BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2012
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
OVERCAST WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE LOW 30'S FOR THE DAY
LIGHT SNOW BEGAN FALLING SHORTLY BEFORE 1:00 PM EST
 
Today has been cold and overcast with a prevalent easterly wind.
Sky conditions have prevented temperatures from leaving the low
30's, with a high of only 34F so far this afternoon. Dew points
have fluctuated in the mid to upper 20's. Visibility has been
between 35-55 miles throughout the day with distant haze. Snow
flurries began falling shortly before 1:00 PM EST with no accumulation
and has been intermittent since.
 
The year of 2012 has reached a precipitation deficit of 15", but
this may be reduced by the anticipated rain/snow tonight and in the 
coming days.
 
 
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Overcast stratocumulus, few lower stratocumulus NW-E-SE, distant
haze
Temperature: 31F; Dew Point: 25F; Wind: E at 12 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.29 ins Hg, steady then decreasing
Visibility: 35 miles
6-hour min. temp: 31F
BHO SA 1155 E40 OVC 35 257/31/25/0912/029/ FEW LWR SC NW-E-SE DSNT HZ/
8/5// 58007 10031 20031
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Overcast stratocumulus, few lower stratus fractus S, distant
haze
Temperature: 33F; Dew Point: 25F; Wind: E at 9 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 30.29 ins Hg, steady then increasing   
Visibility: 55 miles, 65 miles NW
BHO SA 1455 E40 OVC 55 259/33/25/1009/029/ FEW LWR STFRA S DSNT HZ VSBY
HIER NW 65/ 8/5// 53002
 
1 P.M.
Weather: Overcast with light snow, few lower stratocumulus all quadrants,
hazy
Temperature: 34F; Dew Point: 29F; Wind: E at 12 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.21 ins Hg, decreasing
Visibility: 40 miles
6-hour max. temp: 34F
6-hour precip: Trace
BHO SA 1755 E40 40S- 230/34/29/0812/021/ FEW LWR SC ALQDS HAZY S-B50 CTD/
8/5// 56029 6000/ 10034 20031
 
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....40      NORMAL.....39
MIN.....31      NORMAL.....24
MEAN....36      NORMAL.....32
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.....................+4
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH....................+89 [+5.7 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY............29    DEPARTURE.........-5
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH...........375    DEPARTURE........-90 
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON.........1525    DEPARTURE.......-202
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE....1267    DIFFERENCE......+258
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...............24 NNW AT  5:54 A.M.
                   AERO....................22 NNW AT  5:57 A.M. *
                   ASOS....................23 NNW AT  5:55 A.M.
                   DAVIS...................21 NW  AT  5:54 A.M. RMY 21
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.............17 NNW AT  5:56 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..............16 NNW AT  5:59 A.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.............16 NW  AT  5:56 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION..........9.8 E
                   ASOS..................10.0
                   DAVIS..................8.9 NNE [017 deg.]
* last of several occurrences....
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00   DEPARTURE..........-0.16
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........1.11   DEPARTURE..........-1.35
                         ASOS..............1.13
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........35.99   DEPARTURE.........-15.00
                         ASOS.............36.02
 
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M.........0.0    DEPARTURE..........-0.4
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH...............0.8    DEPARTURE..........-4.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............6.8    DEPARTURE..........-1.1    
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR DECEMBER 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
 
12/1  34/25/30/-7/0.08/0.8/000/00     16 E   AERO 14 MPH E   RMY 16
12/2  52/32/42/+6/0.00/0.0/006/01     32 SSW AERO 32 MPH SSW RMY 34
12/3  57/43/50/+14/0.00/0.0/523/94    31 NW  AERO 30 MPH NW  RMY 32
12/4  56/40/48/+13/0.03/0.0/000/00    37 S   AERO 39 MPH S   RMY 38
12/5  56/31/44/+9/0.03/0.0/310/56     38 WNW AERO 37 MPH WNW RMY 40
12/6  38/25/32/-3/0.00/0.0/519/94     31 NW  AERO 30 MPH NW  RMY N/A
12/7  42/30/36/+2/0.02/0.0/000/00     18 SSW AERO 16 MPH SSW RMY 18       
12/8  45/41/43/+9/0.35/0.0/000/00     21 ENE AERO 18 MPH ENE RMY N/A
12/9  45/38/42/+8/0.10/0.0/181/33     24 NNW AERO 24 MPH NNW RMY 25
12/10 59/39/49/+16/0.51/0.0/000/00    32 SSW AERO 33 MPH SSW RMY 35
12/11 54/30/42/+9/0.01/0.0/351/64     25 W   AERO 25 MPH W   RMY 23
12/12 38/26/32/-1/0.00/0.0/.../..     20 NW  AERO 18 MPH NW  RMY N/A
12/13 42/29/36/+4/0.00/0.0/.../..     18 NW  AERO 15 MPH NW  RMY N/A
12/14 47/29/38/+6/0.00/0.0/.../..     28 W   AERO 25 MPH W   RMY 27
12/15 40/31/36/+4/0.00/0.0/.../..     24 NNW AERO 22 MPH NNW RMY 21
 
12/16 morning low temp: 31F; the normal low is now 24F
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR DECEMBER 2012
None so far.
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR DECEMBER 16
HIGH 61 IN 1971
LOW -2 IN 1930
PRE 1.67 INS. IN 1960
SNOW 8.5 INS. IN 2007
WIND 73 MPH SSE IN 1982
 
RECORDS FOR DECEMBER 17
HIGH 63 IN 2000
LOW -10 IN 1942
PRECIP 3.03 INS. IN 1888
SNOWFALL 7.5 INS. IN 1988
PEAK GUST 78 MPH SSE IN 2000
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: George Tabeek