BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2012 
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
MEASURABLE SNOW ON SUMMIT....0.1 INCH
ONE INCH OF RAINFALL BY EARLY AFTERNOON
STRONG EAST BACKING TO EAST-NORTHEAST WINDS
GUSTS REACHING 40 TO 52 MPH
 
Precipitation began around 4 A.M. this morning as
mostly light rain but a temperature drop from 37F
at 4 A.M. to 33F by 5 A.M. was the result of a
change to light rain and snow mixed.  The snow
accumulation was over by 7 A.M. although some
snow was still mixed at 34 degrees.
 
The snow was only measured on the snowboards and
seen on grassy and wooden surfaces. Total melted
precipitation was 0.17 inch. 
 
This morning's snowfall brings the monthly and winter
season (December-January) to a scant 0.7 inch. 
 
Light rain turned to a driving moderate to heavy rain
by early this afternoon with a total of 1.02 inches from
4 A.M. to 1 P.M. Our peak wind gust has been 52 MPH E
a little after 9:30 A.M. this morning but many gusts
are well over 40 MPH.
 
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M. 
Weather: Lowest layer stratus fractus broken variable to
overcast, higher nimbostratus overcast, light rain and snow,
snow wet  
Temperature: 34F, Dew point: 34F, Wind: E at 21G32 kts,
Wind: Peak wind E @ 32 kts at 6:52 A.M.,
Wind: Direction variable NE-ESE
Sea-level pressure: 29.83 inches Hg, falling, briefly rapidly
Visibility: 6 miles, light rain, light snow and and fog 
6-hour min. temp: 33F
6-hour precip: 0.17 in.
24-hour precip: 0.17 in.
24-hour snowfall: 0.1 in.
Snow on ground: trace 
BHO SA 1155 E6V BKN 12 OVC 6R-S-F 101/34/34/0921G32/983/ 6 BKNVOVC
SNW WET PK WND 0832/52/ WND 05V11 TOTAL NEW SNW 0.1 IN/ 8/72/
58041 ASOS 60017 MANUAL 60017 ASOS 70017 MANUAL 70017 10037 20033
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Lowest layer stratus fractus broken 
drifting over summit, overcast nimbostratus,
moderate rain and fog
Temperature: 39F, Dew Point: 39F; Wind: E at 24G35 kts,
Wind: Peak wind E @ 45 kts at 9:38 a.m.,
Wind: Direction variable NE-ESE
Sea-level pressure: 29.71 inches Hg, falling 
Visibility: 11/2 miles, variable 1 mile to 2 miles
in moderate rain and fog
3-hour precip: 0.26 inch.
BHO SA 1455 E3 BKN 6 OVC 11/2VRF 061/39/39/0824G35/971/
STRA DRFTG OVR SMT VSBY 1V2 PK WND 0845/38/ WND 05V11/
8/72/ 58040 MANUAL 6026/ ASOS 60024
 
1 P.M. 
Weather: Obscurement with heavy fog, heavy rain variable to
moderate rain past hour    
Temperature: 39F, Dew Point: 39F; Wind: ENE at 18G43 kts,
Wind: Peak wind ENE at 43 kts @ 12:52 P.M.,
Wind: Direction variable N-E,
Wind: Direction gradually backing
Sea-level pressure: 29.52 inches Hg, FALLING RAPIDLY
Visibility: 1/8 mile, 1/16 variable to 1/4 mile
6-hour max. temp: 40F 
6-hour rainfall: 0.85 inch
Rainfall today: 1.02 inches
BHO SA 1755 W3 X 1/8VR+F 998/39/39/0618G43/952/ VSBY 1/16V1/4 R+/R
PST HR PK WND 0643/52/ WND 01V09 WND GRDLY BACKING PRESFR/ 8////
56063 ASOS 60082 MANUAL 60085 10040 20034  
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....38    NORMAL.....34
MIN.....27    NORMAL.....17
MEAN....33    NORMAL.....25
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL......................+8
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.....................+80 [+7.1 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY.............32   DEPARTURE.........-7
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH............349   DEPARTURE........-74
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON..........2102   DEPARTURE.......-650
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.....2639   DIFFERENCE......-537
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............24 E   AT 11:53 P.M. 
                   AERO..................35 E   AT 11:57 P.M. 
                   ASOS..................24 ESE AT 11:59 P.M. 
                   DAVIS.................23 E   AT 11:53 P.M. RMY N/A
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........23 W   AT  3:29 P.M.  
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............17 E   AT 11:55 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE...........19 E   AT 11:54 P.M. 
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION........9.3 ESE 
                   ASOS.................9.0 
                   DAVIS................8.6 ENE [065 deg.]
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.17  DEPARTURE..........+0.03
                         ASOS..............0.17
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.26  DEPARTURE..........-1.30
                         ASOS..............0.26
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........0.26  DEPARTURE..........-1.30
                         ASOS..............0.09
     
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..........-4.8     
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON...............9.2  DEPARTURE..........-9.9     
 
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/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/.../..    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/.../..    22 S   AERO 21 MPH S   RMY 24
1/10 43/28/36/+11/0.05/0.5/.../..   29 WNW AERO 30 MPH WNW RMY 32
1/11 38/27/33/+8/0.00/0.0/.../..    24 E   AERO 24 MPH E   RMY N/A
 
1/12 our morning low temp: 33F; the normal low is 17F
 
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 12
HIGH 57F IN 1913, 1975
LOW -15F IN 1886
PRECIP 2.04 INS. IN 2011
SNOW 18.2 INS. IN 2011
WIND 84e MPH S IN 1980
 
RECORDS FOR JANUARY 13
HIGH 57F IN 1890,1932
LOW -10F IN 1912,1914
PRECIP 1.54 INS. IN 1979
SNOWFALL 12.6 INS. IN 1964
PEAK GUST 74 MPH NE IN 1964
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling