BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2012
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
AMAZING UNDERCAST THIS MORNING
FOG BURNS OFF; GIVES WAY TO MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES BY MID AFTERNOON
 
An amazing undercast was seen this morning below a very shallow inversion
estimated to be about 100 feet high. The lower portion of the Boston skyline
was beneath this undercast which was really a sight to see. Visibility
above the undercast was about 10 miles, except to the SE-SW where the fog
was very persistent. Drifting fog over the summit made it hard to see the
undercast at times, but once the sun rose it became really evident.
 
Aside from that, fog stuck around for most of the morning, but has since
burned off and made way to mostly sunny skies. Since then, temperatures have
risen into the low 50's. Winds today have been relatively calm out of the
south, with a peak gust of only 19 mph thus far.
 
Blue Hill is still experiencing a rainfall deficit in excess of 12 inches
for the year, and just under 2 inches for the month.
 
 
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Sky obscured by dense fog, clear overhead, few altocumulus
standing lenticularis WNW-NW, variable dense fog all quadrants, fog
drifting over summit, shallow inversion present estimated about 100
feet above sea level, dense undercast below inversion all quadrants,
visibility estimated to be about 10 miles above inversion, heavy dew
all surfaces, smoke layer distant all quadrants
Temperature: 38F; Dew Point: 38F; Wind: SSW at 11 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.03 ins. Hg, decreasing steadily   
Visibility: 1/16-10 miles, variable, dense fog
Visibility: Estimated 10 miles above inversion except SE-SW, 1/16-1/2 mile
6-hour min. temp: 37F
BHO SA 1155 W1 X 1/16V10F 170/38/38/2111/003/ CLR OVD FEW ACSL
WNW-NW VRBL DNS FG ALQDS FG DRFTG OVR SMT SHLW INVSN PRSNT ESTMTD
TOP 1 HND OVR CTY N DNS UNDERCAST ALQDS BLO INVSN VSBY ESTMTD 10
MI ABV INVSN XCPT SE-SW 1/16V1/2 HVY DEW ALL SFCS K LYR DSNT ALQDS/
8/// 57014 10042 20038    
 
10 A.M.  
Weather: Sky obscured in dense fog, dense fog all quadrants drifting over
summit, partial clearing overhead, sun dimly visible
Temperature: 43F; Dew Point: 43F; Wind: S at 9 kts,
Wind: Direction variable SE-SSW
Sea-level pressure: 29.99 ins. Hg, decreasing rapidly
Visibility: 1/16 mile, dense fog
BHO SA 1455 W2 X 1/16F 155/43/43/1809/999/ DNS FG ALQDS FG DRFTG OVR SMT
PRTL CLRNG OVD SUN DMLY VSBL WND 14V21/ 8//// 58015
 
1 P.M.  
Weather: Scattered stratus fractus (2 layers), scattered cirrus (2 layers),
stratus fractus becoming cumulus fractus, contrails all quadrants, distant
fog/haze
Temperature: 49F; Dew Point: 43F; Wind: S at 11 kts,
Wind: Direction variable SE-SSW
Sea-level pressure: 29.88 ins. Hg, decreasing rapidly
Visibility: 20 miles, distant fog/haze, S 30 miles
6-hour max. temp: 50F
6-hour min. temp: 38F
BHO SA 1755 8 SCT 20 SCT 200 SCT 250 SCT 20 119/49/43/1811/988/ STFRA BCMNG
CUFRA CONTRAILS ALQDS DSNT F/HZ VSBY HIER S 30 WND 14V21/ 8/602 58036 10050
20038
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....52      NORMAL.....48
MIN.....37      NORMAL.....32
MEAN....45      NORMAL.....40
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.....................+5
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH....................-22 [-1.2 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY............20    DEPARTURE........-5
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH...........504    DEPARTURE.......+22
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON..........912    DEPARTURE......-133
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.....784    DIFFERENCE.....+128
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..............16 S   AT  10:50 P.M. * 
                   AERO...................16 SSE AT   9:58 P.M.    
                   ASOS...................15 S   AT  10:51 P.M.
                   DAVIS..................14 N   AT   3:40 A.M. RMY 15
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY............12 S   AT  11:59 P.M. *  
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.............13 S   AT  11:58 P.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE............12 S   AT  11:58 P.M. 
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.........8.3 N
                   ASOS..................8.5
                   DAVIS.................8.1 NE [054 deg]
* last of several occurrences...
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00   DEPARTURE..........-0.16
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........1.49   DEPARTURE..........-1.98
                         ASOS..............1.52
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........34.69   DEPARTURE.........-12.55
                         ASOS.............34.70
 
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M.........0.0    DEPARTURE..........-0.1
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH...............4.0    DEPARTURE..........+2.9
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............4.0    DEPARTURE..........+2.6
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR NOVEMBER 2012 CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/AERO GUST
AERO: Aerovane wind recording system gust
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
 
11/1  56/42/49/+3/0.00/371/60         28 SW  AERO 28 MPH SW  RMY 27
11/2  51/41/46/0/0.02/000/00          24 WNW AERO 22 MPH WNW RMY 22
11/3  52/37/45/-1/0.00/319/52         29 NW  AERO N/A        RMY 28
11/4  52/34/43/-2/0.00/587/96         27 NW  AERO 25 MPH NW  RMY 26 
11/5  45/28/37/-8/0.00/292/48         25 NW  AERO 25 MPH NW  RMY 25
11/6  40/25/33/-12/0.00/600/99        22 ENE AERO 20 MPH ENE RMY N/A
11/7  42/29/36/-9/0.78/3.5/000/00     48 NNE AERO 52 MPH NNE RMY 51
11/8  36/29/33/-11/0.26/0.5/000/00    43 N   AERO 50 MPH N   RMY 44
11/9  51/34/43/-1/0.00/0.0/569/95     33 NW  AERO 35 MPH NW  RMY 32
11/10 53/36/45/+1/0.00/0.0/561/94     25 W   AERO 23 MPH W   RMY 23
11/11 62/40/51/+8/0.00/0.0/357/60     28 SSW AERO 27 MPH SSW RMY 28
11/12 66/50/58/+15/0.00/0.0/385/65    33 SSW AERO 33 MPH S   RMY N/A
11/13 63/37/50/+7/0.43/0.0/000/00     45 S   AERO 45 MPH S   RMY N/A
11/14 44/33/39/-3/0.00/0.0/559/95     27 NNE AERO 23 MPH N   RMY 24
11/15 39/32/36/-6/0.00/0.0/082/14     23 N   AERO 21 MPH N   RMY 25
11/16 45/31/38/-4/0.00/0.0/216/37     18 NNW AERO 17 MPH NNW RMY 19
11/17 47/32/40/-1/0/00/0/0/553/95     20 N   AERO 20 MPH N   RMY N/A
11/18 46/30/38/-3/0.00/0.0/487/84     22 ENE AERO 21 MPH ENE RMY 20
11/19 47/30/39/-2/0.00/0.0/451/78     20 NNE AERO 16 MPH NNE RMY N/A
11/20 48/32/40/0/0.00/0.0/.../..      18 ENE AERO 15 MPH ENE RMY 17
11/21 49/35/42/+2/0.00/0.0/.../..     21 NE  AERO 17 MPH ENE RMY 18
11/22 52/37/45/+5/0.00/0.0/.../..     16 S   AERO 16 MPH SSE RMY 15
 
11/23 morning low temp: 37F; the normal low is now 31F
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 2012
11/7 - NEW DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM SNOWFALL OF 3.5 INCHES;
       surpasses the previous record of 1.0 inch in 1967
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 23
HIGH 73 IN 1931
LOW 9 IN 1888
PRECIP 2.33 INS IN 2006
SNOWFALL 5.5 INS IN 1989
PEAK GUST 64e S IN 1953
 
RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 24
HIGH 69 IN 1931
LOW 7 IN 1897
PRECIP 1.76 INCHES IN 1901
SNOWFALL 4.5 INS IN 1936
PEAK GUST 69 SSW IN 1959
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: George Tabeek/Peter Volpe