BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 2014
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
MODERATING TEMPERATURES CONTINUE UNDER MOSTLY OVERCAST SKIES 
TODAY TO FINISH THE MONTH OF JANUARY.
 
As of early afternoon the sun was still struggling to be
seen through the clouds, with thick layers of altocumulus and
cirrus dominating. Altocumulus lenticularis and other wave-like
clouds could be seen through most of the morning. By 1:00 PM clouds
were on the decrease with the pressure dropping slowly.
 
Snow for the month of January totals 33.1 inches, nearly double
our historic average.  Below is a list of the snowiest January's.
 
BHO Snowiest January's, inches (1886-2014)
 
1) 56.3 in 1948
2) 48.2 in 2011
3) 48.0 in 1904
4) 47.6 in 1996
5) 46.0 in 1966
6) 44.8 in 2005
7) 44.5 in 1923
8) 38.3 in 1987
9) 35.6 in 1978
10) 33.1 in 2014
 
As we venture into the first week of February keep posted for a
summary of January's weather.
 
 
Today's Observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Broken altocumulus, overcast cirrostratus,
breaks in overcast
Temperature: 27F; Dew Point: 23F; Wind: SSW at 11kts,
Sea-level pressure: 30.06 ins. Hg, steady, then falling 
Visibility: 45 miles, distant haze 
6-hr. min temp: 19F
Total snow depth on ground: 1 inch  
BHO SA 1155 E30 BKN 200 OVC 45 176/27/23/2111/006/ BINOVC W-WNW LGT 
DSNT HZ/ 8/076 4/001 58008 10027 20019
 
10 A.M. 
Weather: Scattered dense cirrus, overcast cirrostratus,
few altocumulus NW-SE, breaks in overcast
Temperature: 32F Dew Point: 10F; Wind: SW at 13 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 30.09 ins. Hg, rising then steady 
Visibility: 45 miles, distant haze 
BHO SA 1455 140 SCT E200 OVC 45 190/32/10/2313/009/ DNS CI ALQDS 
FEW AC NW-SE BINOVC SW LGT DSNT HZ/ 8/092 51012
 
1 P.M.  
Weather: Scattered altocumulus and altocumulus lenticularis,
broken dense cirrus and cirrus fibratus
Temperature: 39F; Dew Point: 14F; Wind: W at 11 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 30.00 ins. Hg, falling then more rapidly 
Visibility: 50 miles, light distant haze 
6-hr max. temp: 39F  
6-hr min. temp: 27F
BHO SA 1755 140 SCT E200 BKN 50 159/39/14/2711/000/ DNS CI AND CI 
ALQDS ACSL DSNT ALQDS LGT DSNT HZ/ 8/042 58017 10039 20027
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2014
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....29    NORMAL.....34
MIN.....10    NORMAL.....17
MEAN....20    NORMAL.....26
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.........................-6
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH........................-16 [-0.7 DEGREE/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............45  DEPARTURE..........+5
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH............1204  DEPARTURE.........+17     
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........3491  DEPARTURE.........-10
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......3105  DIFFERENCE.......+376
 
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..................25 S   AT  6:32 P.M.        
                   AERO.......................20 S   AT  6:55 P.M. *            
                   ASOS.......................24 S   AT  6:40 P.M.          
                   DAVIS......................23 S   AT  6:33 P.M. RMY 28
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY....................18 S   AT  6:31 P.M.  
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.................18 SSW AT  11:18 P.M.            
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE................18 S   AT  6:33 P.M.          
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION............ 11.2 S           
                   ASOS......................11.6
                   DAVIS.....................10.3 SW [225 deg.]
* LAST OF SEVERAL OCCURRENCES
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00  DEPARTURE.............-0.14
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........4.62  DEPARTURE.............+0.40  
                         ASOS..............4.94
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........4.62  DEPARTURE.............+0.40
                         ASOS..............4.94
 
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M........0.0   DEPARTURE...............-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH.............33.1    DEPARTURE.............+16.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON............48.8    DEPARTURE.............+16.2 
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JANUARY 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:  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
 
