BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
MONDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2012
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
PLEASANT EARLY WINTER DAY WITH ANOTHER DAY
OF EXCELLENT VISIBILITY AND MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES
 
Today was a very pleasant day on the summit as mostly clear skies
paved way for temperatures in the upper 30's and low 40's across much
of the area. Winds have died down noticeably after a couple of gusty days
associated with a strong low pressure that has now passed by. Visibility
has been up once again, with Grand Monadnock crystal clear out to the
WNW, indicating a visibility as high as 85 miles. There have been a few
cirrus clouds passing within the vicinity beginning early this afternoon,
but have not done much to suppress any sunlight received here on the
summit today.
 
Houghton's Pond and Ponkapoag Pond had noticeable ice cover this morning
due to such low temperatures overnight. The ice has since melted as the
day progressed. The last time both ponds were completely frozen over
was on the morning of January 24th.
 
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Clear, stratocumulus along horizon offshore NNE-E, few cumulus
fractus distant NE-ESE, few altocumulus standing lenticularis distant
ESE-WSW, contrail E
Temperature: 29F; Dew Point: 20F; Wind: W at 10 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.00 ins. Hg, increasing steadily
Visibility: 40 miles
6-hour min. temp: 28F
BHO SA 1155 CLR 40 159/29/20/2610/000/ SC LYR ALNG HRZN OFFSHR NNE-E FEW
CUFRA DSNT NE-ESE FEW ACSL DSNT ESE-SSW CONTRAIL E/ 8/540 52027 10031
20028
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered cirrus fibratus, few stratocumulus distant offshore
NNE-E and distant W-NW, few lower cirrus spissatus ESE-WSW, contrails
all quadrants
Temperature: 34F; Dew Point: 18F; Wind: NW at 12 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.05 ins. Hg, increasing
Visibility: 80 miles
BHO SA 1455 250 –SCT 80 175/34/18/3212/005/ FEW SC DSNT OFFSHR NNE-E AND
DSNT W-NW FEW LWR DNS CI ESE-WSW CONTRAILS ALQDS/ 8/501 50016
 
1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered cirrus spissatus, scattered cirrus fibratus/radiatus,
cumulus very distant W, stratocumulus layer very distant offshore NE-E
Temperature: 38F; Dew Point: 18F; Wind: W at 7 kts,
Wind: Direction variable WSW-NNW
Sea-level pressure: 30.03 ins Hg, decreasing
Visibility: 85 miles
6-hour max. temp: 39F
BHO SA 1755 200 SCT 250 –SCT 85 168/38/18/2807/003/ CU VRY DSNT W SC LYR
VRY DSNT OFFSHR NE-E WND 24V34/ 8/101 58007 10039 20028
 
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....37      NORMAL.....37
MIN.....25      NORMAL.....21
MEAN....31      NORMAL.....29
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL......................+2
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH....................+150 [+6.3 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY............34    DEPARTURE.........-2
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH...........593    DEPARTURE.......-152
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON.........1743    DEPARTURE.......-264
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE....1495    DIFFERENCE......+248
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...............44 WNW AT  12:51 A.M.
                   AERO....................44 WNW AT  12:51 A.M.
                   ASOS....................44 WNW AT  12:51 A.M.
                   DAVIS...................38 WNW AT  12:51 A.M.  RMY: N/A 
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.............30 WNW AT   1:03 A.M. *
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..............29 W   AT   1:03 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.............28 W   AT  12:52 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.........14.4 W
                   ASOS..................13.5
                   DAVIS.................12.7 WSW [258 deg.]
*...last of several occurrences
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00   DEPARTURE..........-0.16
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........3.52   DEPARTURE..........-0.19
                         ASOS..............3.55
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........38.40   DEPARTURE.........-13.84
                         ASOS.............38.44
 
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M.........0.0    DEPARTURE..........-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH...............0.9    DEPARTURE..........-8.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............6.9    DEPARTURE..........-4.9    
 
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 36/31/34/+3/0.25/0.1/.../..     25 E   AERO 22 MPH E   RMY N/A
12/17 44/36/40/+9/0.65/0.0/000/00     31 ENE AERO 29 MPH ENE RMY 30
12/18 50/40/45/+14/0.61/0.0/000/00    28 E   AERO 24 MPH E   RMY N/A
12/19 44/35/40/+10/T/0.0/.../..       42 WNW AERO 40 MPN WNW RMY 43
12/20 42/30/36/+6/T/0.0/.../..        25 NNW AERO 23 MPH NNW RMY N/A
12/21 53/35/44/+14/0.00/0.0/.../..    58 E   AERO 53 MPH E   RMY 57
12/22 37/26/32/+3/T/T/.../..          47 W   AERO 47 MPH W   RMY 43
12/23 37/25/31/+2/0.00/0.0/.../..     44 WNW AERO 44 MPH WNW RMY N/A
 
12/24 morning low temp: 28F; the normal low is now 21F
 
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 24
HIGH 58 IN 1996
LOW -6 IN 1943
PRECIP 2.21 INS. IN 1994
SNOWFALL 12.3 INS. IN 1961
PEAK GUST 79e MPH SE IN 1941
 
RECORDS FOR DECEMBER 25
HIGH 62 IN 1889
LOW -11 IN 1980
PRECIP 1.37 INS. IN 2002
SNOWFALL 8.5 INS. IN 2002
PEAK GUST 80 MPH NW IN 1971
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: George Tabeek/Patrick Peters