BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY 
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2012  
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

RECORD WARMTH RELAXES A BIT;
A LITTLE COOLER TODAY, BUT WARM STREAK CONTINUES...

Temperatures yesterday averaged an incredible 31 degrees above normal!
A new daily record high maximum temperature of 81F smashed the old
record of 71F set in 1948, and a new daily record high minimum
temperature of 54F smashed the 110-year-old record of 45F set in 1902.

A cold front slid through the region early this morning, providing a
few sprinkles, and a slightly cooler and much drier air mass.  Today,
temperatures are still running close to 25 degrees above normal.  The
record high for today of 78F set in 1938 appears to be just a few
degrees out of reach, with the afternoon high thus far only reaching
74F.  As far as our warm streak is concerned, we've had 13 consecutive
days of above normal temperatures including today.

The relative humidity has dropped to around 25% this afternoon, and winds
have been gusting 15-25 mph.  Today's low humidity, breezy conditions,
and the recent very dry weather are providing potentially dangerous
conditions with regards to fires.  Also with the drier air mass,
visibility has reached 80-85 miles today.
 
The lack of precipitation continues to be an important story, especially
with little in the way of significant rainfall in the forecast. Rainfall
on the summit is now more than 6 inches below average since January 1. 
We've had less than 50% of the normal precipitation since the first of
the year.

Today's observations:
 
7 A.M. 
Weather: Broken altocumulus (3 levels), few altocumulus castellanus
distant SSE-S, few altocumulus lenticularis distant NW-ENE, higher
altocumulus visible distant NNE-ENE, line of clearing distant NW-ENE,
thin smoke layer distant all quadrants, light distant haze
Temperature: 59F, Dew point: 50F, Wind: ENE at 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.11 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 75 miles, NW 85 miles, E-SW lower, light distant haze
24-hour precip: Trace
6-hour precip: Trace
6-hour min. temp: 59F
BHO SA 1155 E80 BKN 100 BKN 120 BKN 85 195/59/50/0608/011/ FEW ACC
DSNT SSE-S FEW ACSL DSNT NW-ENE HIER AC VSBL DSNT NNE-ENE LINE CLRG
DSNT NW-ENE THN K LYR DSNT ALQDS LGT DSNT HZ VSBY NW 85 E-SW LWR/
8/080 51020 MANUAL 7000/ MANUAL 6000/ 10064 20059

10 A.M. 
Weather: Scattered altocumulus (3 levels), lower altocumulus SE-SW-NW,
few altocumulus castellanus distant S-SW, few altocumulus lenticularis
all quadrants, thin smoke layer distant NW-ENE, light distant haze
Temperature: 64F, Dew Point: 44F; Wind: SE at 4 kts, 
Wind: light and variable
Sea-level pressure: 30.13 inches Hg, rising then falling
Visibility: 85 miles, light distant haze  
BHO SA 1455 80 SCT 100 SCT 160 SCT 85 203/64/44/1304/013/ LWR AC
SE-SW-NW FEW ACC DSNT S-SW FEW ACSL ALQDS THN K LYR DSNT NW-ENE
LGT DSNT HZ WND LGT AND VRB/ 8/080 50008

1 P.M. 
Weather: Scattered altocumulus (2 levels), scattered thin cirrus, few
small cumulus distant SSW-WSW, altocumulus/altocumulus lenticularis
distant SE-SW-W and distant NW-NNW, few higher altocumulus distant
NNW-N, cirrus distant S-NW invading the sky, light distant haze
Temperature: 72F, Dew Point: 35F; Wind: NW at 9G16 kts,
Wind: Direction variable WSW-N 
Sea-level pressure: 30.06 inches Hg, falling 
Visibility: 80 miles, light distant haze   
6-hour max. temp: 73F 
BHO SA 1755 100 SCT 160 SCT 250 –SCT 80 179/72/35/3109G16/006/ FEW
SML CU DSNT SSW-WSW AC/ACSL DSNT SE-SW-W AND DSNT NW-NNW FEW HIER AC
DSNT NNW-N CI DSNT S-NW INVADING LGT DSNT HZ WND 25V36/ 8/144 58024
10073 20059

WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 22

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....81    NORMAL.....46
MIN.....54    NORMAL.....28
MEAN....68    NORMAL.....37
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL......................+31
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.....................+242 [+10.8 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY...............0   DEPARTURE.........-27
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............443   DEPARTURE........-223
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........4094   DEPARTURE.......-1142
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......5124   DEPARTURE.......-1030  
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............22 SW  AT  8:48 A.M. *
                   AERO..................21 SW  AT  9:08 A.M. *
                   ASOS..................22 WSW AT  8:01 A.M.
                   DAVIS.................22 WSW AT  8:01 A.M. RMY 22
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........16 SW  AT  8:48 A.M. *
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............16 W   AT  9:48 A.M.
DAVIS MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE AVERAGE...........16 SW  AT 12:35 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.......11.3 SW
                   ASOS................10.9
                   DAVIS...............10.4 WSW [243 deg.]
*...last of several occurrences...

