BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012 ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME FEBRUARY GETS OFF TO WARM START A high temperature of 58F and low of 31F started off the month of February with a mean temperature of 45 degrees or 19 degrees warmer than normal. It was still 40 degrees at midnight at the end of the day with a morning low at a relatively mild 34F. JANUARY 2012 PRELIMINARY STATS TEMPERATURE: Average Max Temp: 39.8F [+6.0F] Average Min Temp: 23.4F [+6.3F] Mean Temp: 31.6F [+6.1F] 24-hr. Corr Mean Temp: 31.2F Max Temp: 59F on 7th Min Temp: 4F on 15th Total heating degree day units (month): 1,028 [-179] Total heating degree day units (season): 2,781 [-755] *start July 1 PRECIPITATION: Total precipitation: 3.19 ins. [-1.16 in.] Greatest 24-hr precipitation: 1.37 ins. on 12th Total snowfall: 8.0 [-7.8 ins.] Greatest 24-hr snowfall: 3.4 ins. on 21st Greatest 7AM snow depth: 4 ins. on 22nd and 23rd Total winter season snowfall: 8.0 ins. WIND: Avg wind speed: 13.3 MPH Avg corrected wind speed: 13.7 MPH Prevailing wind direction: W [17%] Peak gust: 63 MPH SW on 13th Peak fastest mile: 45 MPH SSW on 13th SUNSHINE: Total astronomical minutes: 10,072 of possible 17,702; OR 57% Total Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 9,767 of possible 17,138; OR 57% Warmest January Average Maximum Temperature, deg F (1885-2011): 1) 44.3 in 1913 2) 42.9 in 1937 3) 42.2 in 1950 1932 5) 42.0 in 1933 6) 41.7 in 1990 7) 41.5 in 2006 8) 40.9 in 2002 9) 39.9 in 1890 10) 39.8 in 1949 2012 Warmest December through January, deg F (1886-2012): 1) 35.4 in 2001-02 2) 35.1 in 1912-13 3) 34.4 in 2011-2012 4) 34.3 in 2011-12 5) 34.2 in 2006-07 6) 33.8 in 1932-33 Today's observations: 7 A.M. Weather: Scattered altocumulus,scattered altocumulus and altocumulus lenticularis, broken dense cirrus, broken cirrus (layer partly thin) Temperature: 35F, Dew point: 28F, Wind: NW at 9 kts, Wind: Gradually veering Sea-level pressure: 30.01 inches Hg, rising Visibility: 25 miles, hazy 6-hour min. temp: 34F BHO SA 1155 38 SCT 100 SCT E200 BKN 250 BKN 25 162/35/28/3109/001/ FEW ACSL PTCHS DNS CI 250 LYR PTLY THN HAZY WND GRDLY VEERING/ 8/542 53004 10039 20034 10 A.M. Weather: Scattered stratocumulus, broken altostratus, overcast dense cirrostratus,line of cumulus and moderate cumulus N-E, sun disc occasionally visible Temperature: 40F, Dew Point: 29F; Wind: N at 8 kts, Wind: Gradually veering Sea-level pressure: 30.04 inches Hg, rising Visibility: 35 miles BHO SA 1455 36 SCT E150 BKN 200 OVC 35 172/40/29/0108/004/ LINE CU/FEW MDT CU DSNT N-E SUN DISC OCNL VSB WND 34V04 WND GRDLY VEERING/ 8/827 53010 1 P.M. Weather: Overcast stratus, very light intermittent drizzle Temperature: 34F, Dew Point: 31F; Wind: ENE at 10 kts, Wind: Direction variable, NNE-E Wind: Gust to 18 kts past hour Sea-level pressure: 30.03 inches Hg, falling Visibility: 25 miles, 30 miles S-SW, very light intermittent drizzle is occurring 6-hourly precip: trace 6-hourly max. temp: 40F BHO SA 1755 E8 OVC 25L- 169/34/31/0610/003/ PCPN INTMT VRY LGT VSBY S-SW 30 WND 02V09/ 8/6// 58003 MANUAL 6000/ 10040 20034 WEATHER SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1 TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F) MAX.....58 NORMAL.....34 MIN.....31 NORMAL.....17 MEAN....45 NORMAL.....26 DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.....................+19 TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH................... .+19 HEATING DEGREE DAYS TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY.............20 DEPARTURE.........-19 TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............20 DEPARTURE.........-19 TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON..........2801 DEPARTURE........-774 TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.....3548 DIFFERENCE.......