BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2012 
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
CLEAR SKIES ALLOW STEADY WARM-UP TODAY ON SUMMIT
DIURNAL CUMULUS FORMING WITHIN VICINITY BY EARLY AFTERNOON
 
Skies have been mostly clear today with a few cirrus clouds passing overhead
ahead of an advancing cold front. This gave temperatures the opportunity to
rise into the low to mid 80's today. Today has been humid, with dew points
in the low 60's. Visibility has been approximately 35 miles due to distant haze.
By the last observation, diurnal cumulus clouds were seen forming within the
vicinity of the Observatory.
 
Our warm August continues, with every day thus far being above normal. This can
come to an end next week as cooler temperatures are anticipated. The current
month stands at about 5 degrees above normal.
 
 
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few cirrus NNW-E-SE, hazy   
Temperature: 68F; Dew Point: 60F; Wind: W at 10 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.87 ins. Hg, steady then increasing    
Visibility: 35 miles, hazy
6-hour min. temp: 65F
BHO SA 1155 CLR 114/68/60/2610/987/ FEW CI NNW-E-SE HAZY/ 8/001 53007 10068
20065
  
10 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few faint cirrus all quadrants, contrail SW-NW, hazy
Temperature: 81F; Dew Point: 63F; Wind: SW at 11 kts,
Wind: Direction variable S-W
Sea-level pressure: 29.86 ins. Hg, decreasing
Visibility: 35 miles, hazy          
BHO SA 1455 CLR 112/81/63/2211/986/ FEW FAINT CI ALQDS CONTRAIL SW-NW HAZY
WND 19V27/ 8/001 58002
 
1 P.M.   
Weather: Clear, few small cumulus forming all quadrants except NE-SE, hazy
Temperature: 84F; Dew Point: 63F; Wind: SSW at 15G21 kts,
Wind: Direction variable S-WSW
Sea-level pressure: 29.83 ins, decreasing
Visibility: 30 miles, hazy
6-hr. max. temp: 84F 
BHO SA 1755 CLR 100/84/63/2115G21/983/ FEW SML CU FRMG ALQDS XCPT NE-SE HAZY
WND 17V25/ 8/100 56012 10084 20068
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, AUGUST 16
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....82    NORMAL.....79
MIN.....64    NORMAL.....62
MEAN....73    NORMAL.....71
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.....................+2
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH....................+78 [+4.7 DEGREES/DAY]
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............23 WNW AT 2:13 P.M.
                   AERO..................22 WNW AT 2:13 P.M.
                   ASOS..................22 NW  AT 2:13 P.M.
                   DAVIS.................21 NW  AT 2:13 P.M. RMY 21
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........14 WNW AT 2:16 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............15 NW  AT 2:13 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE...........15 NW  AT N/A
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION........8.4 WNW
                   ASOS.................8.3
                   DAVIS................7.6 WNW [298 deg]
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....Trace   DEPARTURE..........-0.13
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........2.51   DEPARTURE...........+0.28
                         ASOS..............2.49
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........24.12   DEPARTURE...........-9.10
                         ASOS.............24.04
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR AUGUST 2012 CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/AERO GUST
AERO: Aerovane wind recording system gust
RMY:  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  82/66/74/+2/0.58/390/45        33 W   AERO 33 MPH W   RMY 35
8/2  87/67/77/+5/T/648/75           20 W   AERO 20 MPH W   RMY 20
8/3  90/70/80/+8/0.00/707/82        23 SW  AERO 23 MPH SW  RMY 23
8/4  91/72/82/+10/0.00/713/83       22 S   AERP 21 MPH S   RMY 23
8/5  87/72/80/+8/0.14/660/77        37 S   AERO 37 MPH SSW RMY 37
8/6  82/67/75/+3/0.00/710/83        25 WNW AERO 27 MPH WNW RMY 26
8/7  84/65/75/+3/0.00/725/85        23 S   AERO 21 MPH S   RMY 23
8/8  87/68/78/+6/0.00/578/68        20 S   AERO 18 MPH S   RMY 18
8/9  89/68/79/+7/0.00/630/77        25 S   AERO 23 MPH S   RMY 25
8/10 84/70/77/+6/0.87/228/27        32 SE  AERO 32 MPH SE  RMY 32 TSTM
8/11 84/69/77/+6/0.00/464/55        25 S   AERO 27 MPH S   RMY 27
8/12 83/70/77/+6/0.03/420/50        24 S   AERO 23 MPH S   RMY 23
8/13 84/66/75/+4/0.00/787/94        21 WNW AERO 20 MPH WNW RMY 19
8/14 81/64/73/+2/0.00/451/54        18 W   AERO 18 MPH SW  RMY 19
8/15 83/63/73/+2/0.89/358/43        33 W   AERO 33 MPH W   RMY 32 TSTM
8/16 82/64/73/+2/T/.../..           23 WNW AERO 22 MPH WNW RMY 21
 
8/17 the morning low temp: 65F; the normal low is now 62F
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR AUGUST 2012
8/4 - DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMP OF 72F;
      ties the current record of 72F in 1974.
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR AUGUST 17
HIGH 97F IN 1944
LOW 48F IN 1902
PRECIP 2.17 INCHES IN 1998
PEAK GUST 50e MPH SSW IN 1952, 50 MPH WNW IN 1962
 
RECORDS FOR AUGUST 18
HIGH 93F IN 2002
LOW 47F IN 1824
PRECIP 5.75 INCHES IN 1955 [DIANE]
PEAK GUST 46 MPH WNW IN 2007
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: George Tabeek