BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 2012 ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME FEW MORNING FLURRIES, TEMPERATURES NEAR NORMAL; THIS WEEKEND MARKS THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF BLIZZARD OF 1997 A few, actually very few, flurries were observed this morning shortly before 7AM EDT. Clouds quickly dissipated after that point and gave way to a mostly sunny day. Winds were a bit strong mid to late morning, occasionally gusting to 30-35 mph, but have since diminished. Today's temperatures are very close to normal, with a low of 32F this morning and a high thus far of 49F. The dew point has dropped progressively through the day from the mid 20s this morning to the mid teens this afternoon, with relative humidity falling to near 25%. Visibility has benefitted from the dry air, reaching 80-85 miles. It will be a close call with regards to setting a new record for the warmest March on record. We have a certain lock on the warmest January through March, and on the driest January through March on record. The expected light precipitation on Saturday will not impact our standing as the driest start to a year on record. This weekend will mark the 15th anniversary of the infamous Blizzard of 1997. Precipitation began as rain on the morning of March 31, 1997, and transitioned to snow by early that afternoon as temperatures dropped from the lower 40s into the lower 30s. Heavy snow, blizzard conditions, and occasional thunder developed by evening and lasted through the morning of April 1st. The peak wind gust reached 62 mph from the NE late on the 31st. The total snowfall reached an incredible 30.0 inches on the summit! Total melted precipitation was 4.11 inches, including some rain that fell early in the event. The snow was quite damaging due to its heavy and wet nature. The snow had a relatively high water content with an overall snow to liquid ratio of about 1:7 or 1:8 for the event. The average temperature for March through the 29th is 43.7 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 We're also off to one of the warmest starts to any year on record. The average temperature from January 1st through March 29th is 36.4F. BHO Warmest January-March, 1886-2011 (deg F) 1) 35.0 in 2002 2) 34.7 in 1998 3) 33.9 in 1990 4) 33.2 in 1953 5) 33.0 in 2006 The total precipitation since January 1st through March 29th is 5.93 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: Scattered cumulus, scattered stratocumulus cumulogenitus, few moderate cumulus distant WNW, few stratocumulus cumulogenitus S-W-NNW, cumulus/stratocumulus dissipating, thin smoke/haze layer distant all quadrants, light distant haze Temperature: 36F, Dew point: 25F, Wind: NW at 8 kts, Wind: Direction variable W-NNW Sea-level pressure: 29.98 inches Hg, rising Visibility: 75 miles, light distant haze 6-hour snowfall: Trace 24-hour snowfall: Trace 6-hour precip: Trace 24-hour precip: Trace 6-hour min. temp: 32F BHO SA 1155 35 SCT 45 SCT 75 153/36/25/3108/998/ FEW MDT CU DSNT WNW FEW SCCG S-W-NNW CU/SC DSPTNG THN K/HZ LYR DSNT ALQDS LGT DSNT HZ WND 27V33/ 8/400 51014 MANUAL 6000/ MANUAL 7000/ 10036 20032 10 A.M. Weather: Scattered cumulus, scattered thin cirrus, small cumulus/cumulus fractus distant NNW-E-S, few cirrus distant SSW-WSW, light distant haze Temperature: 41F, Dew Point: 18F; Wind: NW at 17G28 kts, Wind: Peak wind 28 kts from the NW at 9:53 A.M. EST Wind: Direction variable W-N Sea-level pressure: 30.01 inches Hg, rising Visibility: 85 miles, light distant haze BHO SA 1455 40 SCT 250 –SCT 85 161/41/18/3117G28/001/ SML CU/CUFRA DSNT NNW-E-S FEW CI DSNT SSW-WSW LGT DSNT HZ PK WND 3128/53 WND 27V35/ 8/101 51008 1 P.M. Weather: Scattered thin cirrus, few cumulus/cumulus fractus distant N-NNE and distant ESE, thin band of cirrus castellanus extending N-ENE, cirrus distant ENE-ESE and distant SW-WNW, light distant haze Temperature: 46F, Dew Point: 14F; Wind: NW at 12G18 kts, Wind: Direction variable W-N Sea-level pressure: 29.98 inches Hg, falling Visibility: 80 miles, light distant haze 6-hour max. temp: 48F BHO SA 1755 250 –SCT 80 154/46/14/3112G18/998/ FEW CU/CUFRA DSNT N-NNE AND DSNT ESE THN BND CC XTNDNG N-ENE CI DSNT ENE-ESE AND DSNT SW-WNW LGT DSNT HZ WND 27V36/ 8/102 58007 10048 20036 WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 29 TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F) MAX.....47 NORMAL.....49 MIN.....36 NORMAL.....31 MEAN....42 NORMAL.....40 DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.......................+2 TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.....................+287 [+9.7 DEGREES/DAY] HEATING DEGREE DAYS TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............23 DEPARTURE..........-2 TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............583 DEPARTURE........-263 TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........4234 DEPARTURE.......-1182 TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......5346 DEPARTURE.......-1112 PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............31 NNW AT 7:35 A.M. * AERO..................33 NNW AT 7:31 A.M. ASOS..................33 N AT 7:31 A.M. DAVIS.................32 N AT 7:31 A.M. THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........24 NNW AT 7:31 A.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............23 NNW AT 7:32 A.M. DAVIS MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE AVERAGE...........22 NNW AT 7:32 A.M. AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.......11.7 NNW ASOS................11.2 DAVIS...............10.5 NNW [335 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..........1.66 DEPARTURE..........-3.58 ASOS..............1.66 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........5.93 DEPARTURE..........-7.73 ASOS...............5.99 SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST) TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.0 DEPARTURE..........-0.2 TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................4.0 DEPARTURE..........-7.1 TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............24.2 DEPARTURE.........-32.3 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/+31/0.00/0.0/668/91 22 SW AERO 21 MPH SW RMY 22 3/23 75/56/66/+28/T/0.0/509/69 31 NNW AERO 31 MPH NNW RMY 33 3/24 56/44/50/+12/0.00/0.0/052/07 22 E AERO 20 MPH E RMY 17 3/25 47/40/44/+6/0.02/0.0/000/00 17 ESE AERO 16 MPH ESE RMY N/A 3/26 45/29/37/-2/T/0.0/477/64 47 NW AERO 48 MPH NW RMY 47 3/27 47/24/36/-3/0.00/0.0/718/96 40 NW AERO 39 MPH NW RMY 39 3/28 48/33/41/+2/0.05/0.0/038/05 30 S AERO 31 MPH S RMY 30 3/29 47/36/42/+2/T/0.0/.../.. 31 NNW AERO 33 MPH NNW RMY 34 3/30 morning low temp: 32F; 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 30 HIGH 83 IN 1977 LOW 10 IN 1887 PRECIP 2.82 INS. IN 2001 SNOWFALL 3.9 INS. IN 1957 PEAK GUST 60 MPH NW IN 1999 RECORDS FOR MARCH 31 HIGH 89 IN 1998 [RECORD HIGH FOR MONTH] LOW 16 IN 1923 PRECIP 2.89 IN 1987 SNOWFALL 15.0 IN 1997 PEAK GUST 81 MPH SSE IN 1987 TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Sean Fankhauser