BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
SUNDAY, MAY 17, 2015
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
PLEASANT WEATHER TODAY AS WARM, DRY MONTH CONTINUES
 
Today has been another dry day, as we continue to sit at just over a quarter
inch of rainfall for the month so far, well below average.  There's been more
moisture in the air today, however, as evidenced by dew points near 60F and
hazy conditions that have restricted visibility to 25 miles or less all day.
Temperatures have been on the warm side of normal, with 79F being the max
reading through the 1:00 EST observation.  May continues to run over six
degrees above normal so far.  Scattered cumulus clouds have developed during
the day, but plenty of sunshine has been observed as well.  Winds have
generally been light and variable, but an onshore breeze has tried to
establish itself early this afternoon.

Today's Observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few altocumulus SW-WSW, few thin cirrus SE-S, thin fog all
quadrants
Temperature: 64F; Dew Point: 60F; Wind: Estimated NNW at 4 kts,
Wind: Light and variable
Sea-level pressure: 30.14 ins. Hg, rising then rising more rapidly
Visibility: 10 miles, thin fog
6-hr Max temp: 64F
6-hr Min temp: 56F
24-hr precip: Trace
BHO SA 1155 CLR 10 208/64/60/E3404/014/ FEW AC SW-WSW FEW THN CI SE-S
THN FG ALQDS WND L/V/ 8/051 53020 MANUAL 7000/ 10064 20056
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered cumulus  
Temperature: 75F; Dew Point: 59F; Wind: Estimated NW at 4 kts,
Wind: Light and variable
Sea-level pressure: 30.15 ins. Hg, rising then falling 
Visibility: 20 miles, hazy
BHO SA 1455 30 SCT 209/75/59/E3104/015/ HZY WND L/V/ 8/100 50001
 
1 P.M.
Weather: Clear, few cumulus all quadrants except NNE-E
Temperature: 78F; Dew Point: 59F; Wind: NE at 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.13 ins. Hg, falling then falling more rapidly 
Visibility: 25 miles, hazy
6-Hr Max temp: 79F
6-Hr Min temp: 64F
BHO SA 1755 CLR 25 203/78/59/0508/013/ FEW CU ALQDS XCPT NNE-E HZY/
8/100 58006 10079 20064
 
SUMMARY FOR SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2015
  
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....68   NORMAL.....66
MIN.....53   NORMAL.....48
MEAN....61   NORMAL.....57
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.......................+4
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH......................+100 [+6.1 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY...............4  DEPARTURE...........-5
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH..............76  DEPARTURE..........-93   
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........6347  DEPARTURE.........+144
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......6279  DIFFERENCE.........+68
 
COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JAN TO DEC)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............0   DEPARTURE..........-1
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............16   DEPARTURE.........+10
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON............16   DEPARTURE.........+16
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.......13   DIFFERENCE.........+3
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..................23 S    AT   3:37 P.M. *      
                   ASOS.......................25 SSW  AT  12:04 P.M.          
                   DAVIS......................24 SSW  AT  12:04 P.M. RMY 21
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY....................17 S    AT  12:14 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.................18 S    AT  12:12 P.M.          
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE................18 SSW  AT  12:05 P.M.    
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION............11.0 S         
                   ASOS.....................11.1    
                   DAVIS....................10.4 S [192 deg.]  
* Last of several occurrences...

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M.....Trace DEPARTURE.....-0.12
                         ASOS...............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH...........0.27  DEPARTURE.....-1.68 
                         ASOS...............0.23
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........18.19  DEPARTURE.....-2.18
                         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......0.0
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH.................0.0  DEPARTURE......0.0 
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............150.8  DEPARTURE....+88.1
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MAY 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
 
5/1  52/37/45/-8/0.00/0.0/354/42               21 NE  RMY 20
5/2  63/35/49/-4/0.00/0.0/668/79               20 S   RMY 20 
5/3  74/44/59/+6/0.00/0.0/509/60               22 S   RMY 22
5/4  83/47/65/+11/0.00/0.0/783/92              39 SSW RMY 45
5/5  77/56/67/+13/0.03/0.0/222/26              29 SW  RMY N/A
5/6  74/54/64/+10/0.00/0.0/574/67              24 SSW RMY 25
5/7  84/52/68/+13/0.00/0.0/824/96              29 S   RMY 32
5/8  74/44/59/+4/0.00/0.0/809/94               27 NNE RMY 26
5/9  77/44/61/+6/0.00/0.0/509/59               30 S   RMY 32
5/10 88/60/74/+19/0.00/0.0/692/80              28 SSW RMY 30
5/11 84/48/66/+10/0.00/0.0/529/61              30 NE  RMY 31
5/12 84/47/66/+10/0.24/0.0/287/33              33 WNW RMY 37 
5/13 67/47/57/+1/0.00/0.0/820/94               31 WNW RMY N/A
5/14 70/44/57/+0/0.00/0.0/.../..               22 NW  RMY 22
5/15 73/51/62/+5/0.00/0.0/.../..               20 WSW RMY 21
5/16 68/53/61/+4/T/0.0/.../..                  23 S   RMY 24
 
5/17 low since midnight is 56F; normal low now 48F
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR MAY 2015
 
NONE SO FAR.
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated): 
 
RECORDS FOR MAY 17
HIGH 88F IN 1974, 1977
LOW 34F IN 1956, 1957
PRECIP 2.07 INS IN 1916
PEAK GUST 52 MPH SW IN 1967, W IN 1974
 
RECORDS FOR MAY 18
HIGH 88F IN 1906, 1936, 1986
LOW 35F IN 2002
PRECIP 1.93 INS IN 2007
SNOW TRACE IN 2002 (Ice pellets)
PEAK GUST 64 MPH SSW IN 2000
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Jonathan O'Brien