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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
MONDAY, JULY 4, 2016 
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

CLEAR SKIES CONTINUE TO END THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND

High pressure brought us another day of sunny skies and low
humidity.  Skies were absolutely clear at the 7:00AM EST observation,
but cumulus and cirrus had begun to form by the early afternoon.

Temperatures rose steadily through the morning and early afternoon.
An overnight low of 61F was measured and increased to a max. of 85F
by 1:00PM EST.  Dew points remained in the 50's yielding humidities
ranging from 30%-50%.
 
The final heating degree day total for the 2015-2016
season is 5282. This is the second lowest on record.

BHO Warmest July-June Temperature, deg F (1885-2016):

1) 52.5 in 2011-2012
2) 52.0 in 2015-2016
3) 51.0 in 1990-1991
4) 50.9 in 2001-2002
5) 50.6 in 1998-1999

BHO Fewest July-June Heating Degree Days, (1885-2016):

1) 4984 in 2011-2012
2) 5282 in 2015-2016
3) 5338 in 2001-2002
4) 5458 in 1990-1991
5) 5633 in 1998-1999

Sunshine duration for June totaled 301.6 hours 
(sun card hours) or 69 percent of the possible bright
sunshine. This makes the month the seventh sunniest 
since 1886. 

BHO Sunniest June, hours (1886-2016):

1) 336.5 in 1971  [76%]
2) 335.5 in 1908  [76%]
3) 327.4 in 1953  [74%]
4) 322.6 in 1949  [73%]
5) 313.7 in 1912  [71%]
6) 309.1 in 1965  [70%]
7) 301.6 in 2016  [69%]
8) 295.7 in 1978  [68%]
9) 295.3 in 1979  [68%]
10) 293.7 in 1901  [67%]

PRELIMINARY STATS FOR JUNE 2016 

TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 77.3 [+2.3]
Avg. Min. 57.2 [+0.1]
Mean      67.3 [+1.2]
24-hour corrected mean: 66.6
Max. for month: 86 on 26th and 30th
Min. for month: 48 on 9th

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units: 34 [-39]  
Total for the season: 5282 [-1094] (Final seasonal total)
Total for last season: 6505

COOLING DEGREE DAYS
Total cooling units: 109 [+4]  
Total for the season: 157 [+28]
Total for last season: 138

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 1.62 [-2.69]
Greatest in 24 hrs: 0.76 in. on 5th
 
WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 11.2
Avg. corrected wind speed: 11.6
Prevailing wind direction: S at 24%
Peak gust and direction: 41 WNW on 8th, 41 W on 12th

SUNSHINE:
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 18096 mins. of possible 26376 or 69%
Astronomical total minutes: 18822 mins. of possible 27423 or 69%


Today's Observations:

7 A.M. 
Weather: Clear 
Temperature: 70F; Dew Point: 54F; Wind: W at 7 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.05 in. Hg, rising, then more slowly 
Visibility: 70 miles
6-hr Max temp: 70F 
6-hr Min temp: 61F
24-hr precip: 0.00 in.
BHO SA 1155 CLR 70 175/70/54/2607/005/ SKC/ 8/000 53010 10070 20061

10 A.M.
Weather: Few cumulus S-SSW and W-WNW
Temperature: 80F; Dew Point: 52F; Wind: W at 8G16 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.04 in. Hg, rising, then falling
Visibility: 75 miles
BHO SA 1455 CLR 70 173/80/52/2708G16/004/ FEW CU S-SSW AND W-WNW/ 
8/100 58002

1 P.M.
Weather: Few cumulus in all directions, few cirrus W-E
Temperature: 85; Dew Point: 50F; Wind: W at 9G19 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.01 in. Hg, falling, then falling more quickly
Visibility: 70 miles
6-hr Max temp: 85F 
6-hr Min temp: 69F
BHO SA 1755 CLR 162/85/50/2709G19/001/ FEW CU ALQDS FEW CI W-E/ 
8/101 58011 10085 20069

SUMMARY FOR SUNDAY, JULY 3, 2016 
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....83   NORMAL.....80
MIN.....57   NORMAL.....62 
MEAN....70   NORMAL.....71

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.........................-1
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.........................+4 [+1.1 DEGREES/DAY]

COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JAN TO DEC)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY...............5   DEPARTURE..........-1
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH..............20   DEPARTURE..........+2
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON............177   DEPARTURE.........+30
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.......153   DIFFERENCE........+24   

