BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
THURSDAY, MAY 31, 2012
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
SUNNY, WARM AND MUCH DRIER DAY TDAY
DEW POINTS FALL TO NEAR 50 BY AFTERNOON
THE SKY IS PARTLY FILLED WITH SMALL CUMULUS
 
Today is another in a long series of warmer than
normal May days.  Since May 8 only one day has
averaged below normal and one day was normal.
The month will end a little over 3 degrees warmer
than normal despite a cool start and will become
the 11th consecutive warmer than normal month.
After at least several days with dew points in the
humid 60's, today's air mass is pleasantly dry with
relative humidity falling into the 30% range. 
 
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Broken altocumulus, layer invading, mostly clear sky to the
NE-S
Temperature: 68F, Dew Point: 59F; Wind: NNW at 6 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.77 inches Hg, rising then more rapidly 
Visibility: 35 miles, hazy, NE-SE 20 miles, WNW 55 miles 
6-hour min. temp: 63F
24-hour precip: trace 
BHO SA 1155 E75 BKN 35 081/68/59/3306/977/ AC LYR INVADING SKY MSTLY
CLR SKY NE-S VSBY NE-SE 20 WNW 55 HAZY/ 8/050 53015 10068 20063
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Sky clear, SKC, not a cloud in sight
Temperature: 74F, Dew Point: 52F; Wind: NW at 8 kts,
Wind: Direction variable W-N
Sea-level pressure: 29.77 inches Hg, rising then steady
Visibility: 25 miles, N-E 20 miles 
BHO SA 1455 CLR [SKC] 082/74/52/3108/977/ WND 26V35/ 51001 
 
1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered small cumulus
Temperature: 79F, Dew Point: 50F; Wind: WNW at 7 kts,
Wind: Direction variable WSW-N, gust 18 kts past hour
Sea-level pressure: 29.77 inches Hg, falling slightly
Visibility: 40 miles, except 30 miles NE-SE, WNW 40 miles
distant haze all quadrants  
6-hour max. temp: 79F
BHO SA 1755 55 SCT 40 080/79/50/3007/977/ CU ALQDS XCPT DSNT NE-SE
VSBY NE-SE 30 WNW 45 GST 18 KTS PST HR WND 25V35/ 8/100 58002
10079 20068
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, MAY 30
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....73    NORMAL.....70
MIN.....62    NORMAL.....52
MEAN....68    NORMAL.....61
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL........................+7
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.......................+97 [+3.0 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY...............0   DEPARTURE..........-5
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............174   DEPARTURE.........-92
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........4888   DEPARTURE.......-1404
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......6153   DIFFERENCE......-1265
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............22 WSW AT  5:31 A.M. 
                   AERO..................21 WSW AT  5:31 A.M. 
                   ASOS..................21 WSW AT  5:31 A.M. 
                   DAVIS.................20 SW  AT  5:30 A.M. RMY N/A
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.......... 14 SW  AT  4:03 A.M. *  
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............15 SSW AT  2:51 A.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE...........14 SSW AT  2:51 A.M. 
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION........7.9 SSW
                   ASOS.................8.1
                   DAVIS................7.2 SW [220 deg.]
 
* last of several occurrences....
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....trace  DEPARTURE..........-0.16
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........3.63   DEPARTURE..........-0.33
                         ASOS..............3.52
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........13.24   DEPARTURE..........-9.27
                         ASOS.............13.25
     
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.0    DEPARTURE...........0.0
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................0.0    DEPARTURE..........-0.1
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............24.2    DEPARTURE.........-35.9
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MAY 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
 
5/1  47/42/45/-8/0.65/0.0/000/00    33 SE  AERO 36 MPH SE  RMY 37
5/2  50/43/47/-6/0.05/0.0/000/00    16 ENE AERO 16 MPH ENE RMY 17
5/3  51/44/48/-5/0.08/0.0/000/00    14 SSE AERO 16 MPH SSE RMY N/A
5/4  56/47/52/-2/0.01/0.0/000/00    21 SSW AERO 25 MPH SSW RMY 23
5/5  57/46/52/-2/0.04/0.0/034/04    14 NE  AERO 15 MPH NE  RMY 15
5/6  58/45/52/-2/0.00/0.0/532/62    21 ENE AERO 21 MPH ENE RMY 21
5/7  67/48/58/+3/0.00/0.0/740/86    23 S   AERO 25 MPH S   RMY 25
5/8  57/48/53/-2/0.18/0.0/000/00    40 S   AERO 46 MPH S   RMY 46
5/9  61/54/58/+3/0.36/0.0/000/00    25 S   AERO 28 MPH S   RMY N/A
5/10 65/46/56/+1/0.98/0.0/234/27    33 W   AERO 36 MPH W   RMY 37
5/11 62/42/52/-4/T/0.0/539/62       30 WNW AERO 33 MPH WNW RMY 34
5/12 77/46/62/+6/0.00/0.0/862/99    30 W   AERO 30 MPH W   RMY 29
5/13 82/57/70/+14/0.00/0.0/314/36   27 S   AERO 29 MPH S   RMY 29
5/14 71/52/62/+5/0.05/0.0/096/11    23 S   AERO 24 MPH S   RMY 23
5/15 72/57/65/+8/0.43/0.0/123/14    32 S   AERO 35 MPH S   RMY 33
5/16 71/58/65/+8/0.12/0.0/141/16    23 S   AERO 24 MPH S   RMY N/A TSTM
5/17 69/50/60/+3/0.00/0.0/784/89    31 WNW AERO 32 MPH WNW RMY 26
5/18 69/49/59/+1/0.00/0.0/857/97    17 ESE AERO 17 MPH ESE RMY 17
5/19 74/51/63/+5/0.00/0.0/876/99    15 WNW AERO 15 MPH WNW RMY 16
5/20 79/56/68/+10/0.00/0.0/727/82   17 SE  AERO 17 MPH SE  RMY 17
5/21 64/52/58/-1/0.02/0.0/009/01    17 NE  AERO 16 MPH NNE RMY 18
5/22 61/56/59/0/0.54/0.0/000/00     23 NE  AERO 23 MPH NE  RMY 23 
5/23 75/57/66/+7/0.00/0.0/366/41    15 S   AERO 16 MPH S   RMY 15
5/24 75/59/67/+8/0.00/0.0/751/84    20 SSE AERO 21 MPH SE  RMY 21
5/25 73/57/65/+5/0/01/0.0/054/06    26 S   AERO 25 MPS S   RMY 25
5/26 84/63/74/+14/0.00/0.0/350/39   24 SSW AERO 24 MPH SW  RMY 23
5/27 75/62/69/+9/0.00/0.0/817/91    27 NNE AERO 24 MPH S   RMY 24
5/28 72/58/65/+4/0.00/0.0/585/65    22 S   AERO 21 MPH S   RMY 20
5/29 78/59/69/+8/0.11/0.0/360/40    24 N   AERO 24 MPH N   RMY 25  TSTM 
5/30 73/62/68/+7/T/0.0/009/01       22 WSW AERO 23 MPH WSW RMY 25
 
5/31 morning low temp: 63F; the normal low is now 52F
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR MAY 2012
5/16 - TIED DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMP OF 58F;
ties the record of 58F in 1951 and 1961.
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR MAY 31
HIGH 92F IN 1944,1987
LOW 35F IN 1961
PRECIP 5.02 INS 1984 (RECORD FOR MAY)
PEAK GUST 54e MPH WNW IN 1945
 
RECORDS FOR JUNE 1
HIGH 90F IN 1937
LOW 36F IN 1945 [Record for month]
PRECIP 2.28 INS IN 1992
PEAK GUST 51e MPH SE IN 1952
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling/William Wilson