BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2016
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
ANOTHER DAY OF DRY WEATHER AND WARM TEMPERATURES
 
Our dry pattern has continued today, and in fact today is nearly a carbon
copy of yesterday with temperatures near to above normal and some diurnal
cumulus clouds bubbling up through the day.  We've reached a high temperature
so far of 87F after a seasonable morning low of 61F.  Winds have been fairly
light and variable S-WSW.  Dew points have remained comfortable, near or
below 60F, and almost as low as 50F this afternoon. 
 
Our yearly precipitation deficit now extends to 8.26 inches, as drought
worsens across the area.  The pressure is falling some today as a center of
high pressure pushes off to the east, and an approaching frontal system
tomorrow will provide our only chance of rainfall for the next several days.
 
PRELIMINARY STATS FOR JULY 2016
 
TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 84.7 [+3.9]
Avg. Min. 64.6 [+1.7]
Mean      74.7 [+2.8]
24-hour corrected mean: 74.0
Max. for month: 96F on 22nd and 25th
Min. for month: 56 on 10th and 11th
 
COOLING DEGREE DAYS
Total cooling units: 317 [+95] 
Total for the season: 474 [+123]
Total for last season: 394
 
PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 1.50 [-2.52]
Greatest in 24 hrs: 0.56 in. on 30th-31st
 
WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 10.2
Avg. corrected wind speed: 10.7
Prevailing wind direction: W at 13%
Peak gust and direction: 45 NNW on 23rd
 
SUNSHINE:
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 17736 mins. of possible 26862 or 66%
Astronomical total minutes: 18430 mins. of possible 27720 or 66%
 
The 24-hour corrected mean temperature for July of 74.0 deg F ties
with 2011 for the fifth warmest July on record and the warmest since
2013. The warmest July occurred in 2010. 
 
BHO Warmest July, deg F (1885-2016):
 
1) 75.1 in 2010
2) 74.9 in 1952
3) 74.1 in 1994
   74.1 in 2013
5) 74.0 in 2011
   74.0 in 2016
7) 73.8 in 1999
8) 73.5 in 1949
9) 73.2 in 2012
 
The heat wave that ended Thursday, July 28, 2016 with 92 degrees is
ranked our third longest heat wave with 7 days.  The last day of the
heat wave was also the 11th day of 90-degree heat this month. This
ranks as the second greatest total of 90-degree days for July.
 
BHO Longest Heat Waves (Consecutive Days with Tmax 90F or more; 1885-2016):
1) 9 days, Aug 11-19, 2002
2) 8 days, Aug 10-17, 1944
3) 7 days, Jul 22-28, 2016
4) 6 days, Aug 28-Sep 2, 1953
   6 days, Jul 24-29, 1963
   6 days, Jul 16-21, 1977
   6 days, Jul 6-11, 1988
   6 days, Jul 16-21, 1991
   6 days, Jul 15-20, 2013
10) 5 days, Jul 2-6, 1911
   5 days, Jul 7-11, 1912
   5 days, Aug 25-29, 1948
   5 days, Aug 7-11, 1949
   5 days, Jul 15-19, 1982
   5 days, Jul 14-18, 2012
 
BHO July Greatest Number of 90-Degree Days (1885-2016):
1) 14 in 1952
2) 11 in 2016
3) 10 in 1949
   10 in 1963
   10 in 2010
   10 in 2013
7) 9 in 1911
8) 8 in 1983
   8 in 1988
 
Today's Observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few cirrus mostly distant NW-E
Temperature: 67F; Dew Point: 60F; Wind: SSW at 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.06 ins. Hg, rising, then falling
Visibility: 50 miles, distant haze
6-hr Max temp: 67F
6-hr Min temp: 61F
24-hr precip: 0.00 in.
BHO SA 1155 CLR 50 180/67/60/2008/006/ FEW CI MSTLY DSNT 
NW-E DSNT HZ/ 8/001 50003 10067 20061
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered cirrus, few cumulus SE and distant SSW-N
Temperature: 80F; Dew Point: 60F; Wind: SW at 9 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.03 ins. Hg, falling then falling more rapidly
Visibility: 45 miles, distant haze
BHO SA 1455 250 SCT 45 168/80/60/2209/003/ FEW CU SE AND 
SSW-N DSNT HZ/ 8/101 58012
 
1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered cirrus, thin broken cirrus, few cumulus all quadrants
Temperature: 85F; Dew Point: 53F; Wind: WSW at 7 kts,
Wind: Direction variable SW-WNW
Sea-level pressure: 29.96 ins. Hg, falling then falling more slowly
Visibility: 60 miles, light distant haze
6-hr Max temp: 87F
6-hr Min temp: 67F
6-hr precip: 0.00 in.
BHO SA 1755 250 SCT E280 -BKN 147/85/53/2507/996/ FEW CU 
ALQDS LGT DSNT HZ WND 23V29/ 8/101 56021 10087 20067
 
SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2016
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....86   NORMAL.....81
MIN.....61   NORMAL.....63
MEAN....74   NORMAL.....72
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.........................+2
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.........................-6 [-1.7 DEGREES/DAY]
 
COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JAN TO DEC)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY...............9   DEPARTURE..........+2
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH..............22   DEPARTURE..........-7
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON............496   DEPARTURE........+116
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.......441   DIFFERENCE........+55  
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...................23  S    AT   6:38 P.M.*  
                   AEROVANE....................22  S    AT   5:50 P.M.         
                   ASOS........................23  S    AT   6:38 P.M.       
                   DAVIS.......................22  S    AT   5:50 P.M. RMY 23
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.....................16  S    AT   6:37 P.M.*    
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..................18  S    AT   6:39 P.M.       
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.................17  S    AT   6:39 P.M.       
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION...............8.4 SSW
                   ASOS........................9.7  
                   DAVIS.......................8.1 SSW [211 Deg.]
*Last of several occurrences
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00  DEPARTURE......-0.15
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.14  DEPARTURE......-0.46
                         ASOS..............0.12
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........23.33  DEPARTURE......-8.26
                         ASOS.............23.63

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JULY 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
                                    
7/1  84/67/76/+6/0.20/520/57                 32 S   AERO 35 S   RMY 34 TSTM
7/2  76/61/69/-1/0.00/831/91                 31 W   AERO 34 W   RMY 32
7/3  83/57/70/-1/0.00/766/84                 23 W   AERO 23 W   RMY 23
7/4  87/61/74/+3/0.00/847/93                 28 SSW AERO 28 SSW RMY 28
7/5  80/65/73/+2/0.29/309/34                 16 S   AERO 16 S   RMY N/A
7/6  92/68/80/+9/0.00/864/95                 22 WSW AERO 24 WSW RMY 22
7/7  77/61/69/-2/0.00/409/45                 21 NE  AERO 20 ENE RMY N/A
7/8  67/58/63/-9/0.02/000/00                 25 NE  AERO 25 NE  RMY 26
7/9  64/57/61/-11/0.09/000/00                20 NE  AERO 18 NE  RMY 17
7/10 66/56/61/-11/0.04/000/00                16 NE  AERO 16 NE  RMY 16
7/11 77/56/67/-5/0.00/415/46                 20 NNE AERO 21 NNE RMY 20
7/12 86/60/73/+1/0.00/848/94                 23 S   AERO 23 S   RMY 23
7/13 89/64/77/+5/0.00/874/97                 30 S   AERO 30 S   RMY 33
7/14 84/66/75/+3/0.01/360/40                 38 S   AERO 41 S   RMY 43
7/15 93/71/82/+10/0.00/665/74                23 W   AERO 23 W   RMY 23
7/16 93/69/81/+9/0.00/699/78                 25 WSW AERO 24 WSW RMY 24
7/17 83/72/78/+6/0.00/671/75                 18 ENE AERO 16 ENE RMY 19 TSTM
7/18 93/70/82/+10/0.05/500/56                41 WNW AERO 41 WNW RMY 43 TSTM
7/19 85/62/74/+2/0.00/802/90                 28 NW  AERO 28 NW  RMY 27
7/20 83/59/71/-1/0.00/837/94                 23 NW  AERO 23 NW* RMY 24
7/21 89/63/76/+4/0.00/852/96                 28 W   AERO 26 W   RMY N/A
7/22 96/70/83/+11/0.09/806/91                33 SW  AERO 35 SW  RMY 35 TSTM  
7/23 95/68/82/+10/T/796/90                   45 NNW AERO 48 NNW RMY 44
7/24 91/64/78/+6/0.00/873/99                 20 WNW AERO 20 W*  RMY 20
7/25 96/70/83/+11/0.00/528/60                25 S   AERO 28 S   RMY 27
7/26 95/70/83/+11/0.00/843/96                26 W   AERO 26 WNW*RMY 27  
7/27 94/68/81/+9/0.00/762/87                 21 ESE AERO 21 WNW RMY 19
7/28 92/71/82/+10/0.00/638/73                23 SW  AERO 22 SW  RMY 23 
7/29 80/68/74/+2/0.15/384/44                 20 NNW AERO 20 NNW RMY 20
7/30 85/65/75/+3/0.41/722/83                 21 W   AERO 18 W   RMY 20
7/31 72/66/69/-3/0.15/009/01                 20 ENE AERO 18 ENE RMY 18
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR AUGUST 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
 
8/1  75/65/70/-2/0.02/.../..                 21 NE  AERO 20 ENE RMY 20
8/2  71/63/67/-5/0.12/.../..                 16 ENE AERO 16 ENE RMY 16
8/3  81/60/71/-1/0.00/.../..                 18 S   AERO 16 S   RMY 17
8/4  86/61/74/+2/0.00/.../..                 23 S   AERO 22 S   RMY 17 
 
8/5  Low temp since midnight is 61F; normal low is now 63F
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR JULY 2016
7/25/16: NEW DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 96F,
BREAKS PREVIOUS RECORD OF 94F SET IN 1963 AND 1987
    
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR AUGUST 5
HIGH 98F IN 1955
LOW 48F IN 1929,1972
PRECIP 3.03 INCHES IN 1893
PEAK GUST 60e MPH SW 1977
 
RECORDS FOR AUGUST 6
HIGH 95F IN 1931
LOW 48F IN 1934
PRECIP 1.47 INCHES IN 1995
PEAK GUST 44e MPH SSW IN 1940
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Jonathan O'Brien and Lizzy Suzedell