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...................23 W   AT  3:13 P.M.  
                   ASOS........................25 W   AT  3:14 P.M.     
                   DAVIS.......................22 WSW AT  3:14 P.M. RMY 23
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.....................16 WSW AT  3:15 P.M.   
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..................17 WSW AT  3:23 P.M.      
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.................16 WSW AT  1:48 P.M.     
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.............11.5 WSW
                   ASOS......................11.0
                   DAVIS.....................10.1 WSW [250 Deg.]
* Last of several occurrences

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00  DEPARTURE......-0.11
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.20  DEPARTURE......-0.13
                         ASOS..............0.18
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........21.89  DEPARTURE......-5.41
                         ASOS.............22.30
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JUNE 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

6/1  71/54/63/+1/0.00/860/95                 26 NE  AERO 30 NE  RMY N/A
6/2  68/54/61/-1/0.00/444/49                 21 NE  AERO 22 NE  RMY 21
6/3  70/57/64/+2/T/173/19                    16 SSW AERO 17 SSW RMY 16
6/4  81/61/71/+8/0.00/491/54                 18 S   AERO 21 S   RMY 20
6/5  67/60/64/+1/0.76/000/00                 32 SSE AERO 36 SSE RMY 34  
6/6  80/63/72/+9/0.00/747/82                 26 W   AERO 28 W   RMY 27 
6/7  83/58/71/+7/0.18/602/66                 32 WNW AERO 36 WNW RMY 33 TSTM 
6/8  72/52/62/-2/0.05/684/75                 37 WNW AERO 41 WNW RMY 38 TSTM
6/9  67/48/58/-6/0.00/466/51                 41 WNW AERO 45 WNW RMY 40
6/10 71/50/61/-4/0.00/823/90                 25 W   AERO 28 W   RMY 26
6/11 68/52/60/-5/0.06/155/17                 30 SSW AERO 35 SSW RMY 31
6/12 76/51/64/-1/T/558/61                    41 W   AERO 48 W   RMY 42
6/13 70/49/60/-5/0.00/641/70                 36 NW  AERO 46 NW  RMY 38
6/14 77/50/64/-2/0.00/889/97                 32 NNW AERO 38 NNW RMY 33
6/15 83/60/72/+6/0.00/852/93                 22 NW  AERO 26 NW  RMY 25
6/16 82/62/72/+6/0.00/660/72                 26 E   AERO 28 E   RMY 27
6/17 77/59/68/+1/T/834/91                    25 E   AERO 28 E   RMY 23 TSTM
6/18 75/55/65/-2/0.00/899/98                 22 SSW AERO 24 SSE RMY N/A
6/19 79/55/67/+0/0.00/807/88                 32 S   AERO 35 S   RMY 36
6/20 81/57/69/+1/0.00/871/95                 25 S   AERO 28 S   RMY 27
6/21 82/61/72/+1/0.40/596/65                 30 WSW AERO 31 W*  RMY 33 
6/22 79/59/69/+1/0.01/495/54                 31 NW  AERO 35 NW  RMY 31
6/23 84/56/70/+2/0.00/642/70                 17 S   AERO 18 S   RMY 18  
6/24 77/58/68/-1/0.00/889/97                 20 NE  AERO 21 NE  RMY 20
6/25 80/60/70/+1/0.00/889/97                 16 ENE AERO 17 ENE RMY 16
6/26 86/59/73/+4/0.00/870/95                 25 S   AERO 26 S   RMY 26
6/27 84/60/72/+3/T/641/70                    32 S   AERO 35 S*  RMY 34
6/28 77/66/72/+2/0.15/018/02                 26 S   AERO 29 S   RMY 27 
6/29 85/66/76/+6/0.01/439/48                 28 WNW AERO 28 WNW RMY 29 TSTM
6/30 86/63/75/+5/0.00/887/97                 17 WSW AERO 18 WSW*RMY 19

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/.../..                 32 S   AERO 35 S   RMY 34 TSTM 
7/2  76/61/69/-1/0.00/.../..                 31 W   AERO 34 W   RMY 32 
7/3  83/57/70/-1/0.00/.../..                 23 W   AERO 23 W   RMY 23

7/4 low temp since midnight is 61F; normal low now 62F

DAILY RECORDS FOR JUNE 2016
None

DAILY RECORDS FOR JULY 2016
None so far
     
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated): 

RECORDS FOR JULY 4
HIGH 98F IN 1911, 1919, 1949
LOW 48F IN 1914
PRECIP 2.48 IN 2014
PEAK GUST 50e MPH WNW IN 1949

RECORDS FOR JULY 5
HIGH 98F IN 1911
LOW 48F IN 1920, 1927 & 1979
PRECIP 1.45 INS IN 1922
PEAK GUST 44e N IN 1944

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Cecilia Borries-Strigle