1/1  26/16/21/-6/0.00/0.0/505/92          25 W   AERO 25 MPH W   RMY 27
1/2  24/00/12/-15/0.97/10.9/000/00        39 NNE AERO 39 MPH NNE RMY 39
1/3  12/-3/05/-21/0.38/4.7/270/49         36 N   AERO 39 MPH N   RMY 34
1/4  25/-4/11/-15/0.00/0.0/545/99         35 SSW AERO 37 MPH SSW RMY 38
1/5  42/23/33/+7/0.08/0.0/259 47          30 SE  AERO 32 MPH SE  RMY 42
1/6  57/25/41/+15/0.29/0.0/006/01         41 S   AERO 46 MPH S   RMY 48
1/7  25/06/16/-10/0.00/0.0/555/100        44 WNW AERO 46 MPH WNW RMY 42
1/8  21/3/12/-14/0.00/0.0/550/99          28 WSW AERO 29 MPH WSW RMY N/A
1/9  28/13/21/-5/0.00/0.0/540/97          23 WNW AERO 24 MPH WNW RMY 27
1/10 37/17/27/+2/0.05/0.3/000/00          17 SSW AERO 18 MPH SW  RMY N/A     
1/11 57/37/47/+22/0.67/0.0/000/00         50 S   AERO 59 MPH S   RMY 59
1/12 51/32/42/+17/0.04/0.0/292/52         41 W   AERO 44 MPH W   RMY 42
1/13 50/30/40/+15/0.00/0.0/473/84         33 S   AERO 36 MPH S   RMY 37
1/14 49/41/45/+20/0.83/0.0/000/00         35 S   AERO 37 MPH S   RMY 32      
1/15 46/33/40/+15/0.00/0.0/374/66         24 W   AERO 23 MPH W   RMY N/A
1/16 40/34/37/+12/0.00/0.0/000/00         14 ENE AERO 13 MPH ENE RMY 14
1/17 44/33/39/+14/0.00/0.0/541/95         21 SW  AERO 21 MPH SW  RMY 22
1/18 37/30/34/+9/0.82/4.2/000/00          18 E   AERO 17 MPH E   RMY 18
1/19 32/27/30/+5/0.03/0.5/304/53          28 SW  AERO 35 MPH SW  RMY 34
1/20 39/23/31/+6/0.00/0.0/023/04          38 W   AERO 41 MPH W   RMY 42
1/21 23/8/16/-9/0.30/9.0/006/01           29 WNW AERO 30 MPH WNW RMY 32
1/22 15/3/9/-16/0.12/3.1/237/41           36 N   AERO 35 MPH N   RMY 34      
1/23 20/-1/10/-15/0.00/0.0/418/72         30 W   AERO 29 MPH W   RMY 30
1/24 16/2/9/-16/0.00/0.0/571/98           28 WNW AERO 25 MPH WNW RMY N/A
1/25 36/12/24/-1/0.01/0.2/053/09          60 SSW AERO 66 MPH SSW RMY 64
1/26 22/12/17/-8/0.00/0.0/405/69          45 W   AERO 43 MPH W   RMY 41
1/27 45/17/31/+6/0.02/0.0/024/04          46 S   AERO 46 MPH S   RMY 49
1/28 18/9/14/-11/0.00/0.0/.../..          33 W   AERO 31 MPH W   RMY 32
1/29 24/11/17/-8/0.01/0.2/.../..          28 W   AERO 23 MPH W   RMY 27
1/30 29/10/20/-6/0.00/0.0/.../..          25 S   AERO 20 MPH S   RMY 28
 
1/31 morning low temp: 18F; the normal low is now 17F                              
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR JANUARY 2014
1/21 - New record daily snowfall of 9.0 ins.; this surpasses
7.6 ins. in 2011.
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR JANUARY 31
HIGH 58F IN 1913, 1947, 2013
LOW -12F IN 1920
PRECIP 1.03 INS. IN 1914
SNOWFALL 9.0 INS. IN 1898
PEAK GUST 75 MPH NW IN 1974
 
RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 1
HIGH 65F IN 1989
LOW -9F IN 1920
PRECIP 1.30 INS. IN 1898
SNOWFALL 11.0 INS. IN 1898
PEAK GUST 66e MPH SSW IN 1951
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald