BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2016
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
HIGH HUMIDITY WITH DEW POINTS UP TO 65-70F YESTERDAY
MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 88.4F, 5 PM EDT AFTER CLOUDS CLEAR SATURDAY
AIR MASS CHANGE OVERNIGHT INTO THIS MORNING DEW POINTS DOWN TO 50'S
NOT A DROP OF RAIN HERE AS SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS STAY WELL TO OUR
SOUTH-SOUTHWEST WHERE THERE WERE SOME DOWNPOURS
 
The very humid weather of yesterday was but a memory today as a
new much drier air mass started taking over late yesterday into
this morning. The dew points in the 65-70-degree range have fallen
dramatically to the 50's today.
 
Despite the change in air mass not a drop of rain fell here and
the long-term severe drought continues with little rain in sight.
 
Our yearly precipitation deficit has now extended to minus
8.56 inches, as drought worsens across the area.  
 
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: 17724 mins. of possible 26862 or 66% **
Astronomical total minutes: 18421 mins. of possible 27720 or 66% **
** Total sunshine minutes corrected
 
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, (SKC)
Temperature: 70F; Dew Point: 60F; Wind: NW at 6 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.82 ins. Hg, rising then more slowly
Visibility: 60 miles
6-hr Max temp: 70F
6-hr Min temp: 65F
24-hr precip: trace
BHO SA 1155 CLR 60 097/70/60/3106/982/ SKC/ 51016 10070 20065
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Clear, cumulus and moderate cumulus forming all quadrants
Temperature: 82F; Dew Point: 55F; Wind: WNW at 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.83 ins. Hg, rising then falling slightly
Visibility: 60 miles, light distant haze 
BHO SA 1455 CLR 70 103/82/55/3008/983/ CU/FEW MDT CU FRMG ALQDS
WND 26V33/ 8/200 50006
 
1 P.M.
Weather: Small cumulonimbus distant NNW, scattered cumulus, moderate cumulus
few towering cumulus, patches of altocumulus forming by spreading out of cumulus
Temperature: 87F; Dew Point: 53F; Wind: W at 11 kts,
Wind: Direction variable WSW-NW  
Wind: Gust to 22 kts past hour
Sea-level pressure: 29.83 ins. Hg, falling slightly
Visibility: 60 miles  
6-hr Max temp: 87F
6-hr Min temp: 70F
BHO SA 1755 50 SCT 100 SCT 60 100/87/53/2811/983/ CB DSNT NNW FEW TCU
MDT CU ALQDS PTCHS ACCU WND 24V31 GST 22 KTS PST HR / 8/360 56003
10087 20070  
 
SUMMARY FOR SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 2016
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....88   NORMAL.....81
MIN.....67   NORMAL.....63
MEAN....78   NORMAL.....72
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.........................+6
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.........................+2 [-0.5 DEGREES/DAY]
 
COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JAN TO DEC)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............13   DEPARTURE..........+6
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH..............44   DEPARTURE..........+1
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON............518   DEPARTURE........+124
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.......455   DIFFERENCE........+63  
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...................24 SSW AT  2:52 A.M. 
                   AEROVANE....................23 SSW AT  2:52 A.M.    
                   ASOS........................25 SW  AT  2:51 A.M. 
                   DAVIS.......................24 SSW AT  7:10 A.M. RMY N/A
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.....................18 SSW AT  2:52 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..................20 SSW AT  2:52 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.................18 SSW AT  2:52 A.M. 
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.............11.6 SW 
                   ASOS......................11.9   
                   DAVIS.....................10.5 SW [220 Deg.]
* Last of several occurrences
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....TRACE DEPARTURE......-0.15
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.14  DEPARTURE......-0.76
                         ASOS..............0.12
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........23.33  DEPARTURE......-8.56
                         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/+10/0.05/491/55**              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
 
** sunshine mins. corr. from 500 to 491; percent 56 to 55%  to S
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JULY - 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  87/61/74/+2/0.00/.../..                 29 S   AERO 29 S   RMY 30
8/6  88/67/78/+6/T/.../..                    24 SSW AERO 23 SSW RMY 23  
 
8/7  Low temp since midnight is 65F; 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 7
HIGH 95F IN 1924
LOW 51F IN 2004
PRECIP 3.32 INCHES IN 1926
PEAK GUST 51 MPH NE 1975
 
RECORDS FOR AUGUST 8
HIGH 93F IN 1909,1949
LOW 47F IN 1903
PRECIP 3.08 INCHES IN 1976
PEAK GUST 45 MPH WNW IN 1958
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling