sea-level pressure: 30.41 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 45 miles, smoke layer, distant haze 
BHO SA 1455 300 –OVC 45 299/47/30/E3402/041/ LONE CU OCNL FRMG N 
AND CU DSNT SE NR HRZN LWR CI AT 250 DSNT SE-SW BINOVC DSNT NE
K LYR ALG/ABV HRZN SW-N-ENE DRK K LYR NNE-ENE ESTMTD TOP INVSN 
OVR CTY 12 HND WND L/V/ 8/107 50007 
 
1 P.M. 
Weather: Scattered dense cirrostratus, overcast cirro-
stratus, few small cumulus distant NNE and ESE-SSW,
cirrocumulus SE-SW, overcast partly thin
Temperature: 50F, Dew Point: 29F; Wind: S at 7 kts,
Wind: Direction variable SSE-SSW
Sea-level pressure: 30.39 inches Hg, falling
Visibility: 55 miles, distant haze  
6-hour max. temp: 50F  
BHO SA 1755 220 SCT E250 OVC 55 291/50/29/1807/039/
FEW CU DSNT NNE AND FEW CU ESE-SSW FEW CC DSNT SE-SW
OVC PTLY THN DSNT HZ WND 15V21 WND GRDLY BACKING/
8/107 58008 10050 20036 
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....41    NORMAL.....55
MIN.....31    NORMAL.....39
MEAN....36    NORMAL.....47
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL...................-11
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH...................+82 [+2.5 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY............29    DEPARTURE.......+11
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH...........327    DEPARTURE.......-77
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON..........402    DEPARTURE......-171
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.....456    DIFFERENCE......-54
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..............40 NNW AT 12:17 A.M. 
                   AERO...................45 NNW AT 12:17 A.M. 
                   ASOS...................44 NNW AT 12:17 A.M.  
                   DAVIS..................43 NNW AT  1:39 A.M.
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY............30 NNW AT  1:28 A.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.............30 NNW AT  1:30 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE............28 NNW AT  1:30 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.........18.3 NW 
                   ASOS..................16.6
                   DAVIS.................16.3 NW [320 deg]
 
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..........9.96 DEPARTURE..........+5.69
                         ASOS..............9.99
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........54.02 DEPARTURE.........+12.15
                        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.......-0.1
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................8.5  DEPARTURE.......+8.4
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON...............8.5  DEPARTURE.......+8.4 
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR OCTOBER 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
 
10/1  70/55/63/+6/0.88/085/12      24 NE  AERO N/A        RMY 25 TSTM
10/2  64/54/59/+3/0.03/000/00      24 NNE AERO 27 MPH NNE RMY 26
10/3  67/53/60/+4/0.04/329/47      20 S   AERO 22 MPH S   RMY 22
10/4  65/52/59/+3/1.87/307/44      24 NW  AERO 25 MPH NNW RMY 25 TSTM
10/5  63/42/53/-2/T/468/70         43 WNW AERO 42 MPH WNW RMY 44
10/6  60/40/50/-5/0.00/677/98      31 NW  AERO 35 MPH WNW RMY 36
10/7  61/39/50/-5/0.00/654/95      17 SW  AERO 18 MPH SW  RMY N/A
10/8  78/49/64/+10/0.00/651/95     22 WSW AERO 23 MPH WSW RMY 24
10/9  82/61/72/+18/0.00/663/97     21 W   AERO 23 MPH W   RMY 24
10/10 81/59/70/+16/0.00/653/96     23 NW  AERO 23 MPH NW  RMY 23
10/11 65/52/59/+6/0.00/433/64      17 E   AERO 17 MPH E   RMY 18
10/12 59/51/55/+2/0.06/041/06      23 ENE AERO 23 MPH ENE RMY N/A
10/13 62/55/59/+7/1.00/000/00      28 NNE AERO 28 MPH NNE RMY 27
10/14 69/57/63/+11/0.58/000/00     36 SSW AERO 38 MPH SSW RMY 39 TSTM
10/15 64/51/58/+6/0.00/566/85      42 SSW AERO 44 MPH SSW RMY 44
10/16 63/51/57/+6/0.00/550/83      42 WSW AERO 43 MPH WSW RMY 41
10/17 63/50/57/+6/0.01/575/87      36 SSW AERO 38 MPH SSW RMY 37
10/18 67/51/59/+8/T/211/32         27 SW  AER0 27 MPH SW  RMY N/A
10/19 57/54/56/+5/1.70/000/00      40 NE  AERO 40 MPH NE  RMY 42
10/20 68/53/61/+11/0.40/287/44     44 S   AERO 48 MPH S   RMY 48
10/21 63/46/55/+5/0.00/611/94      27 SSW AERO 31 MPH SSW RMY 31
10/22 60/43/52/+2/T/285/44         20 W   AERO 20 MPH W   RMY 20
10/23 53/40/47/-2/0.00/342/53      17 NW  AERO 18 MPH NW  RMY N/A
10/24 61/44/53/+4/T/372/58         21 S   AERO 22 MPH SSE RMY 22
10/25 59/42/51/+2/0.01/617/97      33 W   AERO 37 MPH W   RMY 35
10/26 46/40/43/-5/0.05/000/00      18 W   AERO 20 MPH W   RMY 20
10/27 45/32/39/-9/1.48/2.5/000/00  28 N   AERO 28 MPH N   RMY 29
10/28 44/30/37/-11/0.00/0.0/.../.. 25 NW  AERO 26 MPH NNW RMY 25
10/29 45/31/38/-9/..../../.../..   43 NNE AERO 46 MPH NNE RMY 46
10/30 41/31/36/-11/..../576/92     40 NNW AERO 45 MPH NNW RMY N/A
 
10/31 our morning low temp: 32F; the normal low is now 39F
 
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.
****...new records still being finalized for 10/29 & 10/30
for the big snowfall event.
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR OCTOBER 31
HIGH 79F IN 1946
LOW 22F IN 1904
PRECIP 3.74 INCHES IN 1991
SNOWFALL TRACE IN 1906
PEAK GUST 70e S IN 1945
 
RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 1
HIGH 75 IN 2003
LOW 22 IN 1913,1923
PRECIP 2.93 INCHES IN 1985
SNOWFALL TRACE IN 1906,1951
PEAK GUST 78 ESE IN 1997
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling/Patrick Peters