BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY 
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2012  
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

CLEAR AND COLD

The area is under the influence of a strong high pressure system today.
The sea level pressure topped out near 1035 mb at the summit around
noon.  Plenty of cold, Canadian air has been funneled into the area by
the high pressure system.  Temperatures today are running several degrees
below average, with a low of 16F and a high so far of 33F.  With a wind
of 15-20 mph this morning, the wind chill was hovering around 0F.

The strong high pressure system is also keeping the sky quite clear, with
only a few clouds observed today over the distant Cape.  Visibility has
been great, ranging from 75-85 miles.

The high pressure system is moving to our east now, and, consequently,
our wind direction has begun the process of slowly backing. The wind
direction this morning was WNW/NW, and this afternoon it has become WSW.
Thus, the warm up begins!

Today's observations:
 
7 A.M. 
Weather: Clear, cumulus/stratocumulus layer along/offshore distant
NE-ESE, thin smoke layer distant all quadrants, light distant haze
Temperature: 16F, Dew point: 6F, Wind: NW at 16G23 kts,
Wind: Direction variable W-N
Wind chill: 0F 
Sea-level pressure: 30.50 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 75 miles, light distant haze 
Snow depth: 2 inches 
6-hour min. temp: 16F
BHO SA 1155 CLR 75 327/16/6/3116G23/050/ CU/SC LYR ALG/OFFSHR DSNT
NE-ESE THN K LYR DSNT ALQDS LGT DSNT HZ WND 27V35 WNDCHILL 0/ 8/500
4/002 53037 10021 20016
 
10 A.M. 
Weather: Clear, cumulus/stratocumulus layer along/offshore distant
ENE-SE, thin smoke layer distant all quadrants, light distant haze
Temperature: 25F, Dew Point: 7F; Wind: NW at 12G17 kts,
Wind: Direction variable W-N
Sea-level pressure: 30.56 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 70 miles, light distant haze    
BHO SA 1455 CLR 70 348/25/7/3212G17/056/ CU/SC LYR ALG/OFFSHR DSNT
ENE-SE THN K LYR DSNT ALQDS LGT DSNT HZ WND 28V35/ 8/500 51021
 
1 P.M. 
Weather: Clear, cumulus/stratocumulus layer along/offshore distant
ENE-ESE, thin smoke layer distant W-N-SE, light distant haze
Temperature: 32F, Dew Point: 9F; Wind: W at 9 kts,
Wind: Direction variable SW-WNW
Sea-level pressure: 30.53 inches Hg, rising then falling
Visibility: 85 miles, light distant haze
6-hour max. temp: 33F
BHO SA 1755 CLR 85 340/32/9/2609/053/ CU/SC LYR ALG/OFFSHR DSNT
ENE-ESE THN K LYR DSNT W-N-SE LGT DSNT HZ WND 23V30/ 8/500 58008
10033 20016

WEATHER SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, MARCH 5

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....35    NORMAL.....41
MIN.....22    NORMAL.....23
MEAN....29    NORMAL.....32
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL......................-3
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH......................-3 [-0.8 DEGREES]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............36   DEPARTURE..........+3
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............170   DEPARTURE..........+5
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........3821   DEPARTURE........-914
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......4699   DEPARTURE........-878  
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............33 W   AT  1:24 P.M.
                   AERO..................35 W   AT 12:55 P.M.
                   ASOS..................33 W   AT  1:24 P.M.
                   DAVIS.................34 WSW AT  1:24 P.M.
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........25 W   AT 12:40 P.M. *
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............24 W   AT  1:25 P.M.
DAVIS MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE AVERAGE...........24 WSW AT 12:01 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.......15.1 W
                   ASOS................13.8
                   DAVIS...............13.0 WNW  [282 deg]
*...Last of several occurrences

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00   DEPARTURE..........-0.18
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........1.41   DEPARTURE..........+0.54 
                         ASOS..............1.43
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........5.68   DEPARTURE..........-3.61
                        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..........+1.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............24.2    DEPARTURE.........-23.7

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
 
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  35/22/29/-3/0.00/0.0/.../..    33 W   AERO 35 MPH W   RMY 35

3/6  our morning low temp 16F: the normal low is now 23F; 

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 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

RECORDS FOR MARCH 7
HIGH 66 IN 1946
LOW -1 IN 1890
PRECIP 2.05 INS. IN 1967
SNOWFALL 11.1 INS. IN 1967
PEAK GUST 66 MPH NE IN 1962

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Sean Fankhauser