BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2012 
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
In comparison with the mild conditions that dominated this past weekend, 
temperatures have fallen back to more seasonable levels this afternoon 
here on the summit. The day started out with a minimum temperature of 22F 
with scattered to broken clouds, light wind and a visibility of 40 miles.
 
Temperatures were slow to climb throughout the morning due to the presence 
of cloud cover. By the early afternoon, however, with increasing sunshine, 
the temperature gradually rose to 37F by 1:00 PM. Visibility steadily 
improved throughout the day, reaching 70 miles by the early afternoon with 
Grand Monadnock faintly visible. Winds were very light through the morning 
with a slight increase during the early afternoon.
 
Nighttime temperatures in the 20s have allowed Houghton's pond to freeze 
over with 10/10 ice cover. Ponkapoag Pond is nearly frozen over with the 
exception of a small open area near the center that developed this afternoon.
 
 
 
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M. 
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, broken cirrus, few virga W, thin
smoke layer distant NNW-NNE
Temperature: 22F, Dew point: 15F, Wind: WNW at 5 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.29 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 40 miles, thin smoke layer distant NNW-NNE
6-hour min. temp: 22F
BHO SA 1155 180 SCT 250 BKN 40 256/22/15/3005/029/ FEW VIRGA W
THN K LYR DSNT NNW-NNE/ 8/001 51003 10025 20021
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Broken altocumulus, few lower cumulus W, thin smoke
layer distant SW-E
Temperature: 27F, Dew Point: 16F; Wind: SW at 2 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 30.29 inches Hg, steady
Visibility: 45 miles, thin smoke layer distant SW-E, light haze
BHO SA 1455 100 BKN 45 258/27/16/E2202/029/ FEW LWR CU W THN
K LYR DSNT SW-E LGT HZ/ 8/050 50002
 
1 P.M. 
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, thin smoke layer distant N-NE
Temperature: 37F, Dew Point: 8F; Wind: WSW at 7 kts, 
Sea-level pressure: 30.13 inches Hg, falling 
Visibility: 70 miles.
6-hour max. temp: 37F
BHO SA 1755 85 SCT FEW ACSL DSNT SW-NNW 70 /37/8/2207/013/
THN K LYR DSNT N-NE/ 8//// 5//// 10037 20022
 
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR SUNDAY, JANUARY 8
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....43    NORMAL.....34
MIN.....26    NORMAL.....18
MEAN....35    NORMAL.....26
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL......................+9
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.....................+57  [+6.9 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY.............30   DEPARTURE.........-9
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH............253   DEPARTURE........-53
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON..........2006   DEPARTURE.......-629
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.....2519   DIFFERENCE......-513
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............28 W   AT  1:43 A.M. *
                   AERO..................27 W   AT  1:43 A.M.
                   ASOS..................28 W   AT  1:43 A.M.
                   DAVIS.................27 WNW AT 12:56 A.M. RMY N/A
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........21 W   AT  1:07 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............20 W   AT 12:59 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE...........18 WNW AT  1:40 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.......12.8 WSW
                   ASOS................12.5
                   DAVIS...............10.9 WNW [291 deg.]
* Last of several occurrences
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00  DEPARTURE..........-0.14
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.04  DEPARTURE..........-1.10
                         ASOS..............0.04
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........0.04  DEPARTURE..........-1.10
                        ASOS...............0.04
     
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.0  DEPARTURE..........-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................0.1  DEPARTURE..........-3.9     
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON...............8.6  DEPARTURE..........-9.0
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 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/.../..     36 W   AERO 36 MPH W   RMY 37
1/3  30/11/21/-5/0.00/0.0/.../..    39 NW  AERO 38 MPH NW  RMY 39
1/4  26/7/17/-9/0.00/0.0/.../..     28 NW  AERO 25 MPH NW  N/A
1/5  35/20/28/+2/T/T/.../..         27 W   AERO 25 MPH W   RMY 26
1/6  47/23/35/+9/T/T/.../..         26 S   AERO 25 MPH S   RMY 27
1/7  59/39/49/+23/0.00/0.0/.../..   29 WSW AERO 29 MPH SW  RMY 30
1/8  43/26/35/+9/0.00/0.0/.../..    28 W   AERO 27 MPH W   N/A
 
1/9  overnight low temp: 22F; the normal low is now 18F
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR JANUARY 2012
None so far.
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR JANUARY 9
HIGH 62F IN 1937
LOW -9F IN 1968
PRECIP 3.00 INS. IN 1956
SNOWFALL 10.0 INS. IN 1904
PEAK GUST 101e MPH SE IN 1978 [RECORD FOR MONTH]
 
RECORDS FOR JANUARY 10
HIGH 54F IN 2000
LOW -7F IN 2004
PRECIP 2.16 INS. IN 1935
SNOWFALL 6.3 INS. IN 1977
PEAK GUST 73e SE IN 1977
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Eli Melaas and Patrick Peters