BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2015    
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

MORE COLD WEATHER TODAY WITH GUSTY NE WINDS
TEMPERATURES STRUGGLE TO REACH LOW 40'S
 
Considerable cloudiness and gusty NE winds have
holding temperatures down to the low 40's by the
noon hour EDT. 
 
Both ponds remain mostly frozen, with Houghton's pond at 90%
and Ponkapoag Pond at nearly 100% still. Both ponds have not
completely thawed yet, meaning as of today, April 8th,
both ponds are in the top ten latest thaws on record (see list
below).
 
The month of March averaged 4.3 degrees colder than normal,
and also finished 2.33 inches of total liquid precipitation
drier than normal. Snowfall however, was just about normal,
with 13.3 inches falling, just 0.6 inches above the norm.
Seasonal snowfall was a new record at 150.8 inches.
 
A cold March along with an even colder January through
February have resulted in the coldest start to any
year since 1934, and the third coldest average minimum
temperature on record:
 
BHO Coldest Jan-Mar Mean Temperature, deg F (1885-2015)
 
1) 21.4 in 1885
2) 22.1 in 1923
3) 22.8 in 1904
4) 23.2 in 1888
5) 23.5 in 1920
   23.5 in 1934
7) 23.6 in 1893
   23.6 in 1912
9) 23.8 in 2015
10) 24.2 in 1916
 
BHO Coldest Jan-Mar Average Minimum Temperature, deg F (1885-2015)
 
1) 13.4 in 1885
2) 14.9 in 1923
3) 15.0 in 2015
4) 15.2 in 1888
   15.2 in 1934
6) 15.3 in 1904
7) 16.6 in 1920
8) 16.7 in 1912
9) 16.8 in 1887
   16.8 in 1893
 
BHO Greatest Seasonal Snowfall, inches (1885-2015):
 
1) 150.8 in 2014-2015 (through 1 PM April 4th)
2) 144.4 in 1995-1996
3) 136.0 in 1947-1948
4) 119.4 in 2004-2005
5) 113.1 in 2002-2003
6) 111.5 in 1915-1916
7) 109.6 in 1966-1967
8) 106.8 in 1955-1956
9) 103.4 in 1903-1904
10)102.5 in 1922-1923
 
Latest Houghton's Pond Thaw Date, (1886-2015)
 
1) April 14, 1926
2) April 10, 1887
   April 10, 1888
4) April 9, 1923
5) April 8, 1993
6) April 7, 1899
   April 7, 1956
8) April 6, 1916
   April 6, 1917
   April 6, 1924
   April 6, 1940
 
Latest Ponkapoag Pond Thaw Date, (1886-2015)
 
1) April 10, 1926
2) April 9, 1923
3) April 6, 1940
4) April 5, 1916
   April 5, 1924
6) April 4, 1967
   April 4, 1994
8) April 3, 1904
   April 3, 1920
 
-------------------------------------------------------
 
PRELIMINARY STATS FOR MARCH 2015
 
TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 39.6 [-4.8]
Avg. Min. 22.8 [-3.8]
Mean      31.2 [-4.3]
Corrected mean: 31.0
Max. for month: 55 on 3/11
Min. for month:  5 on 3/6
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units: 1035 [+119]   
Total for the season: 5743 [+259]
Total for last season: 5627
 
PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 3.25 [-2.33]
Greatest in 24 hrs: N/A
 
SNOWFALL, Inches
Total: 13.3 [+0.6]
Greatest in 24 hrs: N/A
 
WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 13.0
Avg. corrected wind speed: 13.4
Prevailing wind direction: NW @ 16%
Peak gust and direction: 53 NW on the 17th
 
SUNSHINE:
Astronomical total minutes:   11107/22218 or 50%
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 10758/21516 or 50%
 
For more information about this historic winter, visit our
web site at bluehill.org. 
 
-------------------------------------------------------
 
Today's Observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus, scattered cirrostratus, stratus fractus and
stratus layer SE-SW, cirrostratus layer SE-SW
Temperature: 36F; Dew Point: 28F; Wind: ENE at 14G22 kts,
Wind: Direction variability NNE-E
Sea-level pressure: 30.45 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 30 miles, except 40 miles WNW, thin fog dissipating and
distant haze all quadrants 
6-hr Max temp: 36F
6-hr Min temp: 33F
24-hr precip: 0.11 inch
Snow depth: Trace 
BHO SA 1155 27 SCT 250 SCT 30 311/36/28/0614G22/045/ LYR STFRA/STRA SE-SW
CS LYR SE-SW VSBY WNW 40 THN F DSPTNG PST HR DSNT HZ ALQDS WND 03V09/ 
8/508 51010 MANUAL 70011 ASOS 70010 10036 20033  
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus, broken altocumulus
Temperature: 40F; Dew Point: 28F; Wind: NE at 17G24 kts,
Wind: Peak wind from E at 26 kts at 9:45 A.M.
Sea-level pressure: 30.49 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 20 miles, except 15 miles NE, hazy all quadrants
BHO SA 1455 20 SCT E170 BKN 20 324/40/28/0617G24/049/ VSBY NE 15
HAZY ALQDS PK WND 0926/45/ WND 03V09/ 8/530 51013
 
12 NOON
Weather: Broken stratocumulus, overcast nimbostratus   
Temperature: 35F; Dew Point: 28F; Wind: NE at 17G23 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.47 ins. Hg, falling slowly
Visibility: 25 miles, hazy  
5-hr Max temp: 41F
5-hr Min temp: 35F
Noon OB E22 BKN 85 OVC 25 318/35/28/0617G23/047/ HAZY/
8/52/ 10041 20035
 
SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2015
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....39   NORMAL.....52
MIN.....34   NORMAL.....35
MEAN....37   NORMAL.....43
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.......................-6
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.......................-5 [-1.1 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............28  DEPARTURE...........+6
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............166  DEPARTURE...........+6    
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........5909  DEPARTURE.........+265
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......5772  DIFFERENCE........+137
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..................21 NE  AT 12:32 P.M. * 
                   ASOS.......................22 NE  AT 12:33 P.M.   
                   DAVIS......................20 NE  AT 12:32 P.M. RMY N/A
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY....................13 NE  AT  1:07 P.M.  
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.................15 NE  AT  1:07 P.M.     
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE................14 NE  AT 12:32 P.M.    
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION............7.6 NE       
                   ASOS.....................7.7   
                   DAVIS....................6.9 NE [040 degrees]
* Last of several occurrences...

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M.....0.11  DEPARTURE.....-0.06
                         ASOS...............0.10
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH...........0.47  DEPARTURE.....-0.72 
                         ASOS...............0.46
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........15.06  DEPARTURE.....+0.00
                         ASOS................N/A ***
*** ASOS annual totals not available due to erroneous readings
 
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M...........0.0  DEPARTURE.....-0.1
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH.................0.0  DEPARTURE.....-1.2
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............150.8  DEPARTURE....+89.9
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MARCH AND APRIL CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOWFALL/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/RMY 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  29/14/22/-9/0.24/2.7/000/00              25 SSW RMY 25
3/2  35/22/29/-2/0.02/0.2/480/71              44 WNW RMY 48
3/3  32/13/23/-9/0.34/2.8/340/50              33 S   RMY N/A
3/4  41/32/37/+5/0.04/0.0/000/00              33 SW  RMY 36 
3/5  36/16/26/-6/0.02/0.2/000/00              28 NW  RMY 29
3/6  26/5/16/-16/0.00/0.0/681/99              28 NW  RMY 25
3/7  38/13/26/-7/0.00/0.0/567/82              30 WSW RMY 30
3/8  41/25/33/0/T/T/208/30                    38 WNW RMY 41
3/9  45/28/37/+4/0.00/0.0/565/81              40 W   RMY 39
3/10 52/32/42/+9/..../0.0/252/36              28 S   RMY 27
3/11 55/38/47/+13/..../0.0/604/86             37 WNW RMY N/A
3/12 38/23/31/-3/0.00/0.0/677/96              44 N   RMY 48
3/13 40/18/29/-5/0.00/0.0/581/82              23 SSW RMY 26
3/14 41/29/35/0/0.84/0.0/000/00               23 SSW RMY 23
3/15 41/24/33/-2/0.03/0.6/021/03              39 NW  RMY 39
3/16 44/23/34/-1/0.00/0.0/516/72              28 NW  RMY N/A
3/17 48/25/37/+1/0.17/T/173/24                53 NW  RMY 63
3/18 30/19/25/-11/0.00/0.0/700/97             51 NW  RMY 56
3/19 31/15/23/-13/0.00/0.0/696/96             37 NW  RMY 39 
3/20 32/19/26/-11/..../.../102/14             17 NNW RMY 15
3/21 41/25/33/-4/..../.../000/00              36 WNW RMY N/A
3/22 36/17/27/-10/0.00/0.0/712/97             50 W   RMY 55
3/23 31/14/23/-15/0.00/0.0/700/95             36 WNW RMY 35
3/24 39/16/28/-10/0.00/0.0/636/86             20 NNW RMY N/A
3/25 48/25/37/-1/0.08/0.0/572/77              32 S   RMY 31
3/26 54/35/45/+6/..../.../052/07              32 SSW RMY 32
3/27 41/36/39/+0/..../0.0/000/00              22 NNE RMY N/A
3/28 36/26/31/-8/0.44/5.0/000/00              30 NNW RMY 30
3/29 40/21/31/-9/0.00/0.0/701/93              26 NW  RMY N/A
3/30 43/28/36/-4/T/T/091/12                   36 SSW RMY 39
3/31 46/32/39/-2/0.00/0.0/479/63              28 W   RMY 30
 
4/1  44/26/35/-6/0.00/0.0/.../..              30 WNW RMY 31
4/2  59/29/44/+3/T/0.0/.../..                 39 SSW RMY 43
4/3  56/47/52/+10/0.02/0.0/.../..             36 SW  RMY N/A
4/4  49/32/41/-1/..../0.0/.../..              54 NW  RMY 64
4/5  47/30/39/-4/..../0.0/.../..              40 W   RMY 45
4/6  48/33/41/-2/0/00/0.0/.../..              18 NE  RMY N/A 
4/7  39/34/37/-6/..../0.0/000/00              21 NE  RMY N/A
 
4/8  low since midnight is 33F normal low is 35F
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR MARCH 2015
 
3/28- NEW RECORD DAILY SNOWFALL: 5.0 INCHES;
      surpasses the previous record of 3.0 ins. in 1932
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR APRIL 2015
 
4/3 - NEW RECORD DAILY HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE: 47F
      surpasses the previous record of 46F in 1892
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated): 
 
RECORDS FOR APRIL 8
HIGH 87 IN 1991
LOW 17 IN 1888
PRECIP 1.78 IN. IN 1956
SNOWFALL 9.3 IN. IN 1956
PEAK GUST 70 MPH S IN 2000
 
RECORDS FOR APRIL 9
HIGH 83 IN 1991
LOW 18 IN 1888
PRECIP 2.38 IN. IN 1935
SNOWFALL 11.0 IN. IN 1917
PEAK GUST 72 MPH WNW IN 1962
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling