BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
SUNDAY, APRIL 3, 2016 
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

HEAVY WET SNOW FALLS THIS MORNING: 7.7 INS STORM TOTAL BY
MID MORNING WITH TEMPS IN 20S AND 30S TODAY

Light rain fell on and off yesterday during the daytime and
evening, totaling 0.42 inches by 1:00 PM EST yesterday afternoon.
Overnight as a fast moving system approached the region, temperatures
dropped quickly after 3:00 AM EST this morning with heavy snow
falling for a span of several hours. 

By this morning's 7:00 AM EST observation 6.9 inches had been
measured with an additional 0.8 inches falling as snow came to
an end a little after an hour later. This storm total of 7.7
inches is just 0.3 inches below today's daily record snowfall
of 8.0 inches measured in 1915. Today's storm total also appears
to be one of the highest measurements in Southern New England.
Total snowfall for the season now sits at 49.4 inches, which is
11.2 inches below normal.
 

The 24-hour corrected mean temperature for March of 40.7 deg F 
ties for the eighth warmest on record. It's been a warm start
to the year, and the first three months of 2016 were the
fourth warmest on record. 

BHO Warmest March, deg F (1885-2016):

1) 43.5 in 1946
2) 43.4 in 2012
3) 42.7 in 1945
4) 42.2 in 1903
5) 41.5 in 2010
6) 41.2 in 1921
7) 40.8 in 2000
8) 40.7 in 1977
   40.7 in 2016
10) 40.5 in 1973

BHO Warmest Jan-Mar, deg F (1885-2016):

1) 36.3 in 2012
2) 35.0 in 2002
3) 34.7 in 1998
4) 34.1 in 2016
5) 33.9 in 1990
6) 33.2 in 1953
7) 33.0 in 2006


PRELIMINARY STATS FOR MARCH 2016

TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 49.7 [+5.4]
Avg. Min. 32.3 [+5.7]
Mean      41.0 [+5.5]
24-hour corrected mean: 40.7
Max. for month: 75 on 9th
Min. for month: 16 on 3rd

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units: 736 [-180]  
Total for the season: 4419 [-1065]
Total for last season: 5743

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 3.21 [-2.37]
Greatest in 24 hrs: N/A
 
SNOWFALL, Inches
Total: 4.4 [-8.3]
Greatest in 24 hrs: N/A

WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 12.9
Avg. corrected wind speed: 13.2
Prevailing wind direction: S at 10%
Peak gust and direction: 63 S on the 31st

SUNSHINE:
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 10386 mins. of possible 21516 or 48%
Astronomical total minutes:   10763 mins. of possible 22286 or 48%


Today's Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Moderate snow, fog
Temperature: 31F; Dew Point: 31F; Wind: NNW at 17G26 kts,
Peak Wind: 26 knots 6:54 AM EST
Sea-level pressure: 29.24 ins. Hg, rising rapidly
Visibility: 1 mile, obscured by moderate snow and fog
6-hr Max temp: 40F 
6-hr Min temp: 31F
24-hr precip: 1.05 ins.
24-hr snowfall: 6.9 ins.
snow depth: 7 ins.  
BHO SA 1155 W3 X 1SF 902/31/31/3317G26/924/ 
NEW SNW PST 6 HRS 6.9 IN PRESRR PK WND 3226/54/ 
8//// 4/008 53009 ASOS 60076 70122 MANUAL 7/0105 10040 20031 

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered altostratus, broken cirrostratus,
few stratocumulus distant NE-N
Temperature: 30F; Dew Point: 26F; Wind: WNW at 18G28 kts,
Peak Wind: 30 knots WNW at 9:35 AM EST
Sea-level pressure: 29.48 ins. Hg, rising rapidly
Visibility: 85 miles, except 50 miles N-SSE
3-hour precip: 0.08 ins.
3-hr snowfall: 0.8 ins.  
BHO SA 1455 100 SCT E250 BKN 85 982/30/26/3018G28/948/ 
VSBY N-SSE 50 MI FEW SC DSNT NE-N NEW SNW PST 3 HRS 0.8 INS 
STORM TOTAL 7.7 INS PRESRR PK WND 2930/35/ 8/428 51080 
ASOS 60013 MANUAL 60008

1 P.M.
Weather: Showers in all directions, broken moderate cumulus
Temperature: 35F; Dew Point: 22F; Wind: WNW at 26G36 kts,
Peak Wind: 37 knots W at 12:44 PM EST
Sea-level pressure: 29.59 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 60 miles, except 10 miles SSW-SW, 15 miles W-WNW,
obscured by distant snow showers
6-hr Max temp: 35F 
6-hr Min temp: 27F
6-hour precip: 0.08 ins.
6-hr snowfall: 0.8 ins.
BHO SA 1755 E50 BKN 60 019/35/22/2926G36/959/ 
VSBY SSW-SW 10 MI W-WNW 15 MI SHWRS DSNT ALQDS MDT CU ALQDS 
NEW SNW PST 6 HRS 0.8 INS PK WND 2737/44/ 8/200 51037 
ASOS 60013 MANUAL 60008 10035 20027


SUMMARY FOR SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 2016 
  
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....54   NORMAL.....50
MIN.....40   NORMAL.....33 
MEAN....47   NORMAL.....41

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.........................+6
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH........................+25 [+12.3 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............18   DEPARTURE..........-6
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH..............23   DEPARTURE.........-25
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........4442   DEPARTURE.......-1090
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......5794   DIFFERENCE......-1352

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...................23 SSW AT  6:16 P.M. 
                   ASOS........................24 SSW AT  6:15 P.M.  
                   DAVIS.......................22 S   AT  6:16 P.M. RMY N/A
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.....................16 S   AT  6:20 P.M.    
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..................16 S   AT  6:19 P.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.................15 S   AT  6:17 P.M. 
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION..............8.3 SSW 
                   ASOS.......................8.4   
                   DAVIS......................7.4 SSW [200 Deg.]

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....1.05  DEPARTURE......+0.88
                         ASOS..............1.22
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........1.11  DEPARTURE......+0.77
                         ASOS..............1.27
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........13.69  DEPARTURE......-0.65 
                         ASOS.............14.28

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)  
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........6.9  DEPARTURE.......+6.7
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................6.9  DEPARTURE.......+6.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............49.4  DEPARTURE......-11.2

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MARCH CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/ AERO/RMY 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   45/30/38/+7/0.00/0.0/602/89           54 W   AERO 60 W   RMY 53
3/2   52/21/37/+6/0.41/0.0/204/30           44 WNW AERP 47 NW  RMY 42
3/3   34/16/25/-7/0.00/0.0/641/94           30 WNW AERO 36 WNW RMY N/A
3/4   30/24/27/-5/0.04/0.5/000/00           32 N   AERO 38 N   RMY 34
3/5   35/20/28/-4/0.00/0.0/536/78           31 N   AERO 36 N   RMY N/A
3/6   40/25/33/+1/0.00/0.0/593/86           21 SSE AERO 21 SSE RMY N/A
3/7   49/29/39/+6/0.00/0.0/173/25           43 SSW AERO 48 SSW RMY 45
3/8   55/35/45/+12/0.00/0.0/647/93          23 S   AERO 24 S   RMY N/A
3/9   75/38/57/+24/0.00/0.0/594/85          32 S   AERO 36 S   RMY 33
3/10  64/50/57/+24/..../0.0/000/00          31 NNW AERO 38 NNW RMY 32
3/11  56/38/47/+13/T/0.0/331/47             28 NNW AERO 36 NNW RMY 29
3/12  58/31/45/+11/0.00/0.0/650/92          30 SW  AERO 33 SW  RMY 30 
3/13  63/46/55/+21/0.00/0.0/525/74          32 NW  AERO 35 NW  RMY 30
3/14  46/36/41/+6/..../T/000/00             32 E   AERO 33 E   RMY N/A
3/15  45/39/42/+7/..../0.0/000/00           36 ENE AERO 38 ENE RMY 34
3/16  48/39/44/+9/..../0.0/036/05           25 E   AERO 28 E   RMY N/A
3/17  63/40/52/+16/..../0.0/361/50          44 NW  AERO 48 NW  RMY 45
3/18  51/33/42/+6/0.01/0.0/305/42           43 WNW AERO 45 WNW RMY 43
3/19  44/25/35/-1/0.00/0.0/706/97           25 NNW AERO 28 NNW RMY 26
3/20  35/23/29/-8/..../.../387/53           25 NE  AERO 28 NE  RMY 25
3/21  41/26/34/-3/..../.../323/44           30 WNW AERO 33 WNW RMY 32
3/22  48/28/38/+1/..../.../684/93           33 W   AERO 37 W   RMY 36
3/23  62/39/51/+13/0.01/0.0/007/01          35 NE  AERO 40 NE  RMY 39
3/24  39/34/37/-1/..../0.0/015/02           31 ENE AERO 33 ENE RMY 32
3/25  55/37/46/+8/..../.../007/01           22 NNW AERO 22 NNW RMY 24 
3/26  43/30/37/-2/0.00/0.0/269/36           22 N   AERO 24 N   RMY N/A  
3/27  46/30/38/-1/0.00/0.0/376/50           23 SSE AERO 24 SSE RMY 22  
3/28  43/35/39/+0/0.41/0.0/000/00           33 W   AERO N/A    RMY N/A
3/29  50/34/42/+2/0.00/0.0/499/66           46 WNW AERO N/A    RMY 46
3/30  58/29/44/+4/0.00/0.0/713/94           33 S   AERO N/A    RMY N/A
3/31  69/41/55/+14/0.00/0.0/579/76          63 S   AERO N/A    RMT 65

4/1   66/54/60/+19/..../0.0/.../..          39 SSW AERO N/A    RMY 43
4/2   54/40/47/+6/..../0.0/.../..           23 SSW AERO N/A    RMY N/A        

4/3   low temp since midnight is 27F; normal now 33F

DAILY RECORDS FOR MARCH 2016

3/9/16: NEW DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 75F,
BREAKS PREVIOUS RECORD OF 71F SET BACK IN 2000.

3/10/16: NEW DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 50F,
BREAKS PREVIOUS RECORD OF 42F SET AND TIED IN 1977, 2006

DAILY RECORDS FOR APRIL 2016

4/1/16: NEW DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 54F,
BREAKS PREVIOUS RECORD OF 51F SET IN 1948


DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):

RECORDS FOR APRIL 3
HIGH 76 IN 1892
LOW 16 IN 1894
PRECIP 2.18 IN. IN 1990
SNOWFALL 8.0 IN. IN 1915
PEAK GUST 83e MPH NW IN 1977 [RECORD FOR MONTH]

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

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald/Robert Millette