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M...Trace   DEPARTURE..........-0.19
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........1.59   DEPARTURE..........-2.32
                         ASOS..............1.60
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........5.86   DEPARTURE..........-6.47
                        ASOS...............5.93
	
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.0    DEPARTURE..........-0.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................4.0    DEPARTURE..........-5.2
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............24.2    DEPARTURE.........-30.4

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR 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/-5/0.01/0.1/000/00    23 ESE AERO 25 MPH ESE RMY 26
3/3  44/30/37/+5/0.35/0.6/000/00    27 W   AERO 29 MPH SW  RMY 28
3/4  39/30/35/+3/0.00/0.0/082/12    28 W   AERO 28 MPH W   RMY 28
3/5  35/22/29/-3/0.00/0.0/651/95    33 W   AERO 35 MPH W   RMY 35
3/6  37/16/27/-5/0.00/0.0/674/98    28 NW  AERO 28 MPH NW  RMY N/A
3/7  50/29/45/+12/0.00/0.0/608/88   40 SSW AERO 43 MPH SSW RMY 43
3/8  66/48/57/+24/0.00/0.0/499/72   59 SSW AERO 61 MPH SSW RMY N/A
3/9  57/31/44/+11/0.05/T/279/40     62 SSW AERO 63 MPH SSW RMY N/A
3/10 37/27/32/-1/T/T/168/24         32 WNW AERO 33 MPH WNW RMY N/A
3/11 56/27/42/+8/0.00/0.0/681/97    35 SW  AERO 37 MPH SW  RMY 36
3/12 72/40/56/+22/0.00/0.0/620/88   23 SW  AERO 25 MPH SW  RMY N/A
3/13 68/46/57/+23/0.08/0.0/347/49   30 SSW AERO 31 MPH SSW RMY 31 
3/14 51/36/44/+9/T/0.0/007/01       23 NE  AERO 23 MPH ENE RMY 22 
3/15 42/33/38/+3/T/0.0/014/02       16 ENE AERO 15 MPH E   RMY 15
3/16 43/32/38/+3/0.05/0.0/000/00    16 NNW AERO 16 MPH NNW RMY 17
3/17 51/40/46/+10/0.00/0.0/079/11   21 SSW AERO N/A        RMY 24
3/18 72/38/55/+19/0.00/0.0/652/91   27 SW  AERO 27 MPH SW  RMY 27
3/19 77/44/61/+25/0.00/0.0/667/92   24 NE  AERO 24 MPH NE  RMY 25
3/20 78/41/60/+23/0.00/0.0/662/91   22 SSW AERO 22 MPH SW  RMY 25
3/21 76/54/65/+28/0.00/0.0/556/76   25 SW  AERO 26 MPH SW  RMY 27
3/22 81/54/68/+31/0.00/0.0/.../..   22 SW  AERO 21 MPH SW  RMY 22

3/23 our morning low temp: 59F; the normal low is now 29F 

DAILY RECORDS FOR MARCH 2012
3/8  - NEW DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMP OF 48F;
surpasses the previous record of 42F set in 1995 and 2009.
3/8  - NEW DAILY RECORD HIGH MAXIMUM TEMP OF 66F;
surpasses the previous record of 63F set in 1942 and 1995.
3/12 - NEW DAILY RECORD HIGH MAXIMUM TEMP OF 72F;
surpasses the previous record of 67F set in 1977.
3/12 - NEW EARLY SEASON RECORD (NESR) HIGH TEMPERATURE of 72F; 
surpasses the previous record of 71F set on 3/9/2000.
3/18 – NEW DAILY RECORD HIGH MAXIMUM TEMP OF 72F;
surpasses the previous record of 69F set in 2011.
3/19 - NEW DAILY RECORD HIGH MAXIMUM TEMP OF 77F;
surpasses the previous record of 70 in 2010. 
3/21 - NEW DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMP OF 54F; 
surpasses the previous record of 51F in 1913 and 1921.
3/22 - NEW DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMP OF 54F; 
surpasses the previous record of 45F in 1902.
3/22 - NEW DAILY RECORD HIGH MAXIMUM TEMP OF 81F; 
surpasses the previous record of 71F in 1948. 

DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):

RECORDS FOR MARCH 23
HIGH 78 IN 1938
LOW 3 IN 1934
PRE 1.58 INS. IN 1903
SNOW 3.0 INS. IN 1977
WIND 78e MPH W IN 1940

RECORDS FOR MARCH 24
HIGH 70 DEGREES IN 1920
LOW 6 DEGREES IN 1906
PRECIP 1.51 INS. IN 1956
SNOWFALL 12.3 INS. IN 1956
PEAK GUST 71 MPH W IN 1968

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Sean Fankhauser 

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