-747 PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............39 WNW AT 9:10 P.M. AERO..................40 WNW AT 9:10 P.M. ASOS..................38 WNW AT 9:10 P.M. DAVIS.................40 WNW AT 9:10 P.M. RMY: 41 THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........29 WNW AT 9:10 P.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............26 WNW AT 9:11 P.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE...........26 WNW AT 9:10 P.M. AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.......13.1 W ASOS................11.6 DAVIS...............11.9 WSW (250 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.........trace DEPARTURE..........-0.13 ASOS..............0.00 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........3.19 DEPARTURE..........-1.29 ASOS...............3.24 SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST) TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.0 DEPARTURE..........-0.6 TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................8.0 DEPARTURE..........-0.6 TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............16.5 DEPARTURE.........-13.5 PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2012 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: 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 1/1 51/35/42/+16/0.01/0.0/494/90 35 S AERO 35 MPH S RMY 37 1/2 48/30/39/+12/0.02/T/346/63 36 W AERO 36 MPH W RMY 37 1/3 30/11/21/-5/0.00/0.0/446/81 39 NW AERO 38 MPH NW RMY 39 1/4 26/7/17/-9/0.00/0.0/468/85 28 NW AERO 25 MPH NW RMY N/A 1/5 35/20/28/+2/T/T/166/30 27 W AERO 25 MPH W RMY 26 1/6 47/23/35/+9/0.01/0.1/133/24 26 S AERO 25 MPH S RMY 27 1/7 59/39/49/+23/0.00/0.0/477/86 29 WSW AERO 29 MPH SW RMY 30 1/8 43/26/35/+9/0.00/0.0/367/66 28 W AERO 27 MPH W RMY N/A 1/9 39/21/30/+4/0.00/0.0/384/69 22 S AERO 21 MPH S RMY 24 1/10 43/28/36/+11/0.05/0.5/379/68 29 WNW AERO 30 MPH WNW RMY 32 1/11 38/27/33/+8/0.00/0.0/448/80 24 E AERO 24 MPH E RMY N/A 1/12 40/31/36/+11/1.37/0.1/000/00 52 ENE AERO 52 MPH NE RMY 49 1/13 50/27/39/+14/0.06/T/174/31 63 SW AERO 67 MPH SW RMY 67 1/14 33/16/25/0/0.00/0.0/451/80 36 WSW AERO 37 MPH WSW RMY 35 1/15 16/4/10/-15/0.00/0.0/555/98 36 NW AERO 36 MPH NW RMY 37 1/16 31/5/18/-7/0.11/1.2/408/72 32 SSW AERO 32 MPH SSW RMY N/A 1/17 46/31/39/+14/0.11/0.4/000/00 35 SW AERO 36 MPH SW RMY N/A 1/18 49/18/34/+9/0.00/0.0/564/99 56 WNW AERO 55 MPH WNW RMY 56 1/19 28/12/20/-5/0.10/1.1/372/65 27 SE AERO 28 MPH ESE RMY 28 1/20 29/17/23/-2/0.06/0.7/385/67 30 W AERO 30 MPH W RMY 30 1/21 20/13/17/-8/0.29/3.4/000/00 25 N AERO 25 MPH N RMY 25 1/22 28/11/20/-5/0.00/0.0/266/46 20 NNW AERO 20 MPH NNW RMY 20 1/23 49/26/38/+13/0.18/0.1/000/00 36 S AERO 36 MPH S RMY 37 1/24 56/38/47/+22/0.01/0.0/407/70 36 S AERO 37 MPH S RMY N/A 1/25 41/32/37/+11/0.00/0.0/479/82 36 WNW AERO 36 MPH WNW RMY 37 1/26 40/28/34/+9/0.19/0.4/188/32 20 E AERO 17 MPH E RMY N/A 1/27 47/33/40/+15/0.62/0.0/000/00 51 W AERO 50 MPH W RMY 50 1/28 46/32/39/+14/0.00/0.0/437/74 40 W AERO 39 MPH W RMY 39 1/29 41/31/36/+11/T/0.0/563/95 43 W AERO 46 MPH W RMY N/A 1/30 38/26/32/+6/0.00/0.0/446/75 46 WNW AERO 46 MPH WNW RMY 49 1/31 48/26/37/+11/T/T/269/45 18 ESE AERO 18 MPH ESE RMY 20 2/1 58/31/46/+19/T/0.0/174/29 39 WNW AERO 40 MPH WNW RMY 41 2/2 our morning low temp: 34F; the normal low is now 17F DAILY RECORDS FOR JANUARY 2012 None DAILY RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 2012 None so far. DAILY EXTREMES Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated): RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 2 HIGH 55F IN 1951, 1973 LOW -12F IN 1961 PRECIP 1.91 INS. IN 1999 SNOWFALL 5.5 INS. IN 1916, 1934 PEAK GUST 92 MPH SW IN 1970 RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 3 HIGH 58F IN 1991 LOW -7F IN 1955 PRECIP 2.14 INS. IN 1970 SNOWFALL 7.0 INS. IN 1913 PEAK GUST 102 MPH S IN 1970 [RECORD FOR MONTH] TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling