BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY TUESDAY, JULY 3, 2012 ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME PLEASANT, DRY, SUNNY SUMMER DAY; TEMPERATURES CONTINUE ON THE WARM SIDE The day started with a morning low of 63F, which was a few degrees cooler than yesterday, but very close to the normal low of 62F. With plenty of sunshine and only an occasional passing cloud, temperatures have had no trouble warming up this afternoon into the mid 80s. For the day, the average temperature will likely be a few degrees above normal. With today's warmth, the streak of above normal days now extends to 6. Believe it or not, such a warm streak has not occurred since late May! While a bit on the warm side, the air mass in place is relatively pleasant. Dew point temperatures hanging back in the 50s are contributing to that comfortable feel. The less humid air mass is allowing for good visibility for a summer day. This afternoon, visibility has extended to 75 miles. JUNE 2012 PRELIMINARY STATS TEMPERATURE: Average Max Temp: 73.4F [-1.6F] Average Min Temp: 56.1F [-1.0F] Mean Temp: 64.8F [-1.3F] 24-hr. Corr Mean Temp: 64.3F Max Temp: 94F on 21st Min Temp: 47F on 4th, 5th Total heating degree day units (month): 96 [+22] Total heating degree day units (season): 4,984 [-1,387] *start July 1 Total cooling degree day units (month): 97 [-8] Total cooling degree day units (season): 150 [+21] *start Jan 1 PRECIPITATION: Total precipitation: 4.45 ins. [+0.14 in.] Greatest 24-hr precipitation: 1.38 ins. on 25th Hail: Trace on 7th (1/8 inch diameter) WIND: Avg wind speed: 10.4 MPH Avg corrected wind speed: 10.9 MPH Prevailing wind direction: S [14%] Peak gust: 48 MPH NNW on 23rd Peak fastest mile: 34 MPH NNW on 23rd SUNSHINE: Total Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 14,342 or 55% Total astronomical minutes: 14,953 of possible 27,362 or 55% Officially, with the June 2012 average temperature finishing below the 30-year normal, the incredible streak of warmer-than-normal months comes to an end for one warm-streak-measuring method. Longest Number of Consecutive Months Above 30-Year Normal (using NWS mean temperature), and average departure in that time 1) 15 months, Jul 1998 - Sep 1999; +2.7 deg F 2) 14 months, Jan 1931 - Feb 1932; +3.0 deg F 3) 14 months, Nov 1952 - Dec 1953; +2.8 deg F 4) 13 months, Aug 1990 - Aug 1991; +3.0 deg F 5) 11 months, Jan 2010 - Nov 2010; +3.0 deg F 6) 11 months, Jul 2011 - May 2012; +4.4 deg F However, for the other warm-streak-measuring method below, preliminary indications show that the streak continues. The corrected mean temperature for June 2012 of 64.3F just squeaked above the 120-year mean for June of 64.1F. Longest Number of Consecutive Months Above 120-Year Mean (using corrected mean temperature), and average departure in that time 1) 17 months, Feb 2011 - Jun 2012; +4.0 deg F 2) 15 months, Jun 1990 - Aug 1991; +3.1 deg F 3) 15 months, Jul 1998 - Sep 1999; +3.0 deg F 4) 13 months, Nov 2009 - Nov 2010; +3.7 deg F Today's observations: 7 A.M. Weather: Scattered altocumulus, scattered dense cirrus, scattered thin cirrus, altocumulus castellanus distant E-S, altocumulus lenticularis distant S-WSW, patches of dense cirrus N-E, thin smoke layer along horizon all quadrants, light distant haze Temperature: 69F; Dew Point: 59F; Wind: NW at 8 kts, Wind: Direction variable W-NNW Sea-level pressure: 29.92 in Hg, rising then rising more slowly Visibility: 70 miles, light distant haze 24-hour precip: Trace 6-hour min. temp: 63F BHO SA 1155 100 SCT 220 SCT 250 –SCT 70 132/69/59/3208/992/ ACC DSNT E-S ACSL DSNT S-WSW PTCHS DNS CI N-E THN K LYR ALG HRZN ALQDS LGT DSNT HZ WND 28V34/ 8/082 51017 MANUAL 7000/ 10069 20063 10 A.M. Weather: Scattered cumulus, scattered thin cirrus, cumulus forming all quadrants, few moderate cumulus NW-E-S, few cumulus fractus all quadrants, cirrus distant ENE-SSE, cirrus distant WSW-NW invading the sky, thin smoke layer distant SE-WSW, light distant haze Temperature: 75F; Dew Point: 56F; Wind: NW at 9 kts, Wind: Direction variable W-N Sea-level pressure: 29.93 in Hg, rising slightly Visibility: 75 miles, light distant haze BHO SA 1455 50 SCT 250 –SCT 75 135/75/56/3109/993/ CU FRMG ALQDS FEW MDT CU NW-E-S FEW CUFRA ALQDS CI DSNT ENE-SSE CI DSNT WSW-NW INVADING THN K LYR DSNT SE-WSW LGT DSNT HZ WND 26V35/ 8/204 50003 1 P.M. Weather: Scattered cumulus, scattered thin cirrus, few moderate cumulus all quadrants, few cumulus fractus all quadrants, cirrus distant ENE-SE, cirrus SW-NW-NNE invading the sky, light distant haze Temperature: 82F; Dew Point: 57F; Wind: NW @ 8 kts, Wind: Direction variable W-N Sea-level pressure: 29.91 in Hg, falling Visibility: 75 miles, light distant haze 6-hour max. temp: 84F BHO SA 1755 60 SCT 250 –SCT 75 128/82/57/3108/991/ FEW MDT CU ALQDS FEW CUFRA ALQDS CI DSNT ENE-SE CI SW-NW-NNE INVADING LGT DSNT HZ WND 27V35/ 8/204 56007 10084 20069 WEATHER SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, JULY 2 TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F) MAX.....84 NORMAL.....79 MIN.....66 NORMAL.....62 MEAN....75 NORMAL.....70 DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.......................+5 TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH......................+13 [+6.3 DEGREES/DAY] PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............23 W AT 2:53 P.M. AERO..................22 W AT 2:54 P.M. ASOS..................22 WSW AT 2:55 P.M. DAVIS.................22 WSW AT 2:54 P.M. RMY 23 THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........15 W AT 2:56 P.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............15 WSW AT 2:55 P.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE...........16 W AT 2:55 P.M. AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION........8.3 NW ASOS.................8.6 DAVIS................7.5 NW [307 deg] PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST) TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M...Trace DEPARTURE...........-0.11 ASOS..............0.00 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.01 DEPARTURE...........-0.21 ASOS..............0.00 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........17.70 DEPARTURE...........-9.49 ASOS.............17.62 PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JUNE & JULY 2012 CALENDAR DAY DATA DATA REPORTED: DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/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 6/1 67/53/60/-2/0.00/742/82 28 ENE AERO 28 MPH ENE RMY 29 6/2 63/52/58/-4/0.80/000/00 39 SE AERO 39 MPH SE RMY 40 6/3 62/50/56/-6/0.01/082/09 31 N AERO 28 MPH N RMY 29 6/4 50/47/49/-14/0.58/000/00 44 NNE AERO 43 MPH NNE RMY 43 6/5 54/47/51/-12/0.23/009/01 23 NNE AERO 18 MPH NNE RMY N/A 6/6 63/48/56/-7/0.01/310/34 16 ENE AERO 14 MPH ENE RMY 15 6/7 70/50/60/-4/0.27/328/36 31 NE AERO 31 MPH NE RMY 32 TSTM,1/8" HAIL 6/8 76/51/64/0/0.03/502/55 25 WSW AERO 25 MPH WNW RMY 26 TSTM 6/9 76/56/66/+2/T/822/90 25 WNW AERO 24 MPH WNW RMY 24 6/10 78/56/67/+2/0.00/868/95 21 E AERO 18 MPH E RMY 18 6/11 76/55/66/+1/0.00/521/57 23 S AERO 21 MPH S RMY 22 6/12 73/57/65/0/0.03/320/35 29 S AERO 29 MPH S RMY 30 6/13 63/60/62/-3/0.59/000/00 25 S AERO 23 MPH S RMY N/A 6/14 69/58/64/-2/0.00/624/68 32 NNE AERO 29 MPH NE RMY 31 6/15 68/54/61/-5/0.00/890/97 28 ENE AERO 24 MPH ENE RMY 25 6/16 64/51/58/-8/T/485/53 28 NE AERO 24 MPH NE RMY 27 6/17 67/50/59/-8/0.00/752/82 21 E AERO 17 MPH E RMY 19 6/18 68/50/59/-8/0.00/761/83 21 S AERO 20 MPH S RMY 20 6/19 73/53/63/-4/0.00/284/31 24 SW AERO 23 MPH SW RMY 24 6/20 93/62/78/+10/0.00/844/92 22 SW AERO 22 MPH SW RMY N/A 6/21 94/74/84/+16/0.00/872/95 22 NW AERO 22 MPH NW RMY 21 6/22 93/69/81/+13/0.13/633/69 42 W AERO 39 MPH W RMY 43 TSTM 6/23 85/61/73/+5/0.35/504/55 48 NNW AERO 50 MPH NNW RMY 46 TSTM 6/24 82/59/71/+2/0.00/715/78 22 NW AERO 21 MPH NW RMY 21 6/25 71/59/65/-4/1.38/193/21 32 S AERO 32 MPH S RMY 32 TSTM 6/26 71/56/64/-5/T/339/37 35 NW AERO 36 MPH NW RMY 36 TSTM 6/27 76/55/66/-3/T/321/35 29 W AERO 28 MPH W RMY 30 6/28 83/59/71/+1/0.00/833/91 25 WNW AERO 24 MPH WNW RMY 26 6/29 86/65/76/+6/0.04/549/60 29 WNW AERO 28 MPH WNW RMY 30 6/30 89/67/78/+8/0.00/850/93 32 W AERO 33 MPH W RMY 33 7/1 89/67/78/+8/0.01/..../.. 33 WSW AERO 32 MPH WSW RMY 34 7/2 84/66/75/+5/T/..../.. 23 W AERO 22 MPH W RMY 23 7/3 morning low temp: 63F; the normal low is now 62F DAILY RECORDS FOR JUNE 2012 6/4 - NEW DAILY RECORD LOW MAXIMUM TEMP OF 50F; surpasses the previous record of 51F in 1891. 6/21 - NEW DAILY RECORD HIGH MAXIMUM TEMP OF 94F; surpasses the previous record of 92F in 1949. 6/21 - TIED DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMP OF 74F; ties the current record of 74F in 1923. 6/22 - TIED DAILY RECORD HIGH MAXIMUM TEMP OF 93F; ties the current record of 93F in 1921. 6/22 - TIED DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMP OF 69F; ties the current record of 69F in 1892. 6/25 - NEW DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM PRECIPITATION OF 1.38 INS; surpasses the previous record of 1.10 ins. in 2006. DAILY RECORDS FOR JULY 2012 None so far. DAILY EXTREMES Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated): RECORDS FOR JULY 3 HIGH 99F IN 1911 LOW 47F IN 1914 PRECIP 1.36 IN 1985 PEAK GUST 52 MPH NW IN 1963 RECORDS FOR JULY 4 HIGH 98F IN 1911, 1919, 1949 LOW 48F IN 1914 PRECIP 1.78 IN 1950 PEAK GUST 50e MPH WNW IN 1949 TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Sean Fankhauser