BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012 
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
AT 5:00 A.M. THIS MORNING....
THERE WAS NO DISCERNIBLE SURFACE CIRCULATION
FOR THE REMNANTS OF SANDY.  SANDY HAS WEAKENED
INTO A SURFACE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE OVER
WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
The remnants of Sandy which pretty much went straight west
or a little WSW after the center arrived on the New Jersey
shore went across southern Pennsylvania and its identity
was lost as the system became part of a surface trough
or low pressure system in western Pennsylvania.
 
Some remnants of Sandy's large circulation were able to
develop some showers and thunderstorms which moved north
last evening from Buzzards Bay causing a possible micro-
burst in Wareham.  Thunderstorm activity then  moved
northward through Plymouth County.  A downpour of rain
occurred with a thunderstorm here at Blue just after
8 P.M. EDT with 0.28 inch rainfall in one hour from
8 P.M. to 9 P.M. EDT.  In fact, the five-minute, ten-
minute, and 15-minute maximum rates of 0.13, 0.19, and
0.22 inch respectively were the greatest for the month
here. 
 
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus, scattered altocumulus and
altocumulus lenticularis, broken dense cirrus, overcast dense
cirrus, few cirrocumulus and cirrocumulus lenticularis,
few stratus fractus distant ESE, stratus fractus dissipated
during past houra, breaks and thin spots in the overcast
vicinity SSE-WSW, large break in overcast NNE-ENE
Temperature: 52F; Dew Point: 51F; Wind: SSW 10 kts.
Sea-level pressure: 29.51 ins. Hg, rising then more rapidly
Visibility: 25 miles, except S-SW 20 miles, NE 35 miles,
thin fog all quadrants
6-hour precip: 0.02 inch (ASOS)
24-hour precip: 0.40 inch 
BHO SA 1155 55 SCT 140 SCT E200 BKN 220 OVC 25 994/52/51/2110/951/
FEW STRA DSNT ESE STFRA DSSPTD PST HR FEW SC DSNT N-E SC LYR SSE-WSW
FEW ACSL ALQDS DNS CI ALQDS FEW CC/CCSL BINOVC/THN SPTS INOVC VC SSE-WSW
LGE BINOVC DSNT NNE-ENE VSBY S-SW 20 NE 35 THN F ALQDS/ 8/642 53011
ASOS 60002 MANUAL 6002/ ASOS 70039 MANUAL 70040 10055 20052
 
10 A.M.  
Weather: Overcast stratocumulus, lower cumulus fractus,
cumulus, stratocumulus distant all quadrants, virga and
showers of rain distant WNW-NNW moving NNE
Temperature: 51F; Dew Point: 45F; Wind: SSW at 10 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 29.55 ins. Hg, rising then more slowly
Visibility: 50 miles, distant haze, rain showers (WNW-NNW)
3-hour precip: 0.00 inch
BHO SA 1455 E30 OVC 50 008/51/45/2010/955/ LWR CU/SC DSNT ALQDS
HIER CLD VSB DSNT S-W AND N-NE SML BINOVC DSNT SW VIRGA/SHRA DSNT
WNW-NNW MOVG NNE/ 8/8// 51014 
 
1 P.M. 
Weather: Broken cumulus, stratocumulus, broken stratocumulus,
overcast stratocumulus, ceiling ragged, cumulus, stratocumulus
dark bases, shower of rain 5 WSW-W, virga/shower of rain to the
distant ESE-SSE   
Temperature: 53F; Dew Point: 46F; Wind: SSW at 6 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 29.53 ins. Hg, falling then more rapidly
Visibility: 60 miles, except W 10 miles, NW 70 miles, light
distant haze 
6-hour precip: 0.00 
6-hour max. temp: 54F
6 hour min. temp. 51F  
BHO SA 1755 E24 BKN 30 BKN 45 OVC 60 000/53/46/2006/953/ CIG RGD
CU/SC DRK BASES SHRA 5 SW-W MOVG NNE VIRGA/SHRA DSNT ESE-SSE
VSBY SW 10 NW 70 LGT DSNT HZ/ 8/8// 58008 10054 20051
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....66      NORMAL.....56
MIN.....53      NORMAL.....38
MEAN....60      NORMAL.....47
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL....................+13
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH...................+104 [+3.3 DEGREE/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY.............5    DEPARTURE.......-13
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH...........294    DEPARTURE......-109
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON..........393    DEPARTURE......-152
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.....402    DIFFERENCE.......-9
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............36 SSW AT  7:05 P.M.
                   AERO..................36 SSW AT  7:05 P.M. *
                   ASOS..................35 SSW AT  7:05 P.M. 
                   DAVIS.................35 SSW AT  7:05 P.M. RMY 36
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...........29 SSW AT  7:06 P.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............29 SSW AT  7:07 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE...........28 SSW AT  7:07 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION...... 13.5
                   ASOS................11.6
                   DAVIS...............12.8 SE [1302 deg] #
* last of several occurrences...
# Davis 24-hour calendar day on EDT
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.40   DEPARTURE..........+0.25
                         ASOS..............0.39
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........4.58   DEPARTURE..........+0.05
                         ASOS..............4.63
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........33.20   DEPARTURE.........-10.41
                         ASOS.............33.18
 
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/-4/0.15/185/27         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 58/41/50/-3/0.00/668/99         35 WNW AERO 33 MPH WNW RMY 34
10/12 51/34/43/-10/0.04/296/44        32 WNW AERO 30 MPH NW  RMY 30
10/13 52/29/41/-12/0.00/582/87        22 SSW AERO 20 MPH WNW RMY N/A
10/14 66/43/55/+3/0.09/167/25         40 SW  AERO 39 MPH SW  RMY 39
10/15 73/58/66/+14/0.03/279/42        43 SSW AERO 43 MPH SSW RMY 43
10/16 61/40/51/0/0.03/522/79          38 WNW AERO 36 MPH WNW RMY 38
10/17 60/35/48/-3/0.00/612/93         22 NW  AERO 18 MPH NW  RMY N/A
10/18 66/46/56/+5/0.00/636/97         25 ESE AERO 23 MPH ESE RMY 25
10/19 66/51/59/+9/0.20/007/01         39 SSE AERO 38 MPH SSE RMY 39
10/20 73/53/63/+13/0.11/377/58        33 SSW AERO 32 MPH SSW RMY 34 TSTM
10/21 63/45/54/+4/0.00/564/87         36 WNW AERO 32 MPH WNW RMY 34
10/22 65/46/56/+7/0.00/632/98         37 WNW AERO 35 MPH WNW RMY 36
10/23 64/46/55/+6/0.00/398/62         27 NW  AERO 24 MPH NW  RMY 26
10/24 53/46/50/+1/T/000/00            21 NNE AERO 20 MPH NNE RMY N/A
10/25 62/46/54/+5/0.00/.../..         17 S   AERO 16 MPH SW  RMY 17
10/26 67/49/58/+10/0.00/.../..        17 S   AERO 16 MPH S   RMY 16
10/27 65/50/58/+10/0.00/.../..        22 NNE AERO 20 MPH NNE RMY 22
10/28 54/49/52/+4/0.35/000/00         45 ENE AERO 46 MPH ENE RMY N/A
10/29 61/51/56/+9/2.42/000/00         76 E   AERO 82 MPH E   RMY N/A
10/30 66/53/60/+13/..../.../..        36 SSW AERO 36 MPH SSE RMY 36 TSTM
 
10/31 morning low temp: 52F; the normal low is now 38F
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR OCTOBER 2012
10/13 - NEW DAILY RECORD LOW MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 29F;
        surpasses previous record of 30F set in 1934, 1936, 1988
10/29 - NEW DAILY RECORD PEAK WIND GUST OF 76 MPH E;
        surpasses previous record of 69 mph S in 2003
10/29 - NEW DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM PRECIPITATION OF 2.42 INCHES;
        surpasses previous record of 2.27 inches in 1953
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR OCTOBER 31
HIGH 79F IN 1946
LOW 22F IN 1904
PRECIP 3.74 INCHES IN 1991
SNOWFALL TRACE IN 1906
PEAK GUST 70e S IN 1945
 
RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 1
HIGH 75 IN 2003
LOW 22 IN 1913,1923
PRECIP 2.93 INCHES IN 1985
SNOWFALL TRACE IN 1906,1951
PEAK GUST 78 ESE IN 1997
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling