BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2012 ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME A "RARE" SNOW EVENT AT THE END OF ONE OF THE LEAST SNOWIEST WINTERS FEBRUARY 29-MARCH 1 SNOWSTORM TOTAL REACHES 3.9 INCHES SNOW TOTAL REACHED 3.0 INS. ON FEBRUARY 29 ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATING THIS MORNING Snow which began around noon yesterday was measred at 3.0 inches on the snowboards by midnight last night and actually by 10 P.M. Charles Orloff overnighted here at the Observatory. The melted amount was 0.38 inch for the 3 inches so it was a wet snow with temperatures holding between 31 and 32 here at the summit. Snow was becoming quite light and was likely mixed with sleet and possibly a little freezing rain from 10 P.M. to midnight when the accumulated total remained at 3.0 inches. After midnight there was an additional 0.5 inch of snow/sleet through 7 A.M. which included varying times of light snow, sleet and rain as temperatures rose from 32.4 at midnight to 34 degrees around 2 A.M. falling back to 32 by 4 A.M. to 7 A.M. The total snowfall for the winter season (Dec-Feb) was the SECOND lowest on record. Least Snowy Winters (Dec-Feb), inches, 1885-2011 1) 3.3 in 1936-1937 2) 11.7 in 2011-2012 3) 12.0 in 1888-1889 4) 13.6 in 1991-1992 5) 13.8 in 1979-1980 6) 13.9 in 2006-2007 February was a very dry month and ranked FOURTH driest on record. Driest Februarys, inches, 1886-2011 1) 0.71 in 1987 2) 1.04 in 1901 3) 1.07 in 1980 4) 1.08 in 2012 5) 1.12 in 1895 6) 1.58 in 1947 February has also been extremely warm. The month finished as the SECOND warmest February on record. Warmest Februarys, deg F, 1885-2011 1) 34.9 in 1984 2) 34.3 in 2012 3) 34.0 in 1998 4) 33.9 in 1954 33.9 in 1981 5) 33.7 in 1976 The winter season (Dec-Feb) ranked as the SECOND warmest on record. Warmest Winters (Dec-Feb), deg F, 1885-2011 1) 34.8 in 2001-2002 2) 34.3 in 2011-2012 3) 32.6 in 1997-1998 4) 32.3 in 1936-1937 32.3 in 1998-1999 6) 32.2 in 1932-1933 The November through February mean temperature was the WARMEST on record. Warmest Nov-Feb, deg F, 1885-2011 1) 37.7 in 2011-2012 2) 37.6 in 2001-2002 3) 35.4 in 1948-1949 4) 35.1 in 1990-1991 5) 34.8 in 1953-1954 34.8 in 2006-2007 Today's observations: 7 A.M. Weather: Obscurement light snow and fog Temperature: 32F, Dew point: 32F, Wind: ENE at 13 kts Wind: Peak wind from ENE at 29 kts at 6:13 A.M. Wind: Direction variable NNE-E Sea-level pressure: 29.78 inches Hg, falling then rising Visibility: 1/4 mile, light snow and fog 6-hour min. temp: 32F 24-hour precip: 0.80 in. 24-hour snowfall: 3.5 ins. BHO SA 1155 W3 X 1/4S-F 084/32/32/0713/978/ SNW WET OCNL IP- PK WND 0729/13/ WND 03V09 TOTAL NEW SNW 24 HRS 3.5 INS/ 8//// 55015 MANUAL 6XXX/ ASOS 60045 MANUAL 70080 AS0S 70083 10034 20032 10 A.M. Weather: Low stratus fractus overcast, light drizzle and fog Temperature: 33F, Dew Point: 33F; Wind: ENE at 21G31 kts, Wind: Peak wind from ENE at 31 kts at 9:50 A.M. Wind: Direction variable NNE-E Sea-level pressure: 29.74 inches Hg, falling Visibility: 2.5 miles, variable, 2 to 3 miles, stratus occasionally drifting over summit, light drizzle and fog 3-hourly precip: 0.12 in. 3-hourly snowfall: 0.5 in. BHO SA 1455 E4 OVC 21/2VL-F 071/33/33/0721G31/974/ VSBY 2V3 STRA OCNL DRFTG OVR SMT PK WND 0731/50 WND 03V09 SELB40 TOTAL NEW SNW 3 HRS 0.5 IN/ 8/7// 58013 ASOS 60012 MANUAL 6XXX/ 1 P.M. Weather: Obscurement light snow and fog, snow wet Temperature: 33F, Dew Point: 33F; Wind: ENE at 12G27 kts, Wind: Peak wind 30 kts from ENE at 12:25 P.M. Wind: Direction variable NNE-E Sea-level pressure: 29.74 inches Hg, falling slightly Visibility: 1/4 variable 1/8 to 1/2, light snow/fog 6-hour max. temp: 34F 6-hour precip: 0.22 in. 6-hour snowfall: 0.8 in. BHO SA 1755 W4 X 1/4VS-F 070/33/33/0612G27/974/ SNW WET VSBY 1/8V1/2 SE 11/2 PK WND 0730/25/ WND 02V09/ TOTAL NEW SNW PST 6 HRS 0.8 IN/ 8//// 58001 ASOS 60023 MANUAL 6022/ 10034 20032 WEATHER SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29 TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F) MAX.....35 NORMAL.....40 MIN.....28 NORMAL.....22 MEAN....32 NORMAL.....31 DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL......................+1 TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH....................