BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2012
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
COLD START TO THE DAY
SNOW FLURRIES BEGAN EARLY THIS AFTERNOON
SLURRIES SEEN MOVING INLAND AFTER REACHING COAST
A SUNNY JANUARY TO DATE
 
After a very cold start to the day at 12F low clouds from a marine layer began
arriving late this morning along with some very light snow flurries.
The snow showers were first seen to the north through east and southeast
of the Observatory by noon.  High temperatures reached the upper 20's
before falling back a bit.
A check of the sunshine record for the month shows we've recorded a
very sunny month to date with over 60% of the possible bright sunshine
logged through Wednesday. The long-term average is 46%.    
 
 
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M. 
Weather: Scattered dense ci, scattered cirrus, stratocumulus layer distant
NNW-E-SSE, patch dense cirrus S-WSW cirrus radiatus layer extending ENE-S
Temperature: 13F, Dew point: 0F, Wind: NNW at 8 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 30.25 inches Hg, rising  
Visibility: 60 miles, WNW-NW 80 miles, NE-SE 30 miles, hazy
6-hour min. temp: 12F
Snow depth: none
BHO SA 1155 220 SCT 250 SCT 60 245/13/0/3308/025/ SC LYR NNW-E-SSE
PTCH DNS CI S-WSW VSBY WNW-NW 80 NE-SE 30 HAZY/ 8/502 53023 10017 20012
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered dense cirrus, thin overcast cirrus, cirrus intortus
cumulus/stratocumulus along and offshore distant NNE-SSE and S
Temperature: 20F, Dew Point: 5F; Wind: N at 3 kts,
Wind: Light 
Sea-level pressure: 30.28 inches Hg, rising   
Visibility: 60 miles, light distant haze  
BHO SA 1455 220 SCT 250 –OVC 60 253/20/5/0103/028/ CU/SC LYR
ALG/OFFSHR NNE-SSE AND DSNT S PTCHY DNS CI ALQDS WND LGT/ 8/002 51008
 
1 P.M. 
Weather: Broken stratocumulus, broken cirrus, showers of snow
extending N-E-SSE
Temperature: 28F, Dew Point: 16F; Wind: ESE at 6 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.20 inches Hg, falling 
Visibility: 50 miles, except N 9, NE-E 6, SE 8 in
showers of snow   
6-hour max. temp: 28F   
BHO SA 1755 E23 BKN 250 BKN 50 226/28/16/1206/020/ SC ALQDS
SHSN XTDNG N-E-SSE VSBY N 9 NE-E 6 SE 8 LGT DSNT HZ S-W-NW
8/501 56027 10028 20013
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....49    NORMAL.....33
0MIN....18    NORMAL.....17
MEAN....34    NORMAL.....25
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL......................+9
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH....................+106 [+5.7 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY.............31   DEPARTURE.........-8
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH............603   DEPARTURE........-93
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON..........2356   DEPARTURE.......-669
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.....2942   DIFFERENCE......-586
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............56 WNW AT  5:50 A.M.
                   ASOS..................53 W   AT  6:02 A.M. 
                   AERO..................55 WNW AT  6:01 A.M. *
                   DAVIS.................55 WNW AT  5:49 A.M. RMY 56
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........41 WNW AT  5:50 A.M.   
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............39 W   AT  5:51 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE...........37 W   AT  5:51 A.M. 
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.......24.0 WNW  
                   ASOS................22.3
                   DAVIS...............20.5 W [280 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..........1.74  DEPARTURE..........-0.83
                         ASOS..............1.75
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........1.74  DEPARTURE..........-0.83
                        ASOS...............1.75
     
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.0  DEPARTURE..........-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................2.3  DEPARTURE..........-6.7     
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............10.8  DEPARTURE.........-11.8     
 
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/+4/0.00/0.0/384/69    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 the morning low temp: 12F; the normal low is now 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 19
HIGH 59F IN 1973
LOW -11F IN 1887
PRECIP 2.34 INS. IN 1936
SNOWFALL 10.5 INS. IN 1936
PEAK GUST 93e MPH WNW IN 1943
 
RECORDS FOR JANUARY 20
HIGH 59F IN 1951
LOW -9F IN 1901
PRECIP 1.95 INS. IN 1978
SNOWFALL 19.0 INS. IN 1978 [RECORD FOR MONTH]
PEAK GUST 76e MPH NE IN 1978
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling