BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 2012
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
STORM TOTAL OF 3.4 INCHES MEASURED AT SUMMIT
 
Following yesterday's snowfall event, Blue Hill Observatory received
3.4 inches of snowfall with a liquid equivalent of 0.29 inches
(approximately a 12:1 snow to liquid ratio). Temperatures were very
cool this morning in the low teens, but have since risen to the upper
20s by early afternoon. A stratus deck has put a cap on increasing
temperatures for the time being associated with easterly flow off the
ocean. A mild week is in store as high pressure builds in following a
cold front which is expected to pass through tomorrow night with rain
showers.
 
 
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M. 
Weather: Scattered cumulus, scattered altocumulus standing lenticularis,
scattered altocumulus cumulogenitus, altocumulus cumulogenitus band N-S,
few altocumulus standing lenticularis all quadrants, clear overhead, hazy
Temperature: 12F, Dew point: 7F, Wind: NNW at 11 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.49 inches Hg, rising 
Visibility: 30 miles, 20 miles NNE-ENE, hazy
24-hour precip: 0.29 inch
24-hour snowfall: 3.3 inch
Snow depth: 4 inches
6-hour min. temp: 11F
BHO SA 1155 25 SCT 80 SCT 120 SCT 30 325/12/7/3411/049/ ACCU BAND N-S
FEW ACSL ALQDS CLR OVD HAZY VSBY LWR NNE-ENE 20 TOTAL NEW SNW PST 24
HRS 3.3 INS STORM TOTAL 3.4 INS/ 8/260 4/004 52030 MANUAL 70029 ASOS
70033 10013 20011
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered cumulus, scattered altocumulus, scattered dense cirrus,
scattered thin cirrus, few lower cumulus/cumulus fractus distant NNE-S,
few moderate cumulus distant offshore NE-E, contrails all quadrants
except NE-SE, thin smoke layer W-NNE, hazy
Temperature: 24F, Dew Point: 17F; Wind: N at 7 kts,
Wind: Direction variable NW-ENE
Sea-level pressure: 30.55 inches Hg, rising   
Visibility: 30 miles, thin smoke layer W-NNE, hazy
BHO SA 1455 25 SCT 90 SCT 200 SCT 250 –SCT 30 346/24/17/3607/055/ FEW
LWR CU/CUFRA DSNT NNE-S FEW MDT CU DSNT OFFSHR NE-E CONTRAILS ALQDS
XCPT NE-SE THN K LYR W-NNE HAZY WND 32V06/ 8/242 51021
 
1 P.M. 
Weather: Broken stratocumulus, few lower cumulus/cumulus fractus N, sun
dimly visible, crepuscular rays SSE-SW, hazy
Temperature: 28F, Dew Point: 20F; Wind: ENE at 7 kts,
Wind: Gradually veering past hour,
Wind: Direction variable N-SE
Sea-level pressure: 30.53 inches Hg, falling 
Visibility: 40 miles, hazy  
6-hour max. temp: 28F  
BHO SA 1755 25 BKN 40 339/28/20/0607/053/ FEW LWR CU/CUFRA N SUN DMLY
VSBL CREPUSCULAR RAYS SSE-SW HAZY WND GRDLY VEERING PST HR WND 01V14/
8/500 58007 10028 20012
 
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR SATURDAY, JANUARY 21
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....20    NORMAL.....34
MIN.....13    NORMAL.....17
MEAN....17    NORMAL.....25
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL......................-8
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.....................+91 [+4.1 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY.............48   DEPARTURE.........+8
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH............738   DEPARTURE........-76
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON..........2491   DEPARTURE.......-652
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.....3056   DIFFERENCE......-565
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............25 N   AT  5:43 P.M. *
                   AERO..................25 N   AT  5:09 P.M.
                   ASOS..................26 N   AT  4:12 P.M.
                   DAVIS.................24 N   AT  4:11 P.M. RMY 25
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........17 N   AT  3:48 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............18 N   AT  4:13 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE...........18 N   AT  3:49 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION........9.9 N
                   ASOS.................9.9
                   DAVIS................9.2 N [360 deg]
*...Last of several occurrences
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.29  DEPARTURE..........+0.15
                         ASOS..............0.33
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........2.19  DEPARTURE..........-0.79
                         ASOS..............2.23
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........2.19  DEPARTURE..........-0.79
                        ASOS...............2.23
     
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........3.3  DEPARTURE..........+2.8
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................7.5  DEPARTURE..........-3.0     
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............16.0  DEPARTURE..........-8.1     
 
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 28/12/20/-5/0.10/1.1/.../..    27 SE  AERO 28 MPH ESE RMY 28
1/20 29/17/23/-2/0.06/0.7/.../..    30 W   AERO 30 MPH W   RMY 30
1/21 20/13/17/-8/0.29/3.4/.../..    25 N   AERO 25 MPH N   RMY 25
 
1/22 the morning low temp: 11F; 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 22
HIGH 59F IN 1916
LOW -8F IN 1888,1976
PRECIP 1.24 INS. IN 1891,1987
SNOWFALL 10.0 INS. IN 2005
PEAK GUST 67 MPH W IN 1976
 
RECORDS FOR JANUARY 23
HIGH 62F IN 1906
LOW -10F IN 1976
PRECIP 2.40 INS. IN 1935
SNOWFALL 14.6 INS. IN 1966
PEAK GUST 85 MPH S IN 1992
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: George A. Tabeek