+199 [+6.9 DEGREES] HEATING DEGREE DAYS TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............33 DEPARTURE..........-1 TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............870 DEPARTURE........-164 TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........3651 DEPARTURE........-919 TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......4522 DEPARTURE........-871 PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............30 E AT 11:36 P.M. AERO..................30 E AT 11:36 P.M. * ASOS..................30 E AT 11:55 P.M. DAVIS.................28 E AT 10:36 P.M. RMY N/A THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........22 ENE AT 11:55 P.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............23 E AT 11:56 P.M. DAVIS MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE AVERAGE...........21 ENE AT 11:55 P.M. AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION....... 7.7 E ASOS.................7.9 DAVIS................7.1 E [080 deg] * last of several occurrences.. PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST) TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.80 DEPARTURE...........N/A ASOS..............0.83 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR FEBRUARY...........1.08 DEPARTURE..........-2.99 ASOS..............1.09 TOTAL PRECIPITATION 2012 THRU FEBRUARY.....4.27 DEPARTURE..........-4.15 ASOS...............4.33 SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST) TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........3.5 DEPARTURE..........+3.0 TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR FEBRUARY ................3.7 DEPARTURE.........-12.6 TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON THRU FEB.....20.2 DEPARTURE.........-25.7 PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY 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 2/1 58/31/45/+19/T/0.0/174/29 39 WNW AERO 40 MPH WNW RMY 41 2/2 40/28/34/+8/T/0.0/000/00 25 WNW AERO 25 MPH WNW RMY N/A 2/3 37/22/30/+4/0.00/0.0/574/95 28 NW AERO 28 MPH NW RMY 29 2/4 43/24/34/+8/0.00/0.0/498/82 28 WNW AERO 31 MPH WNW RMY 30 2/5 34/18/26/0/0.00/0.0/597/98 18 W AERO 17 MPH W RMY N/A 2/6 49/24/37/+11/0.00/0.0/599/98 33 WSW AERO 32 MPH WSW RMY 34 2/7 43/27/35/+8/0.00/0.0/596/97 24 NNW AERO 28 MPH NNW RMY 24 2/8 37/17/27/0/0.00/0.0/388/63 22 N AERO 21 MPH N RMY 24 2/9 45/26/36/+9/0.00/0.0/607/98 21 NW AERO 21 MPH W RMY 21 2/10 49/30/40/+13/0.02/0.0/467/75 32 SSW AERO 35 MPH SSW RMY 34 2/11 36/27/32/+5/0.13/0.6/012/02 33 NW AERO 33 MPH NW RMY N/A 2/12 28/13/21/-6/0.00/0.0/621/99 46 WNW AERO 48 MPH WNW RMY 50 2/13 40/12/26/-2/0.00/0.0/535/85 43 W AERO 42 MPH W RMY 44 2/14 43/29/36/+8/0.00/0.0/082/13 23 SSW AERO N/A RMY 23 2/15 43/36/40/+12/T/0.0/000/00 21 SSW AERO 22 MPH SSW RMY N/A 2/16 45/30/38/+12/0.07/0.0/127/20 24 S AERO 27 MPH S RMY N/A 2/17 49/32/41/+13/0.01/0.0/224/35 29 WNW AERO 29 MPH WNW RMY 31 2/18 45/29/37/+8/0.00/0.0/521/81 30 W AERO 30 MPH W RMY 31 2/19 44/26/35/+6/0.00/0.0/626/97 23 NW AERO 22 MPH NW RMY 23 2/20 39/24/32/+3/0.00/0.0/577/89 37 NNW AERO 37 MPH NNW RMY 37 2/21 42/22/32/+3/T/0.0/469/72 30 S AERO 30 MPH S RMY 31 2/22 55/36/46/+17/0.00/0.0/419/64 28 W AERO 28 MPH W N/A 2/23 52/35/44/+14/0.03/0.0/276/42 40 W AERO 42 MPH W RMY 39 2/24 39/32/36/+6/0.44/0.1/000/00 37 W AERO 37 MPH W RMY 42 2/25 41/29/35/+5/T/T/410/62 61 W AERO 60 MPH WSW RMY N/A 2/26 40/24/32/+2/0.00/0.0/665/100 44 WNW AERO 44 MPH WNW RMY N/A 2/27 50/24/37/+6/0.00/0.0/467/70 33 S AERO 35 MPH S RMY N/A 2/28 47/30/39/+8/0.00/0.0/637/95 42 WNW AERO 43 MPH WNW RMY N/A 2/29 35/28/32/+1/0.38/3.0/000/00 30 E AERO 30 MPH E RMY N/A 3/1 our morning low temp: 32F; the normal low is 22F DAILY RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 2012 There were none. DAILY EXTREMES Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated): RECORDS FOR MARCH 1 HIGH 62 IN 1972 LOW -3 IN 1886 PRECIP 1.65 INS. IN 1900 SNOWFALL 9.4 INS. IN 1949 PEAK GUST 78 WSW IN 1966 RECORDS FOR MARCH 2 HIGH 63 IN 2004 LOW -3 IN 1886 PRE 2.15 INS. IN 1983 SNOW 8.2 INS. IN 2009 WIND 75 MPH NW IN 1966 TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling/Charles Orloff If you do not wish to receive this Daily Discussion and Climate Summary from the Blue Hill Observatory, please send an email to sitemaster@bluehill.org.