BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012 
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
EXTREMELY DRY DAY YESTERDAY FOLLOWED BY STEADILY
AND FINALLY RAPIDLY INCREASING MOISTURE CONTENT
OVERNIGHT AND THIS MORNING WITH RAIN SHOWERS
 
Late yesterday afternoon, with the dew point between zero and
five below zero F, the relative humidity dipped to 12% for one
of the lowest readings in a long, long time.
A wind shift from northwest to southeast overnight brought
in a steadily increasing supply of much more moist air. 
A good example was that of a zero degree dew point at 2 P.M.
on Tuesday to 42F at 2 P.M. today.  
Just a few glimpses of the sun were seen today and light
rain showers left 0.04 inch between 11 A.M. and noon EDT. 
Temperatures rose from a morning low of 33F to 48F during
this morning.
 
The average temperature for March through the 27th is 43.9 deg F.
March 2012 will be among the warmest 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
 
The total precipitation since January 1st through March 26th is 5.88
inches.  With little precipitation in the forecast over the next few
days, January-March 2012 looks to set a new record for driest start
to the year.
 
BHO Driest January-March, 1886-2011 (inches)
1) 7.20 in 1947
2) 7.39 in 1985
3) 7.92 in 1894
4) 7.97 in 2004
5) 8.08 in 1895
 
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Overcast altocumulus
Temperature: 36F, Dew point: 9F, Wind: SE at 11 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 30.00 inches Hg, falling
Visibility: 60 miles, NW 70 miles, thin smoke layer
along horizon W-NNW, light distant haze
24-hour precip: 0.00
6-hour min. temp: 34F
BHO SA 1155 E75 OVC 60 159/36/9/1411/000/ BINOVC DSNT SE THN K LYR
ALG HRZN W-NNW VSBY NW 70 LGT DSNT HZ/ 8/07/ 58027 10036 20034
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Overcast altocumulus, altostratus, few small breaks in overcast,
showers of rain southwest thru northwest
Temperature: 46F, Dew Point: 30F; Wind: S at 16G24 kts,
Wind: Peak wind gust 26 kts from the S at 9:43 A.M. EST
Wind: Direction variable SE-SSW.
wIND: Direction gradually veering
Sea-level pressure: 29.85 inches Hg, FALLING RAPIDLY
Visibility: 40 miles, 15-20 20 miles SHRA SW-NW 
BHO SA 1455 75 SCT E90 OVC 40 108/46/30/1716G24/985/ VSBY NE 50
SHRA AND VSBY LWRG SW-NW WND GRDLY VEERING PK WND 1726/43/ WND 14V20/
PRESFR/ 8/07/ 58051
 
1 P.M.
Weather: Overcast stratus fractus, variable to broken, overcast nimbostratus, light rain
shower, precipitation very light, light fog, rain began, time unknown
Temperature: 45F, Dew Point: 42F; Wind: S at 17G25 kts,
Wind: Direction variable SSE-SW 
Sea-level pressure: 29.74 inches Hg, falling 
Visibility: 15 miles, light showers of rain and light fog 
6-hour max. temp: 48F
6-hour precip: 0.04 in. 
BHO SA 1755 E12V BKN 20 OVC 15RW- 071/45/42/1917G25/974/ 12 BKN V OVC
BRGHT SPTS IOVC RBUKN PRCP VRY LGT WND 15V22/ 8/72/ 58037 MANUAL 6004/
ASOS 60004 10048 20036
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, MARCH 27
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....47    NORMAL.....48
MIN.....24    NORMAL.....30
MEAN....36    NORMAL.....39
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.......................-3
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.....................+283 [+10.3 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............29   DEPARTURE..........+4
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............536   DEPARTURE........-260
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........4187   DEPARTURE.......-1179
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......5287   DEPARTURE.......-1100
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............40 NW  AT  7:19 A.M. *
                   AERO..................39 NW  AT  7:19 A.M. *
                   ASOS..................40 NNW AT  5:52 A.M.
                   DAVIS.................38 NW  AT  1:21 A.M.
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........27 NW  AT  7:54 A.M. *
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............28 NW  AT  5:53 A.M.
DAVIS MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE AVERAGE...........26 NW  AT  7-8A *
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.......16.0 NW  
                   ASOS................15.5
                   DAVIS...............14.6 NW [320 deg.]
* last of several occurrences...
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00   DEPARTURE..........-0.19
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........1.61   DEPARTURE..........-3.26
                         ASOS..............1.61
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........5.88   DEPARTURE..........-7.41
                        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..........-6.7
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............24.2    DEPARTURE.........-31.9
 
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/+12/0.00/0.0/.../..   22 E   AERO 20 MPH E   RMY 17
3/25 47/40/44/+6/0.02/0.0/.../..    17 ESE AERO 16 MPH ESE RMY N/A
3/26 45/29/37/-2/T/0.0/.../..       47 NW  AERO 48 MPH NW  RMY 47
3/27 47/24/36/-3/0.00/0.0/.../..    40 NW  AERO 39 MPH NW  RMY 39
 
3/28 our morning low temp: 33F; the normal low is now 31F
 
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
3/24 - NEW DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMP OF 44F;
surpasses the previous record of 42F in 1908.
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR MARCH 28
HIGH 86 IN 1998
LOW 7 IN 1923
PRECIP 2.31 INS. IN 1932
SNOWFALL 3.0 INS. IN 1932
PEAK GUST 60e MPH NW IN 1944, 60 WSW IN 1991
 
RECORDS FOR MARCH 29
HIGH 85 IN 1945
LOW -2 IN 1923
PRECIP 2.78 INS. IN 1984
SNOWFALL 13.5 INS. IN 1984
PEAK GUST 95 MPH ENE IN 1984
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling
 
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