BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
SUNDAY, MARCH 25, 2012 
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
ANOTHER COOL, BUT ABOVE NORMAL DAY
0.02 INCH RAIN MEASURED EARLY THIS MORNING
 
The temperature of 56F at midnight yesterday finished as the high
temperature for yesterday. Overnight, the temperature fell down to 40F,
which was 2 degrees shy of tying the record high minimum temperature of
42F set back in 1908. Temperatures are again cooler than they have been,
but are still above average for this time of year.
 
A total of 0.02 inch of rain fell at the summit early this morning. This
provided some much needed rainfall, although not enough to account for the
lack of precipitation so far this season, as Blue Hill remains close to
7 inches below average for the year.
 
Skies have been overcast today and winds have been relatively calm out of
the E, but have backed to NNW over the past hour or so as the cold front
approaches. Humidity has dropped steadily throughout the late morning and
early afternoon, but is currently on the rise once again.
 
A cold front is expected to move through tonight which will usher in much
cooler air than we have been experiencing as of late. Winds will become
gusty early tomorrow morning out of the NW which will also provide clear
skies for tomorrow. Temperatures are forecast to be in the mid to upper 40s.
As clear skies and a strong NW flow remain going into tomorrow night,
temperatures are expected to drop into the low 20s.
 
The cumulative temperature departure for the month has climbed
to +282 degrees, or +11.6 degrees warmer than the 30-year average.
 
The average temperature for March through the 24th is 44.6 deg F.
This is already among the warmest March's on record.
 
BHO Warmest March, 1885-2011 (deg F)
 
1) 43.5 in 1946
2) 42.7 in 1945
3) 42.2 in 1903
4) 41.5 in 2010
5) 41.2 in 1921
 
 
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Broken stratocumulus, overcast stratocumulus, distant fog/haze
all quadrants, very light smoke layer NW-NNW, virga distant W
Temperature: 41F, Dew point: 35F, Wind: ENE at 11 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.97 inches Hg, falling
Visibility: 35 miles, distant fog/haze
6-hour precip: 0.02 inch
24-hour precip: 0.02 inch
6-hour min. temp: 40F
BHO SA 1155 E50 BKN 70 OVC 35 148/41/35/0711/997/ DSNT F/HZ ALQDS VRY LGT
K LYR DSNT NW-NNW VIRGA DSNT W/ 8/5// 58007 MANUAL 60002 ASOS 60001 MANUAL
70002 ASOS 70001 10051 20040
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Overcast stratocumulus, altocumulus castellanus band distant
NW-NNW, light distant haze
Temperature: 45F, Dew Point: 32F; Wind: E at 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.93 inches Hg, falling
Visibility: 40 miles, light distant haze
BHO SA 1455 E40 OVC 40 136/45/32/0908/993/ ACC BAND DSNT NW-NNW LGT DSNT
HZ/ 8/5// 56012
 
1 P.M.
Weather: Overcast stratocumulus, hazy
Temperature: 46F, Dew Point: 38F; Wind: NNW at 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.88 inches Hg, falling
Visibility: 30 miles, hazy  
6-hour max. temp: 47F
BHO SA 1755 E30 OVC 35 119/46/38/3408/988/ HAZY/ 8/5// 58017 10047 20041
 
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR SATURDAY, MARCH 24
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....56    NORMAL.....47
MIN.....44    NORMAL.....29
MEAN....50    NORMAL.....38
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL......................+12
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.....................+282 [+11.6 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............15   DEPARTURE.........-11
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............458   DEPARTURE........-261
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........4109   DEPARTURE.......-1180
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......5189   DEPARTURE.......-1080
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............22 E   AT  4:47 A.M.
                   AERO..................20 E   AT  4:47 A.M.
                   ASOS..................21 E   AT  4:50 A.M.
                   DAVIS.................20 E   AT  4:50 A.M. RMY 17
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........19 E   AT  4:48 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............18 E   AT  4:48 A.M.
DAVIS MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE AVERAGE...........16 E   AT  4:48 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION........8.3 ENE
                   ASOS.................8.1
                   DAVIS................7.7 E [085 deg.]
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.02   DEPARTURE..........-0.17
                         ASOS..............0.01
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........1.61   DEPARTURE..........-2.69
                         ASOS..............1.61
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........5.88   DEPARTURE..........-6.84
                        ASOS...............5.94
     
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..........-5.8
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............24.2    DEPARTURE.........-31.0
 
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 75/56/66/+28/T/0.0/.../..      31 NNW AERO 31 MPH NNW RMY 33
3/24 56/44/50/+12/0.02/0.0/.../..   22 E   AERO 20 MPH E   RMY 17
 
3/25 morning low temp: 40F; the normal low is now 30F
 
 
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.
3/23 - NEW DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMP OF 56F;
surpasses the previous record of 49F in 1949.
3/23 - NEW EARLY SEASON RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE of 56F;
surpasses the previous record of 55F set on 3/17/1990
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated)
 
RECORDS FOR MARCH 25
HIGH 76 IN 1910
LOW 8 IN 1888, 1956
PRECIP 1.84 INS. IN 1909
SNOWFALL 1.0 INS. IN 1912
PEAK GUST 69 MPH SE IN 1969
 
RECORDS FOR MARCH 26
HIGH 76 IN 1922, 1949
LOW 6 IN 1960
PRECIP 1.99 INS. IN 1988
SNOWFALL 5.4 INS. IN 2001
PEAK GUST 63 MPH S IN 1970
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: George Tabeek