BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012 ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME COLD, CLOUDY, CALM WITH A FEW FLURRIES TODAY; FEBRUARY 29-MARCH 1 SNOWSTORM TOTAL REACHES 6.3 INCHES Temperatures are several degrees below average today. The wind has been fairly calm today, making the cold temperatures a little more bearable. Skies have been overcast today, with occasional flurries observed. A few light snow showers were observed from the summit in surrounding areas. A light coating of feathery rime ice was observed on the wires and wind equipment located on the tower roof today. The total snowfall for the February 29 - March 1 storm reached 6.3 inches. All precipitation amounted to 1.43 inch of liquid. We continue to finalize stats for February and meteorological winter. FEBRUARY 2012 PRELIMINARY STATS TEMPERATURE: Average Max Temp: 43.3F [+6.5F] Average Min Temp: 26.3F [+7.2F] Mean Temp: 34.8F [+6.9F] 24-hr. Corr Mean Temp: 34.3F Max Temp: 58F on 1st Min Temp: 12F on 13th Total heating degree day units (month): 870 [-164] Total heating degree day units (season): 3,651 [-919] *start July 1 PRECIPITATION: Total precipitation: 1.08 ins. [-2.99 in.] Greatest 24-hr precipitation: 0.44 ins. on 24th Total snowfall: 3.7 ins. [-12.3 ins.] Greatest 24-hr snowfall: 3.0 ins. on 29th Greatest 7AM snow depth: Trace on 11th WIND: Avg wind speed: 12.3 MPH Avg corrected wind speed: 12.7 MPH Prevailing wind direction: W [17%] Peak gust: 61 MPH W on 25th Peak fastest mile: 44 MPH WSW on 25th 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: Overcast stratus, thin fog/haze all quadrants, light rime ice on tower surfaces, occasional light snow began/ended at unknown time, snow very light Temperature: 21F, Dew point: 20F, Wind: NNW at 7 kts Sea-level pressure: 30.13 inches Hg, rising Visibility: 19 miles, thin fog/haze all quadrants 24-hour precip: 0.63 in. 24-hour snowfall: 2.8 ins. Storm total snowfall: 6.3 ins. 6-hour min. temp: 21F BHO SA 1155 E5 OVC 19 202/21/20/3407/013/ THN FG/HZ ALQDS LGT RIME ON TOWER SURFACES OCNL S-BEUKN PCPN VRY LGT TOTAL NEW SNW PST 24 HRS 2.8 INS STORM TOTAL 6.3 INS/ 8/6// 4/005 51020 MANUAL 6000/ MANUAL 70063 ASOS 70061 10022 20021 10 A.M. Weather: Light snow, broken stratocumulus, overcast stratus, thin fog/haze all quadrants, snow shower N-NE and ENE-SE moving SW, occasional light snow began at unknown time and continued, snow very light and intermittent Temperature: 24F, Dew Point: 23F; Wind: Estimated NNW at 2 kts, Wind: Light and variable Sea-level pressure: 30.15 inches Hg, rising Visibility: 15 miles, light snow, thin fog/haze all quadrants 3-hour precip: Trace 3-hour snowfall: Trace BHO SA 1455 E5 BKN 10 OVC 15S- 210/24/23/E3402/015/ THN FG/HZ ALQDS SHSN N-NE AND ENE-SE MOVG SW OCNL S-BUKN CTD VRY LGT AND INTMT WND LGT AND VRB/ 8/6// 51008 MANUAL 6000/ 1 P.M. Weather: Light snow, broken stratocumulus, overcast stratus, thin fog/haze all quadrants, snow shower NNE moving SW, occasional light snow continued, snow very light and intermittent Temperature: 26F, Dew Point: 25F; Wind: NE at 4 kts, Wind: Light and variable Sea-level pressure: 30.15 inches Hg, rising then falling Visibility: 15 miles, WNW 20 miles, light snow, thin fog/haze all quadrants 6-hour precip: Trace 6-hour snowfall: Trace 6-hour max. temp: 27F BHO SA 1755 E5 BKN 10 OVC 15 S- 209/26/25/0504/015/ THN FG/HZ ALQDS VSBY WNW 20 SHSN NNE MOVG SW OCNL S-CTD VRY LGT AND INTMT WND LGT AND VRB/ 8/6// 58001 MANUAL 6000/ 10027 20021 WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 1 TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F) MAX.....34 NORMAL.....40 MIN.....22 NORMAL.....22 MEAN....28 NORMAL.....31 DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL......................-3 TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH......................-3 [-3.0 DEGREES] HEATING DEGREE DAYS TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............37 DEPARTURE..........+3 TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH..............37 DEPARTURE..........+3 TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........3688 DEPARTURE........-916 TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......4555 DEPARTURE........-867 PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............40 ENE AT 10:39 A.M. AERO..................44 ENE AT 10:40 A.M. ASOS..................44 ENE AT 10:40 A.M. DAVIS.................41 ENE AT 10:39 A.M. RMY 42 THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........31 ENE AT 10:39 A.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............31 ENE AT 10:40 A.M. DAVIS MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE AVERAGE...........29 ENE AT 10:40 A.M. AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.......19.0 ENE ASOS................18.4 DAVIS...............17.0 NE [054 deg] PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST) TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.63 DEPARTURE..........+0.48 ASOS..............0.61 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........1.05 DEPARTURE..........+0.90 ASOS..............1.08 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........5.32 DEPARTURE..........-3.25 ASOS...............5.41 SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST) TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........2.8 DEPARTURE..........+2.3 TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................3.3 DEPARTURE..........+2.8 TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............23.5 DEPARTURE.........-22.4 PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY & MARCH 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 34/22/28/-3/1.05/3.3/000/00 40 ENE AERO 44 MPH ENE RMY 42 3/2 our morning low temp: 21F; the normal low is 22F DAILY RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 2012 There were none. DAILY RECORDS FOR MARCH 2012 None so far. DAILY EXTREMES Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated): 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 RECORDS FOR MARCH 3 HIGH 64 IN 1991 LOW -1 IN 1950 PRECIP 2.36 INS. IN 1972 SNOWFALL 12.8 INS. IN 1960 PEAK GUST 78e MPH E IN 1942 TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Sean Fankhauser