BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012 
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
A VERY SUNNY DAY TODAY AFTER TWO OVERCAST, GLOOMY DAYS
OCTOBER SUNSHINE ONLY 28% OF POSSIBLE AFTER 4 OVERCAST DAYS
MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION ON 6 OUT OF 10 DAYS BUT THE
MONTHLY TOTAL REMAINS LOW AT 0.79 INCH OR HALF OF NORMAL
COLDEST WEATHER OF THE SEASON LATE THIS WEEK
 
It was nice to finally have the sunshine back today after
the past two days were cloudy and yesterday was especially
gloomy with heavy fog all day.  Also, October 3-4 was
overcast, gloomy and foggy so the result is the first
ten days of the month have an averaged of only 28% of
the possible sunshine. October is often a sunny month
which averages 55% of the possible sunshine.
 
Despite all the cloudiness and absence of sunshine and
precipitation on 6 out of 10 days our total of 0.79 inch
is only about half the normal total.  All of the days
have had small amounts of less than one quarter inch
of rainfall. 
 
The coldest weather of the season is expected late this
week.  Our record low temperature for Saturday, October
13th is 30F first recorded in 1934 and equaled in 1936
and again in 1988.  It has been a long time since a
record low temperature has been recorded here.
 
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few stratocumulus/altocumulus distant WSW-N,
few stratocumulus along shore ENE-E 
Temperature: 43F; Dew Point: 36F; Wind: WSW at 9 kts,
Wind: Direction variable SW-W
Sea-level pressure: 30.05 ins. Hg, rising then more slowly 
Visibility: 50 miles, distant haze
24-hour precip: 0.19
6-hour min. temp: 41F
BHO SA 1155 CLR 50 171/43/36/2509/005/ SC/AC DSNT WSW-N FEW SC
ALGSHR ENE-E LGT DSNT HZ W-NW/ 8/570 51038 MANUAL 70019 ASOS 70020
10046 20041
 
10 A.M. 
Weather: Clear, cumulus fractus/cumulus forming all quadrants,
most numerous distant W-N  
Temperature: 51F; Dew Point: 35F; Wind: W at 17G23 kts,
Wind: Peak wind from W @ 27 kts at 9:34 a.m. EST,
Wind: Direction variable WSW to WNW  
Sea-level pressure: 30.08 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly  
Visibility: 70 miles, NW 80 miles 
BHO SA 1455 CLR 70 187/51/35/2717G23/008/ CUFRA/CU FRMG ALQDS
NMRS DSNT W-N VSBY NW 80 PK WND 2727/34/ WND 24V30/
8/100 51016 
 
1 P.M. 
Weather: Scattered flat cumulus  
Temperature: 56F; Dew Point: 34F; Wind: W @ 12  kts,
Wind: Direction variable WSW-NW
Sea-level pressure: 30.09 ins. Hg, rising slightly 
Visibility: 80 miles
6-hour max. temp: 57F  
BHO SA 1755 50 SCT 80 190/56/34/2812/009/ PK WND 2726/40/
WND 24V31/ 8/100 51003 10057 20043
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....60   NORMAL.....62
MIN.....47   NORMAL.....45
MEAN....54   NORMAL.....54
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL......................0
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH....................+19 [+1.7 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY............11    DEPARTURE........-1
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH............78    DEPARTURE.......-22
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON..........177    DEPARTURE.......-66
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.....137    DIFFERENCE......+40
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............36 WNW AT 10:46 P.M. 
                   AERO..................36 WNW AT 10:46 P.M. 
                   ASOS..................35 WNW AT 10:46 P.M. 
                   DAVIS.................30 WNW AT 10:44 P.M. 
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........24 WNW AT 10:46 P.M.    
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............22 WNW AT 10:47 P.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE...........22 W   AT 10:48 P.M. 
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.......11.0 E
                   ASOS................10.9
                   DAVIS................9.8 ESE [120 deg]
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.19   DEPARTURE...........+0.04
                         ASOS..............0.20
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.79   DEPARTURE...........-0.69
                         ASOS..............0.74
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........29.41   DEPARTURE..........-11.15
                         ASOS.............29.29
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR OCTOBER 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
 
10/1  66/47/57/0/T/429/61             36 W   AERO 35 MPH WSW RMY 36
10/2  69/53/61/+4/0.12/098/14         18 W   AERO 16 MPH W   RNT 16
10/3  62/58/60/+4/0.02/000/00         20 NE  AERO 18 MPH NE  RMY 18
10/4  61/58/60/+4/0.08/000/00         17 NNE AERO 14 MPH NE  RMY 14
10/5  75/57/66/+10/0.00/623/90        20 SW  AERO 19 MPH SW  RMY 21
10/6  77/48/63/+8/0.20/269/39         36 SSW AERO 37 MPH SSW RMY 36 TSTM
10/7  57/44/51/-4/0.15/105/27         21 WNW AERO 18 MPH WNW RMY 19
10/8  55/40/48/-6/0.00/328/48         17 WNW AERO 15 MPH WNW RMY N/A
10/9  56/49/53/-1/T/000/00            27 E   AERO 25 MPH ENE RMY 25
10/10 60/47/54/0/0.22/000/00          36 WNW AERO 36 MPH WNW RMY 31
 
10/11  morning low temp: 41F; the normal low is now 45F
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR OCTOBER 2012
None so far.
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR OCTOBER 11
HIGH 80F IN 1919,1949
LOW 28F IN 1993
PRECIP 0.96 INCHES IN 1903
SNOWFALL (NONE)
PEAK GUST 66e MPH WNW IN 1941
 
RECORDS FOR OCTOBER 12
HIGH 87F IN 1954
LOW 31F IN 1906
PRECIP 1.53 INCHES IN 1948
SNOWFALL TRACE IN 1941
PEAK GUST 55 MPH NW IN 1963
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling