BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2014 ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME CLOUDS THICKENING AND LOWERING AHEAD OF OUR FIRST APRIL SHOWERS Clouds were on the increase this morning as altocumulus and cirrus fibratus gradually overspread the sky with generally hazy conditions keeping visibilities to 30 miles on average. By 1:00 PM the layer of altocumulus had overspread the sky to nearly become overcast with some cumulus forming distant to the NNW-ESE. A daytime maximum of 46F had been reached prior to the 1:00 PM EST observation. Preliminary statistics for March reveal a colder and less snowy than average month. With a mere 3.0 inches of frozen precipitation falling for the entire month, this left the month 9.7 inches behind the 30-year norm for March snowfall. With an average daily minimum temperature of 22.0 F, this represents the coldest average since 1960 and 10th coldest March average daily minimum since records began at Blue Hill. BHO COLDEST MARCH AVERAGE MINIMUM TEMPERATURE deg. F (1885-2014) 1) 15.1 in 1885 2) 19.1 in 1916 3) 20.5 in 1887 20.5 in 1923 5) 20.9 in 1900 6) 21.0 in 1896 7) 21.2 in 1950 21.2 in 1960 9) 21.3 in 1888 10)22.0 in 2014 A corrected average speed of 13.1 mph also has historic significance, as it ranks as the 3rd least windy March on record. BHO SLOWEST MARCH WIND SPEED mph (1885-2014) 1)12.1 in 1995 2)12.8 in 2012 3)13.1 in 2014 4)13.2 in 2009 5)13.4 in 2013 MARCH 2014 PRELIMINARY STATISTICS [Departures are relative to the 1981-2010 averages] TEMPERATURE: Deg. F Avg. Max. 40.5 [-3.8] Avg. Min. 22.0 [-4.6] Mean 31.3 [-4.2] 24-hr. corrected mean: 31.1 Max. temp: 57 on the 28th Min. temp: 6 on the 4th Total heating degree day units: 1,036 [+120] Total seasonal heating units: 5,627 [+143] [Season starts 7/1] Seasonal total this date 2012: 5,020 [+607] PRECIPITATION: Inches Total: 5.03 [-0.55] Greatest in 24 hours: TBD (TBD) Total snowfall: 3.0 inches [-9.7] Greatest in 24 hours: 1.4 inches on the 13th WIND Av. speed (uncorrected): 12.7 mph Av. speed (corrected): 13.1 mph Prevailing direction: NW @ 13% possible SUNSHINE Total astronomical minutes: 10,395 of possible 22,247 or 47% Total Campbell Stokes card minutes; 10,056 of possible 21,516 or 47% [-2%] More data will be made available in the next few days... Today's Observations: 7 A.M. Weather: Scattered altocumulus, broken cirrus fibratus Temperature: 38F; Dew Point: 28F; Wind: ENE at 9 kts, Sea-level pressure: 30.15 ins. Hg, rising, then more quickly Visibility: 30 miles, haze distant in all directions, 45 miles N-ENE 6-hr max temp: 39F 6-hr min temp: 35F 24-hr precip: None BHO SA 1155 140 SCT E250 BKN 30 210/38/28/0609/015/ HZ DSNT ALQDS VSBY N-ENE 45 MI/ 8/072 53009 10039 20035 10 A.M. Weather: Few stratocumulus distant NNE-ENE and NNW, scattered altocumulus/altocumulus lenticularis, broken cirrus fibratus growing more dense Temperature: 43F; Dew Point: 28F; Wind: ENE at 11G18 kts, Sea-level pressure: 30.14 ins. Hg, steady, then falling Visibility: 30 miles, distant haze all quadrants, 45 miles NNE-ESE BHO SA 1455 140 SCT E250 BKN 30 206/43/28/0711G18/014/ FEW SC DSNT NNE-ENE AND NNW ACSL DSNT W HZ DSNT ALQDS VSBY NNE-ESE 45 MI/ 8/074 58004 1 P.M. Weather: Few cumulus distant NNW-ESE, broken altocumulus, broken cirrus fibratus Temperature: 44F; Dew Point: 25F; Wind: ENE at 6 kts, Sea-level pressure: 30.12 ins. Hg, decreasing, then increasing but lower than 3 hours ago Visibility: 30 miles, haze in all directions 6-hr max temp: 46F 6-hr min temp: 37F BHO SA 1755 E140 BKN 250 BKN 30 199/44/25/0606/012/ FEW CU DSNT NNW-ESE HZ DSNT ALQDS/ 8/134 55007 10046 20037 WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014 TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F) MAX.....55 NORMAL.....51 MIN.....35 NORMAL.....33 MEAN....46 NORMAL.....42 DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.........................+4 TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.........................+7 [+2.1 DEGREES/DAY] HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN) TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............19 DEPARTURE..........-4 TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH..............64 DEPARTURE..........-7 TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........5691 DEPARTURE........+136 TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......5099 DIFFERENCE.......+592 PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..................23 NNW AT 8:51 A.M. * AERO.......................24 NW AT 3:32 A.M. ASOS.......................24 NW AT 3:34 A.M. DAVIS......................22 NW AT 3:33 A.M. RMY 25 FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY....................18 NW AT 3:40 A.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.................18 NW AT 8:52 A.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE................17 NE AT 3:38 A.M. AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION............ 10.5 NW ASOS......................10.4 DAVIS..................... 9.7 NW [311 deg] * Last of several occurrences... PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST) TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00 DEPARTURE.............-0.17 ASOS..............0.00 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.00 DEPARTURE.............-0.51 ASOS..............0.00 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........15.12 DEPARTURE.............+0.61 ASOS.............15.55 SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST) TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.0 DEPARTURE..............-0.2 TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................0.0 DEPARTURE..............-0.6 TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............84.8 DEPARTURE.............+24.5 PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MARCH 2014 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 RMY: R.M. Young wind gust recording system TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day) ....: Data not yet available, records not finalized 3/1 34/12/23/-8/0.00/0.0/458/68 28 SSW AERO 29 MPH SSW RMY 30 3/2 37/28/33/2/T/T/014/02 22 SW AERO 22 MPH SW RMY 29 3/3 28/11/20/-12/0.00/0.0/000/00 29 NNW AERO 30 MPH NNW RMY N/A 3/4 29/6/18/-14/0.00/0.0/444/65 17 SW AERO 16 MPH SW RMY 17 3/5 27/16/22/-10/0.02/0.3/000/00 21 NE AERO 20 MPH N RMY 23 3/6 26/7/17/-15/0.00/0.0/689/100 23 NNW AERO 23 MPH NNW RMY N/A 3/7 35/16/26/-7/0.00/0.0/449/65 18 SE AERO 17 MPH SE RMY 18 3/8 52/27/40/+7/0.00/0.0/673/97 26 NW AERO 29 MPH NNW RMY 27 3/9 40/25/33/0/0.00/0.0/669/96 28 NW AERO 29 MPH NW RMY 29 3/10 42/26/34/+1/0.03/0.8/196/28 21 S AERO 22 MPH S RMY 27 3/11 56/34/45/+11/0.00/0.0/450/64 33 W AERO 33 MPH W RMY 34 3/12 53/34/44/+10/0.50/T/120/17 29 NNW AERO 30 MPH NNW RMY 30 3/13 33/12/23/-11/0.14/1.4/007/01 43 NW AERO 45 MPH NW RMY 45 3/14 37/10/24/-11/0.00/0.0/498/70 39 SSW AERO 41 MPH SSW RMY 42 3/15 54/35/45/+10/0.01/0.0/450/63 50 WNW AERO 58 MPH WNW RMY 54 3/16 35/21/28/-7/0.00/0.0/509/71 36 W AERO 36 MPH WNW RMY 37 3/17 30/13/22/-14/0.00/0.0/562/78 25 N AERO 26 MPH N RMY 19 3/18 35/16/26/-10/0.00/0.0/701/97 18 ENE AERO 16 MPH ENE RMY 18 3/19 44/23/34/-2/T/0.0/428/59 24 E AERO 23 MPH E RMY 26 3/20 51/35/43/+6/0.30/0.0/190/26 36 W AERO 37 MPH W RMY 39 3/21 42/29/36/-1/0.00/0.0/242/33 40 W AERO 41 MPH W RMY 42 3/22 55/26/41/+4/T/0.0/404/55 52 WNW AERO 52 MPH WNW RMY 53 3/23 43/20/32/-6/0.00/0.0/052/07 32 NNW AERO 32 MPH NNW RMY N/A 3/24 32/13/23/-15/0.00/0.0/725/98 37 N AERO 36 MPH N RMY 36 3/25 38/17/28/-10/0.00/0.0/550/74 25 SSW AERO 22 MPH SSW RMY N/A 3/26 32/20/26/-13/T/0.1/022/03 54 NW AERO 56 MPH NW RMY 55 3/27 45/17/31/-8/0.00/0.0/659/88 35 NW AERO 33 MPH NW RMY 31 3/28 57/33/45/+6/0.06/0.0/038/05 45 SW AERO 43 MPH SW RMY 47 3/29 53/37/45/+5/0.86/0.0/196/26 39 ENE AERO 40 MPH ENE RMY 38 3/30 42/33/38/-2/2.41/T/000/00 40 NNE AERO 38 MPH NNE RMY 41 3/31 37/31/34/-7/0.70/0.4/000/00 33 N AERO N/A RMY 37 4/1 48/31/40/-1/0.00/0.0/.../.. 29 NNE AERO N/A 4/2 56/34/45/+4/0.00/0.0/.../.. 22 WSW AERO 20 MPH WSW RMY N/A 4/3 55/36/46/+4/0.00/0.0/.../.. 23 NNW AERO 22 MPH NW RMY 25 4/4 morning low temp: 35F; the normal low is now 33F DAILY RECORDS FOR MARCH/APRIL 2014 None DAILY EXTREMES Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated): RECORDS FOR APRIL 4 HIGH 76 IN 2010 LOW 12 IN 1954 PRECIP 1.45 IN. IN 1987 SNOWFALL 3.7 IN. IN 1975 PEAK GUST 80 MPH WNW IN 1963 RECORDS FOR APRIL 5 HIGH 81 IN 1928 LOW 15 IN 1995 PRECIP 2.15 IN. IN 1987 SNOWFALL 4.0 IN. IN 1898 PEAK GUST 76 MPH WNW IN 1963 TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald