BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012 
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
MARCH TEMPERATURES STARTING NEAR NORMAL
 
The month of March has begun with near normal temperatures and
after 3 cloudy days the sun finally appeared very late on
March 4.  A couple inches of snow remain on the ground at the
summit from the snowfalls of February 29-March 3rd which
totaled 7.0 inches.
 
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
SUNSHINE:
Total astronomical minutes; 11174 minutes or 63%.
Average for February is 50%
Campbell-Stokes data still being checked out. 
 
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: Broken stratocumulus, few cumulus
distant E-SE, mostly clear sky ESE-SSW
Temperature: 25F, Dew point: 12F, Wind: W at 13 kts  
Sea-level pressure: 29.82 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 60 miles, light  distant haze
24-hour precip: 0.00 in.
6-hour min. temp: 24F
Total snow depth: 2 inches
BHO SA 1155 E38 BKN 60 098/25/12/2713/982/ FEW LWR CU DSNT E-SE
MSTLY CLR SKY DSNT ESE-WSW WND 24V30/ 8/800 4/002 51032 10029 20024 
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Clear few stratocumulus
Temperature: 29F, Dew Point: 13F; Wind: W at 13G21 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.90 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 60 miles, 70 miles NW, light distant haze   
BHO SA 1455 CLR 60 125/29/13/2613G21/990/ FEW SC ALQDS WND 21V29/
8/500 51027
 
1 P.M.
Weather: Clear, few stratocumulus distant WNW-E, few cirrus
distant WNW-NNW
Temperature: 33F, Dew Point: 12F; Wind: W at 18G28 kts,
Wind: Peak wind 28 kts W at 12:54 P.M.
Wind: Direction variable WSW-WNW
Sea-level pressure: 29.95 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 65 miles, 70 miles, light distant haze
6-hour max. temp: 34F
BHO SA 1755 CLR 65 143/33/12/2718G28/995/ FEW SC DSNT WNW-E
FEW CI DSNT WNW-NNW VSBY NW 70 LGT DSNT HZ PK WND 2828/54/
WND 24V30/ 8/501 51018 10034 20025
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR SUNDAY, MARCH 4
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....39    NORMAL.....41
MIN.....30    NORMAL.....23
MEAN....35    NORMAL.....32
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL......................+3
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.......................0 [-0.2 DEGREES]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............30   DEPARTURE..........-3
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............134   DEPARTURE..........+1
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........3785   DEPARTURE........-918
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......4674   DEPARTURE........-889 
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............28 W   AT 12:13 A.M.
                   AERO..................28 W   AT 12:13 A.M.
                   ASOS..................28 W   AT 12:14 A.M.
                   DAVIS.................25 W   AT 12:13 A.M.  
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........N/A
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............21 W   AT 12:15 A.M.
DAVIS MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE AVERAGE...........17 W   AT 12:15 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION........9.6 W
                   ASOS.................9.4
                   DAVIS................8.3 W  (270 deg]
*...Last of several occurrences
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00   DEPARTURE..........-0.17
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........1.41   DEPARTURE..........+0.72
                         ASOS..............1.43
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........5.68   DEPARTURE..........-3.43
                        ASOS...............5.76
     
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.0    DEPARTURE..........-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................4.0    DEPARTURE..........+2.0
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............24.2    DEPARTURE.........-23.2
 
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  30/21/26/-5/..../0.1/000/00    23 ESE AERO 25 MPH ESE RMY 26
3/3  44/30/37/+5/..../0.6/000/00    27 W   AERO 29 MPH SW  RMY 28
3/4  39/30/35/+3/..../../.../..     28 W   AERO 28 MPH W   RMY 28
 
3/5  our morning low temp: the normal low is now 23F;
 
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 5
HIGH 64 IN 1979
LOW -2 IN 1948
PRECIP 1.76 INS. IN 2001
SNOWFALL 13.0 INS. IN 1891
PEAK GUST 76e MPH WNW IN 1971
 
RECORDS FOR MARCH 6
HIGH 66 IN 1894
LOW 3 IN 1948, 2007
PRECIP 1.85 INS. IN 2001
SNOWFALL 15.5 INS. IN 2001
PEAK GUST 82 MPH S IN 1959
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling/Patrick Peters