BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
WARMEST AUGUST ON RECORD ENDS ON A VERY WARM NOTE;
MOSTLY SUNNY AND BREEZY WITH INCREASING MOISTURE AND HAZE;
Temperatures are running several degrees above normal today, especially
this afternoon. The high temperature has reached 86F so far today,
ending what has been a very warm month with a very warm day. Today's
high temperature will likely fall well short of the record of 94F set
in 1953.
Moisture has been increasing today as evidenced by the dew point
rising from the lower 50s this morning to the upper 50s this afternoon.
The increased moisture is also apparent with the increase in haze
observed throughout the day, and consequently reduced visibility, too.
Aside from some scattered altocumulus and thin cirrus from time to
time, the sky has been mostly sunny today. The sunny conditions will
add to what has been one of the sunniest Augusts on record at Blue Hill.
August 2012 has also been notable for its warm temperatures and low wind
speeds, as evidenced by the climate records listed below. More stats to
come over the next few days on August and meteorological summer
(June, July, August).
BHO Warmest August Corrected Mean Temperature (deg F), 1885-2011:
1) 72.5 in 1988
2) 72.3 in 2005
3) 72.1 in 2002
4) 72.0 in 2001
The corrected mean temperature for August 2012 through the 30th is 72.6F.
BHO Lowest August Mean Wind Speed (mph), 1885-2011:
1) 9.5 in 1996
2008
3) 10.0 in 1899
2009
5) 10.1 in 1900
1901
The corrected mean wind speed for August 2012 through the 30th is 9.8 mph.
Today's observations:
7 A.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, scattered thin cirrus, few lower
altocumulus lenticularis distant N-NNE, smoke layer along horizon all
quadrants, smoke layer aloft distant SSW-W-NNW, light distant haze
Temperature: 67F; Dew Point: 52F; Wind: W at 14 kts.
Sea-level pressure: 29.97 ins. Hg, rising
Visibility: 75 miles, light distant haze
6-hour min. temp: 63F
BHO SA 1155 180 SCT 250 –SCT 75 148/67/52/2614/997/ FEW LWR ACSL DSNT
N-NNE K LYR ALG HRZN ALQDS K LYR ALF DSNT SSW-W-NNW LGT DSNT HZ/ 8/041
52003 10067 20063
10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, scattered thin cirrus, altocumulus
N-E-SSE, few altocumulus castellanus distant NNE-NE and distant ESE,
few altocumulus lenticularis ENE-SSE, mostly clear sky S-W, smoke/haze
layer aloft distant all quadrants, light distant haze, haze increasing
Temperature: 77F; Dew Point: 57F; Wind: WSW at 12 kts,
Wind: Direction variable SSW-WNW
Sea-level pressure: 29.95 ins. Hg, falling
Visibility: 70 miles, light distant haze, haze increasing
BHO SA 1455 160 SCT 250 –SCT 70 142/77/57/2512G21/995/ AC N-E-SSE FEW
ACC DSNT NNE-NE AND DSNT ESE FEW ACSL ENE-SSE MSTLY CLR S-W K/HZ LYR ALF
DSNT ALQDS LGT DSNT HZ HZ INCRSNG WND 21V29/ 8/081 58006
1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, scattered thin cirrus, altocumulus
distant NNW-N and distant ENE-ESE, few altocumulus castellanus distant
NNW and distant N, few altocumulus lenticularis distant N and distant
E-ESE, cirrus distant NW-NE, smoke/haze layer aloft distant WNW-N-ESE,
light distant haze, haze increasing
Temperature: 85F; Dew Point: 57F; Wind: WSW at 15G26 kts,
Peak wind: 26 kts from the W at 12:50 PM EST
Wind: Direction variable SW-WNW
Sea-level pressure: 29.91 ins. Hg, falling
Visibility: 65 miles, light distant haze, haze increasing
6-hour max. temp: 85F
BHO SA 1755 160 SCT 250 –SCT 65 127/85/57/2515G26/991/ AC DSNT NNW-N AND
DSNT ENE-ESE FEW ACC DSNT NNW AND DSNT N FEW ACSL DSNT N AND DSNT E-ESE
CI DSNT NW-NE K/HZ LYR ALF DSNT WNW-N-ESE LGT DSNT HZ HZ INCRSNG
PK WND 2626/50 WND 22V29/ 8/081 58015 10085 20067
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, AUGUST 30
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....79 NORMAL.....77
MIN.....56 NORMAL.....60
MEAN....68 NORMAL.....68
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL......................0
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH....................+93 [+2.9 DEGREES/DAY]
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............29 W AT 10:18 P.M.
AERO..................27 W AT 10:37 P.M. *
ASOS..................28 W AT 10:38 P.M.
DAVIS.................27 W AT 10:38 P.M. RMY N/A
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........22 W AT 10:56 P.M. *
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............21 W AT 10:58 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE...........20 WSW AT 10:58 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.......12.3 WSW
ASOS................11.9
DAVIS...............10.6 WSW [258 deg]
*last of several occurrences...
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00 DEPARTURE...........-0.11
ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........3.74 DEPARTURE...........-0.18
ASOS..............3.71
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........25.35 DEPARTURE...........-9.56
ASOS.............25.26
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/714/86 23 WNW AERO 22 MPH WNW RMY 21
8/17 84/65/75/+4/T/729/88 26 S AERO 26 MPH SSW RMY 27
8/18 69/62/66/-5/0.22/0/0 18 WNW AERO 17 MPH WNW RMY 16
8/19 73/56/65/-5/T/353/43 17 N AERO 16 MPH NNW RMY 16
8/20 77/61/69/-1/0.00/312/38 16 SSW AERO 15 MPH SSW RMY 16
8/21 81/62/72/+2/0.01/539/66 21 W AERO 20 MPH W RMY 19
8/22 82/62/72/+2/0.00/766/94 17 W AERO 17 MPH SW RMY N/A
8/23 85/63/74/+4/0.00/771/95 21 SSW AERO 21 MPH SSW RMY 21
8/24 80/65/73/+3/0.00/648/80 18 W AERO 16 MPH W RMY 16
8/25 80/64/72/+3/0.00/492/61 20 ESE AER0 18 MPH ESE RMY 18
8/26 80/63/72/+3/0.00/675/84 17 SW AERO 15 MPH SW RMY 16
8/27 84/61/73/+4/0.00/650/81 28 S AERO 29 MPH S RMY N/A
8/28 82/66/74/+5/1.00/327/41 29 SSW AERO 30 MPH SSW RMY 30
8/29 74/56/65/-4/0.00/795/100 22 NNW AERO 21 MPH NNW RMY 21
8/30 79/56/68/0/0.00/.../.. 29 W AERO 27 MPH W RMY N/A
8/31 our morning low temp: 63F; the normal low is now 60F
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 31
HIGH 94F IN 1953
LOW 42F IN 1976
PRECIP 2.46 INCHES IN 1954
PEAK GUST 125 MPH SE IN 1954 [CAROL - RECORD FOR MONTH]
RECORDS FOR SEPTEMBER 1
HIGH 93F IN 1969, 2010
LOW 47F IN 1975
PRECIP 1.60 INCHES IN 1927
PEAK GUST 59e MPH S IN 1945, SSW IN 1965
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Sean Fankhauser