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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2016 
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

TEMPS AVERAGE 16 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL ON TUESDAY, TEMPS
NOW 4 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL FOR THE MONTH SO FAR

Tuesday featured the third consecutive colder than normal day,
with temperatures averaging 16 degrees below normal. Even with
temperatures maxing out at 35F yesterday a strong sun and very
dry conditions to melt and sublimate down from 7 inches yesterday
morning to 3 inches this morning. Temperatures bottomed out
at 21F this morning.

By today's 1:00 PM EST observation skies had transitioned from
almost completely cloudless conditions to nearly overcast
thin cirrus overhead. A maximum temperature of 41F had been
recorded so far.


BHO Lowest April Daily Maximum Temperature, deg F (1885-2016):

1) 21 on 7 April 1982
2) 27 on 1 April 1923
3) 28 on 6 April 1982
   28 on 4 April 2016
5) 29 on 2 April 1911
6) 30 on 5 April 1995

BHO Snowiest April, inches (1886-2016):

1) 24.2 in 1996
2) 21.5 in 1894
3) 19.0 in 1887
4) 16.2 in 1916
5) 15.4 in 1907
6) 15.1 in 1997
7) 15.0 in 2016 (thru 4/5)
8) 14.0 in 1982
9) 13.5 in 1987
 

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: Clear, few cirrus in all directions
Temperature: 30F; Dew Point: 4F; Wind: Calm
Sea-level pressure: 30.37 ins. Hg, about the same as 3 hours ago
Visibility: 75 miles
6-hr Max temp: 30F 
6-hr Min temp: 21F
24-hr precip: 0.00 ins.
snow depth: 3 ins.  
BHO SA 1155 CLR 75 284/30/4/0000/037/ FEW CI ALQDS WND CALM/ 
8/001 4/003 58000 10030 20021

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, thin broken cirrus,
few altocumulus lenticularis distant SW-WNW
Temperature: 35F; Dew Point: 4F; Wind: estimated S at 5 kts,
Wind Speed: Light
Sea-level pressure: 30.40 ins. Hg, rising, then falling but
higher still
Visibility: 75 miles
BHO SA 1455 140 SCT E250 -BKN 75 293/35/4/E1905/040/ 
FEW ACSL DSNT SW-WNW WND LGT/ 8/042 50009 

1 P.M.
Weather: Thin broken cirrus, few altocumulus lenticularis
distant N and SE-S, few small cumulus distant S
Temperature: 41F; Dew Point: 15F; Wind: S at 11G22 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 30.31 ins. Hg, falling, then more quickly
Visibility: 70 miles
6-hr Max temp: 41F 
6-hr Min temp: 29F
BHO SA 1755 E250 -BKN 70 264/41/15/1911G22/031/ FEW ACSL DSNT 
N AND SE-S FEW SML CU DSNT S/ 8/147 58029 10041 20029


SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016 
  
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....35   NORMAL.....51
MIN.....19   NORMAL.....34 
MEAN....27   NORMAL.....43

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL........................-16
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH........................-18 [-3.8 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............38   DEPARTURE.........+16
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............134   DEPARTURE.........+18
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........4553   DEPARTURE.......-1047
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......5857   DIFFERENCE......-1304

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...................25 NW  AT  4:54 P.M.* 
                   ASOS........................27 N   AT  8:43 A.M.  
                   DAVIS.......................25 N   AT  7:57 A.M. RMY 27
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.....................18 N   AT  8:42 A.M.    
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..................18 N   AT  8:43 A.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.................17 N   AT  8:44 A.M. 
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION..............11.4 N
                   ASOS.......................11.6   
                   DAVIS.......................9.6 NNW [337 Deg.]

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00  DEPARTURE......-0.17
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........1.82  DEPARTURE......+0.97
                         ASOS..............2.04
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........14.40  DEPARTURE......-0.45 
                         ASOS.............15.05

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)  
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.0  DEPARTURE.......-0.1
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH...............15.0  DEPARTURE......+14.1
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............57.5  DEPARTURE.......-3.6

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/+24/0.19/0.0/000/00          31 NNW AERO 38 NNW RMY 32
3/11  56/38/47/+13/0.10/0.0/331/47          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/+6/0.36/T/000/00             32 E   AERO 33 E   RMY N/A
3/15  45/39/42/+7/1.05/0.0/000/00           36 ENE AERO 38 ENE RMY 34
3/16  48/39/44/+9/0.05/0.0/036/05           25 E   AERO 28 E   RMY N/A
3/17  63/40/52/+16/0.11/0.0/361/50          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   40/23/32/-10/..../7.7/.../..          46 W   AERO N/A    RMY 55
4/4   28/21/25/-17/0.68/7.3/000/00          29 NNE AERO N/A    RMY 25
4/5   35/19/27/-16/0.00/0.0/.../..          25 NW  AERO N/A    RMY 27

4/6   low temp since midnight is 21F; normal now 34F

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

4/4/16: NEW DAILY RECORD SNOWFALL OF 7.3 INS, 
BREAKS PREVIOUS RECORD OF 3.7 INS SET IN 1975

4/4/16: NEW DAILY RECORD LOW MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 28F,
BREAKS PREVIOUS RECORD OF 32F SET AND TIED IN 1896, 1908, 1975

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

RECORDS FOR APRIL 6
HIGH 82 IN 1921
LOW 16 IN 1982
PRE 1.72 INS IN 1886
SNOW 12.3 INS IN 1982
WIND 71e MPH WNW IN 1940

RECORDS FOR APRIL 7
HIGH 90 IN 2010
LOW 13 IN 1982
PRECIP 1.72 IN. IN 1924
SNOWFALL 4.5 IN. IN 1967, 1996
PEAK GUST 65 MPH WNW IN 1982

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald