BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012 ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME STRONG WINDS AND SNOW SHOWERS ON THE SUMMIT TODAY... PEAK GUST TO 61 MPH FROM WEST LATE THIS MORNING... HOUGHTON'S POND THAWED AS OF FEBRUARY 23RD... FEBRUARY SNOWFALL AND PRECIPITATION AND WINTER SNOWFALL AMONG THE LOWEST ON RECORD... Winds began increasing before midnight as a strong low pressure area moved away from New England. The rain on Friday brought a total of 0.44 inch of precipitation, which was the heaviest rainfall of the month. There was also 0.1 inch of snow on Friday, which brought the monthly total to 0.7 inch. The peak gust of 61 mph W occurred at 11:43 AM this morning. Another gust to 60 mph W occurred at 1:47 PM this afternoon. This is the strongest gust since 63 mph was recorded on January 13th. The highest hourly average wind speed has been 33 mph from 11AM to 12 PM. Here are the peak gusts measured by our various wind records so far today: NWS 42OC: 61 mph W at 11:43 AM Aerovane: 60 mph W at 11:43 AM ASOS: 61 mph W at 11:43 AM Davis: 61 mph WSW at 1:46 PM RMY: 64 mph Merlin: 64 mph WSW Snow showers and squalls began approaching the hill from the west after noon, and three snow showers brought a trace of snow to the summit between 1 and 4 PM today. The strongest squall lowered the visibility to 2-3 miles to the SW as it passed mostly south of the hill after 3 PM. The total snowfall for February of 0.7 inch will be among the lowest totals ever recorded for the month. Least Snowy Februarys, inches, 1885-2011 1) 0.4 in 1937 2) 0.6 in 1984 3) 1.0 in 1925 1.0 in 1998 5) 1.5 in 1941 The total snowfall for the winter season (Dec-Feb) so far of 8.7 inches is also one of the lowest totals on record. Least Snowy Winters (Dec-Feb), inches, 1885-2011 1) 3.3 in 1936-1937 2) 12.0 in 1888-1889 3) 13.6 in 1991-1992 4) 13.8 in 1979-1980 5) 13.9 in 2006-2007 This has also been a very dry month with a total of only 0.70 inch of precipitation. This may also finish among the driest Februarys on record. Driest Februarys, inches, 1886-2011 1) 0.71 in 1987 2) 1.04 in 1901 3) 1.07 in 1980 4) 1.12 in 1895 5) 1.58 in 1947 February has also been extremely warm, and this month will also likely finish among the warmest Februarys on record. The corrected mean temperature for this month through the 24th is 34.3 deg F. Warmest Februarys, deg F, 1885-2011 1) 34.9 in 1984 2) 34.0 in 1998 3) 33.9 in 1954 33.9 in 1981 5) 33.7 in 1976 The winter season (Dec-Feb) may rank among the warmest on record, which are listed below. The winter mean temperature for the 2011-12 season through February 24th is 34.3 degrees F. Warmest Winters (Dec-Feb), deg F, 1885-2011 1) 34.8 in 2001-2002 2) 32.6 in 1997-1998 3) 32.3 in 1936-1937 32.3 in 1998-1999 5) 32.2 in 1932-1933 The November through February mean temperature is also very warm and the mean for this season for November 1st through February 24th is 37.7 degrees, which is now just over the warmest on record set in 2001-2002. Warmest Nov-Feb, deg F, 1885-2011 1) 37.6 in 2001-2002 2) 35.4 in 1948-1949 3) 35.1 in 1990-1991 4) 34.8 in 1953-1954 34.8 in 2006-2007 Today's observations: 7 A.M. Weather: Broken stratocumulus, total new snow past 24 hours 0.1 inch Temperature: 34F, Dew point: 26F, Wind: W at 13G19 kts, Wind: Peak gust 26 kts W at 6:23 AM Wind: Direction variable SW-WNW Sea-level pressure: 29.31 inches Hg, rising Visibility: 60 miles, 35 miles WNW-NW 6-hour min. temp: 34F 24-hour precip: 0.44 inch 24-hour snowfall: 0.1 inch BHO SA 1155 E55 BKN 60 927/34/26/2613G19/931/ VSBY WNW-NW 35 TOTAL NEW SNW PST 24 HRS 0.1 IN PK WND 2726/23 WND 23V30/ 8/500 51024 70044 10036 20034 10 A.M. Weather: Broken stratocumulus (two layers), broken altocumulus, snow virga SSE-SW and distant W-WNW Temperature: 38F, Dew Point: 22F; Wind: WSW at 21G35 kts, Wind: Peak gust 41 kts W at 9:17 AM Wind: Direction variable SW-W Sea-level pressure: 29.35 inches Hg, rising Visibility: 55 miles, 30 miles W-NW BHO SA 1455 E50 BKN 65 BKN 55 939/38/22/2521G35/935/ SNW VIRGA SSE-SW AND DSNT W-WNW VSBY W-NW 30 PK WND 2641/17 WND 22V28/ 8/500 51012 1 P.M. Weather: Scattered cumulus, broken stratocumulus, broken altocumulus, snow shower began 12:33 PM ended 12:40 PM, few lower cumulus, few stratocumulus castellanus SE-SW, snow virga SW-WNW and distant E-ESE Temperature: 39F, Dew Point: 22F; Wind: W at 21G36 kts, Wind: Peak gust 48 kts W at 12:05 PM Sea-level pressure: 29.36 inches Hg, rising Visibility: 65 miles, 40 miles WSW-W 6-hour precip: Trace 6-hour snowfall: Trace BHO SA 1755 50 SCT E65 BKN 120 BKN 65 941/39/22/2621G36/936/ SB33E40 FEW LWR CU FEW SCCAS SE-SW SNW VIRGA SW-WNW AND DSNT E-ESE VSBY WSW-W 40 PK WND 2648/05 WND 23V29/ 8/500 53002 6000/ 10041 20034 WEATHER SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24 TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F) MAX.....39 NORMAL.....39 MIN.....32 NORMAL.....21 MEAN....36 NORMAL.....30 DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL......................+6 TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH....................+177 [+7.2 DEGREES/DAY] HEATING DEGREE DAYS TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............29 DEPARTURE..........-6 TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............720 DEPARTURE........-177 TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........3501 DEPARTURE........-932 TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......4384 DIFFERENCE.......-883 PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............37 W AT 10:13 P.M. AERO..................37 W AT 10:13 P.M. ASOS..................37 W AT 10:13 P.M. DAVIS.................37 WNW AT 10:22 P.M. RMY 42 MPH THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........27 WNW AT 10:21 P.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............26 WNW AT 10:22 P.M. AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION........9.3 W ASOS.................8.4 DAVIS................7.8 E [89 deg] PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST) TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.44 DEPARTURE..........+0.28 ASOS..............0.46 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.70 DEPARTURE..........-2.72 ASOS..............0.73 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........3.89 DEPARTURE..........-3.88 ASOS...............3.97 SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST) TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.1 DEPARTURE..........-0.4 TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................0.7 DEPARTURE.........-13.3 TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............17.2 DEPARTURE.........-26.2 PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR 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 2/1 58/31/45/+19/T/0.0/174/29 39 WNW AERO 40 MPH WNW RMY 41 2/2 40/28/34/+8/T/0.0/000/00 25 WNW AERO 25 MPH WNW RMY N/A 2/3 37/22/30/+4/0.00/0.0/574/95 28 NW AERO 28 MPH NW RMY 29 2/4 43/24/34/+8/0.00/0.0/498/82 28 WNW AERO 31 MPH WNW RMY 30 2/5 34/18/26/0/0.00/0.0/597/98 18 W AERO 17 MPH W RMY N/A 2/6 49/24/37/+11/0.00/0.0/599/98 33 WSW AERO 32 MPH WSW RMY 34 2/7 43/27/35/+8/0.00/0.0/596/97 24 NNW AERO 28 MPH NNW RMY 24 2/8 37/17/27/0/0.00/0.0/388/63 22 N AERO 21 MPH N RMY 24 2/9 45/26/36/+9/0.00/0.0/607/98 21 NW AERO 21 MPH W RMY 21 2/10 49/30/40/+13/0.02/0.0/467/75 32 SSW AERO 35 MPH SSW RMY 34 2/11 36/27/32/+5/0.13/0.6/012/02 33 NW AERO 33 MPH NW RMY N/A 2/12 28/13/21/-6/0.00/0.0/621/99 46 WNW AERO 48 MPH WNW RMY 50 2/13 40/12/26/-2/0.00/0.0/535/85 43 W AERO 42 MPH W RMY 44 2/14 43/29/36/+8/0.00/0.0/082/13 23 SSW AERO N/A RMY 23 2/15 43/36/40/+12/T/0.0/000/00 21 SSW AERO 22 MPH SSW RMY N/A 2/16 45/30/38/+12/0.07/0.0/127/20 24 S AERO 27 MPH S RMY N/A 2/17 49/32/41/+13/0.01/0.0/224/35 29 WNW AERO 29 MPH WNW RMY 31 2/18 45/29/37/+8/0.00/0.0/521/81 30 W AERO 30 MPH W RMY 31 2/19 44/26/35/+6/0.00/0.0/626/97 23 NW AERO 22 MPH NW RMY 23 2/20 39/24/32/+3/0.00/0.0/577/89 37 NNW AERO 37 MPH NNW RMY 37 2/21 42/22/32/+3/T/0.0/469/72 30 S AERO 30 MPH S RMY 31 2/22 55/36/46/+17/0.00/0.0/419/64 28 W AERO 28 MPH W N/A 2/23 52/35/44/+14/0.03/0.0/.../.. 40 W AERO 42 MPH W RMY 39 2/24 39/32/36/+6/0.44/0.1/.../.. 37 W AERO 37 MPH W RMY 42 2/25 morning low temp: 34F; the normal low is now 21F 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 25 HIGH 67F IN 1976 LOW -10F IN 1894 PRECIP 2.40 INCHES IN 1981 SNOWFALL 13.6 INCHES IN 1966 PEAK GUST 75 MPH S IN 1965 RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 26 HIGH 67F IN 1957 LOW -7F IN 1928 PRECIP 2.24 INCHES IN 1979 SNOWFALL 11.1 INCHES IN 1933 PEAK GUST 66 MPH W IN 1961 TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Mike Iacono