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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2016
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

BURST OF SNOW OVERNIGHT DROPS 2.4 INCHES ON 
GREAT BLUE HILL, WINDS GUSTING TO 50 MPH

Clouds were building from the south and west yesterday afternoon,
with snow showers beginning in earnest around 5:30 PM EST. Snow
showers dropped a quick couple of inches before ending less than 
a few hours later. Cold air began to filter into the region once
again, with an additional snow shower coming through this morning
just after 2:00 AM. In total, 2.4 inches of new snow fell, with 
some drifting snow observed this morning with gusty W-WNW winds.

Snow for the month is now -4.2 below normal, and -18.9 inches
below normal for the year.

By today's 1:00 PM EST observation winds were still gusting
strongly, at 50 MPH from the west. Temperatures were struggling
to make it to the upper 20s, with a maximum reading of 27F. Winds
had drifted much of the snow that had fallen overnight, revealing
bare spots across the summit.
   

Today's Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few cumulus/stratocumulus in all directions,
drifting snow in all directions
Temperature: 21F; Dew Point: 12F; Wind: W at 22G29 kts
Peak Wind: 30 knots W at 6:43 AM EST
Sea-level pressure: 29.65 ins. Hg, rising, then more quickly
Visibility: 70 miles 
6-hr Max temp: 28F 
6-hr Min temp: 20F
24-hr precip: 0.20 ins.
24-hr snowfall: 2.4 ins. 
Snow depth: 2 ins.
BHO SA 1155 CLR 70 039/21/12/2722G29/965/ FEW CU/SC DSNT ALQDS 
DRFTG SNW ALQDS NEW SNW PST 24 HRS 2.4 INS PK WND 2630/43/ 
8/800 53017 ASOS 60002 70020 MANUAL 70020 10028 20020

10 A.M.
Weather: Clear, showers distant WSW-W, few cumulus/stratocumulus
in all direction, blowing snow
Temperature: 24F; Dew Point: 8F; Wind: WNW at 24G42 kts
Peak Wind: 42 knots WNW at 9:43 AM EST
Sea-level pressure: 29.72 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 75 miles, except 50 miles WSW-W
BHO SA 1455 CLR 75 064/24/8/2924G42/972/ VSBY WSW-W 50 MI SHWRS 
DSNT WSW-W FEW CU/SC ALQDS BLSN ALQDS PK WND 2842/43/ 8/800 
51025 

1 P.M.
Weather: Clear, few cumulus/stratocumulus, drifting snow
Temperature: 26F; Dew Point: 8F; Wind: W at 24G35 kts
Peak Wind: 43 knots W at 12:29 PM EST 
Sea-level pressure: 29.75 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 80 miles
6-hr Max temp: 27F
6-hr Min temp: 21F
BHO SA 1755 CLR 80 075/26/8/2824G35/975/ FEW CU/SC DRFTG SNW 
ALQDS ALQDS PK WND 2843/29/ 8/800 51011 10027 20021


SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2016 
  
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....35   NORMAL.....34
MIN.....19   NORMAL.....17 
MEAN....27   NORMAL.....25

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL........................+2
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.......................+68 [+5.5 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............38   DEPARTURE..........-2
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............401   DEPARTURE.........-67
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........2057   DEPARTURE........-716
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......2559   DIFFERENCE.......-502

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...................30  SE  AT   5:37 P.M.                   
                   ASOS........................27  SE  AT   5:37 P.M. 
                   DAVIS.......................27  SSE AT   5:37 P.M. RMY N/A
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.....................19  SE  AT   6:20 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..................18  SE  AT   6:20 P.M.  
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.................18  SE  AT   5:38 P.M.  
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION...............9.0 S 
                   ASOS........................9.1   
                   DAVIS.......................8.3 S [194 Deg.]
*last of several occurrences...

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.20  DEPARTURE......+0.06
                         ASOS..............0.20
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........1.75  DEPARTURE......+0.05
                         ASOS..............1.87
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........1.75  DEPARTURE......+0.05  
                         ASOS..............1.87

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........2.4  DEPARTURE.......+1.8
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................2.6  DEPARTURE.......-4.2
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON...............3.9  DEPARTURE......-18.9

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JANUARY CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
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

1/1   37/29/33/+6/0.00/0.0/.../..           29 W               RMY 29
1/2   37/27/32/+5/0.00/0.0/.../..           31 W               RMY N/A         
1/3   41/27/34/+8/0.00/0.0/.../..           28 W               RMY 29
1/4   30/10/20/-6/T/T/000/00                29 NNW             RMY 29
1/5   23/4/14/-12/0.00/0.0/.../..           28 NNW             RMY N/A
1/6   43/17/30/+4/0.00/0.0/.../..           24 SW              RMY 24
1/7   43/25/34/+8/0.00/0.0/.../..           21 SW              RMY N/A
1/8   40/28/34/+8/T/0.0/.../..              28 E   AERO 25 ENE RMY 25
1/9   39/36/38/+12/T/0.0/.../..             21 ENE AERO 20 ENE RMY N/A 
1/10  58/38/48/+23/1.55/0.0/000/00          53 SSE AERO 55 SSE RMY 53
1/11  48/21/35/+10/0.00/0.0/.../..          43 W   AERO 45 WSW RMY N/A
1/12  35/19/27/+2/..../.../.../..           30 SE  AERO N/A    RMY N/A

1/13  low since midnight is 20F; normal low is now 17F  

DAILY RECORDS FOR JANUARY 2016

**1/10/16: NEW DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 58F, BREAKS
PREVIOUS RECORD OF 54F SET BACK IN 2000**

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

RECORDS FOR JANUARY 13
HIGH 57F IN 1890,1932
LOW -10F IN 1912,1914
PRECIP 1.54 INS. IN 1979
SNOWFALL 12.6 INS. IN 1964
PEAK GUST 74 MPH NE IN 1964

RECORDS FOR JANUARY 14
HIGH 65F IN 1995
LOW -12F IN 1914
PRECIP 1.45 INS. IN 2008
SNOWFALL 10.3 INS. IN 2008
PEAK GUST 68 MPH WNW IN 1976, S IN 2005

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald