BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
GRAY, OVERCAST SKIES ACCOMPANY UNSEASONABLE COLD
AS TEMPERATURES STRUGGLE TO REACH 20F.
 
Sunday's glimpses of afternoon sun provided the main catalyst
for any movement of the thermometer yesterday. Just after
2:00 PM yesterday the mercury climbed to a day time maximum
of 37.4F and fell ever so slowly until midnight where Sunday's
minimum of 28F was reached.
 
Mostly overcast skies prevailed once again today, only this
time featuring much chillier conditions, with a morning low
of 15.4F. With a winter storm to our south and cold Canadian
air to our north, Great Blue Hill has been caught in the middle
with cold air at the surface and general thin to thick
altocumulus dominating most of the morning.
 
By 1:00 PM conditions had varied only slightly, with a
maximum temperature of 20.0F for the day so far, and visibilities
improving to 55 miles.
 
THE PRELIMINARY FEBRUARY 2014 STATS
 
[Departures are relative to the 1981-2010 averages]
 
TEMPERATURE: Deg. F
Avg. Max. 34.0 [-2.8]
Avg. Min. 18.9 [-0.2]
Mean      26.5 [-1.4]
24-hr. adjusted mean:  26.4
Max. temp: 53F on 2nd
Min. temp: 2F  on 12th
Total heating degree day units: 1074 [+37]
Total seasonal heating units:   4591 [+23]  [Season starts 7/1 ]  
Seasonal total this date 2013:  4120 [471 more than last season]
 
PRECIPITATION: Inches
Total: 5.47 [+1.40]
Greatest in 24 hours: N/A
Total snowfall: 33.0 [+19.1]
Greatest in 24 hours: N/A
 
WIND
Av. speed (uncorrected): 12.2 mph
Av. speed (corrected):   12.6 mph
Prevailing direction: W 19%
Peak gust: 48 mph W on 14th and WNW on 24th
 
SUNSHINE
Total astronomical minutes: 17785
Total Campbell Stokes card minutes: 9610 / 54%
 
 
PRELIMINARY WINTER (DEC-FEB) STATS FOR 2013-2014
 
[Departures are relative to the 1981-2010 averages]
 
TEMPERATURE: Deg. F
Avg. Max. 35.1 [-1.5]
Avg. Min. 19.8 [-0.1]
Mean      27.5 [-0.7]
24-hr. adjusted mean:  27.3
 
PRECIPITATION: Inches
Total: 15.36 [+2.05]
Snowfall: 81.6 [+37.2]
 
 
BHO Snowiest Dec-Feb, inches (1885-2014)
 
1) 117.4 in 1947-48
2) 91.2 in 1995-96
3) 89.6 in 2010-11
4) 89.0 in 1922-23
5) 86.4 in 2004-05
6) 85.8 in 2002-03
7) 82.7 in 1903-04
8) 81.9 in 1993-94
9) 81.6 in 2013-14
 
BHO Snowiest Oct-Feb, inches (1885-2014)
 
1) 122.2 in 1947-48
2) 97.0 in 1995-96
3) 95.3 in 2002-03
4) 94.2 in 2004-05
5) 90.6 in 1922-23
6) 89.7 in 2010-11
7) 87.8 in 1945-46
8) 86.5 in 1903-04
9) 82.2 in 1993-94
10) 81.8 in 2013-14
 
 
 
Today's Observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Broken stratus undulatus, thin overcast of
cirrostratus with breaks distant to the NW
Temperature: 16F; Dew Point: 2F; Wind: NNW at 10G20 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.09 ins. Hg, increasing, then more quickly
Visibility: 40 miles, 50 miles W-NNE
6-hr min temp: 28F
6-hr max temp: 15F
24-hr snow total: Trace
24-hr Liquid Water Equivalent: Trace
Snow depth: 7 inches 
BHO SA 1155 E37 BKN 200 –OVC 40 189/16/2/3410G20/009/
VSBY W-NNE 50 MI BINOVC DSNT NW NEW SNW PST 24 HRS TRACE/
8/608 4/007 53027 10028 20015
 
10 A.M. 
Weather: Broken altostratus, thin overcast of cirrostratus
with breaks distant to the NW
Temperature: 17F Dew Point: 3F; Wind: NNW at 12G18 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 30.11 ins. Hg, increasing, then steady  
Visibility: 50 miles
BHO SA 1455 E130 BKN 200 –OVC 50 196/17/3/3312G18/011/
BINOVC DSNT NW/ 8/018 51007
 
1 P.M.  
Weather: Broken altostratus, thin overcast of cirrostratus
with breaks distant to the NNW
Temperature: 20F; Dew Point: 3F; Wind: NW at 10G16 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 30.10 Hg, steady, then falling slightly 
Visibility: 55 miles
6-hr max. temp: 20F
6-hr min. temp: 15F
BHO SA 1755 E140 BKN 200 –OVC 55 192/20/3/3110G16/010/
BINOVC DSNT N SUN DMLY VSBL/ 8/018 58004 10020 20015

 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR SUNDAY, MARCH 2, 2014
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....37    NORMAL.....40
MIN.....28    NORMAL.....22
MEAN....33    NORMAL.....31
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.........................+2
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.........................-6 [-3.2 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............32  DEPARTURE..........+2
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH..............74  DEPARTURE..........+6     
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........4665  DEPARTURE.........+30 
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......4178  DIFFERENCE.......+487
 
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..................22 SW  AT   1:52 A.M. *           
                   AERO.......................22 SW  AT   1:34 A.M.                        
                   ASOS.......................23 SSW AT   1:37 A.M.                 
                   DAVIS......................23 SSW AT   1:36 A.M.  RMY 29
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY....................17 SW  AT   1:41 A.M.                 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.................17 SW  AT   1:42 A.M.  
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE................17 SW  AT   1:21 A.M.                 
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION............8.0 SW       
                   ASOS.....................8.2    
                   DAVIS....................7.2 WSW [249 deg.]
* LAST OF SEVERAL OCCURRENCES
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M...TRACE  DEPARTURE.............-0.17
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.00  DEPARTURE.............-0.35    
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........10.09  DEPARTURE.............+1.32 
                         ASOS.............10.52
 
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M........TRACE  DEPARTURE..............-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................0.0  DEPARTURE..............-1.0
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............81.8  DEPARTURE.............+33.8 
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY 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
 
2/1  45/30/38/+12/0.00/0.0/402/67         24 S   AERO 23 MPH S   RMY 25
2/2  53/33/43/+17/T/0.0/181/30            22 S   AERO 21 MPH WNW RMY 21
2/3  36/22/29/+3/0.32/2.8/000/00          22 NNE AERO 18 MPH NNE RMY 21 
2/4  33/18/26/0/0.00/0.0/377/62           20 NW  AERO 16 MPH NW  RMY 17
2/5  31/21/26/0/1.32/10.7/000/00          32 ENE AERO 30 MPH ENE RMY 30
2/6  26/15/21/-5/0.02/0.4/398/65          22 WNW AERO 21 MPH WNW RMY 22
2/7  29/13/21/-6/0.00/0.0/615/100         25 W   AERO 23 MPH W   RMY 27
2/8  28/12/20/-7/0.00/0.0/612/99          24 W   AERO 23 MPH W   RMY 23
2/9  28/19/24/-3/0.05/1.0/112/18          21 N   AERO 17 MPH N   RMY 19 
2/10 27/14/21/-6/T/T/617/99               28 NW  AERO 28 MPH NW  RMY 30   
2/11 24/8/16/-11/0.00/0.0/625/100         22 WNW AERO 20 MPH WNW RMY 25
2/12 25/2/14/-13/0.00/0.0/509/81          25 NNW AERO 23 MPH NW  RMY 21
2/13 33/19/26/-2/1.67/5.0/000/00          46 NE  AERO 51 MPH NE  RMY 51
2/14 34/27/31/+3/0.39/0.4/348/55          48 W   AERO 51 MPH WNW RMY 49 
2/15 34/27/31/+3/0.68/7.2/025/04          35 NW  AERO 35 MPH NW  RMY 48
2/16 30/18/24/-4/0.03/0.4/549/86          45 NW  AERO 46 MPH NW  RMY N/A
2/17 27/9/18/-10/0.00/0.0/635/99          38 NW  AERO 38 MPH NW  RMY 41 
2/18 32/12/22/-7/0.32/4.0/000/00          27 ESE AERO 25 MPH WNW RMY 28 
2/19 35/20/28/-1/0.25/0.1/168/26          21 W   AERO 20 MPH ESE RMY 26
2/20 48/30/39/+10/0.13/T/487/75           26 WNW AERO 28 MPH W   RMY 26
2/21 49/33/41/+12/0.22/0.0/000/00         32 S   AERO 35 MPH S   RMY 35  TSTM
2/22 50/33/42/+13/0.00/0.0/655/100        38 SSW AERO 39 MPH SSW RMY 42
2/23 50/36/43/+13/0.00/0.0/290/44         25 SW  AERO 27 MPH SW  RMY 29 
2/24 40/20/30/0/0.00/0.0/495/75           48 WNW AERO 50 MPH WNW RMY 49
2/25 27/16/22/-8/0.00/0.0/431/65          37 W   AERO 38 MPH W   RMY 35
2/26 29/9/19/-11/T/T/180/27               30 WSW AERO 30 MPH WSW RMY 31
2/27 27/7/17/-14/0.07/1.0/.../..          44 WNW AERO 44 MPH WNW RMY 45
2/28 23/5/14/-17/0.00/0.0/.../..          36 W   AERO 37 MPH W   RMY N/A
 
3/1  34/12/23/-8/0.00/0.0/.../..          28 SSW AERO 29 MPH SSW RMY 30
3/2  37/28/33/2/T/T/.../..                22 SW  AERO 22 MPH SW  RMY 29
 
3/3 morning low temp: 15F; the normal low is now 23F 
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 2014
None so far.
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR MARCH 3
HIGH 64 IN 1991
LOW -1 IN 1950
PRECIP 2.36 INS. IN 1972
SNOWFALL 12.8 INS. IN 1960
PEAK GUST 78e MPH E IN 1942
 
RECORDS FOR MARCH 4
HIGH 69 IN 1974
LOW -5 IN 1950
PRECIP 1.80 IN 1960
SNOWFALL 17.3 IN 1960
PEAK GUST 81e MPH SSW IN 1971
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald