BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2016
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

The sky remained cloudy again today for a 4th straight
day but visibility was up to 40 to 50 miles. East winds
were becoming gusty to 25 to 29 MPH by early afternoon
Temperatures today remained below normal.  A low of 42F
occurred early this morning, only 1F below average.  A
maximum of 48F was measured by 1:00PM, still 15F below
average.
 
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
8) 14.0 in 1982
9) 13.5 in 1987
10) 12.2 in 1917
 
PRELIMINARY STATS FOR APRIL 2016
 
TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 55.4 [-0.3]
Avg. Min. 36.3 [-1.4]
Mean      45.9 [-0.8]
24-hour corrected mean: 45.5
Max. for month: 80 on 22nd
Min. for month: 19 on 5th
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units: 573 [+22] 
Total for the season: 4992 [-1043]
Total for last season: 6271
 
PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 4.36 [-0.19]
Greatest in 24 hrs: 1.41 on 7th

SNOWFALL, Inches
Total: 15.0 [+12.0]
Greatest in 24 hours: 7.7 on 3rd 
 
WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 11.9
Avg. corrected wind speed: 12.4
Prevailing wind direction: S at 17%
Peak gust and direction: 53 SSE on the 7th and 53 S on the 12th
 
SUNSHINE:
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 13902 mins. of possible 23250 or 60%
Astronomical total minutes:   14436 mins. of possible 24145 or 60%
 
Today's Observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Overcast stratus
Temperature: 45F; Dew Point: 42F; Wind: E at 12 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 29.89 ins. Hg, rising slightly
Visibility: 30 miles, except 50 miles NE-E,
6-hr Max temp: 45F
6-hr Min temp: 43F
24-hr precip: 0.06 in.
BHO SA 1155 E8 OVC 30 122/45/42/0812/989/ BRGHT SPTS IOVC NE-SE 
HIER CLD AND SUN OCNL DMLY VSB VC E VSBY NE-E 50/ 8/6// 53007 
ASOS 70006 MANUAL 70006 10045 20042
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered to broken stratocumulus, overcast altostratus  
Temperature: 47F; Dew Point: 41F; Wind: E at 12 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 29.91 ins. Hg, rising slightly
Visibility: 40 miles, NE-SE 50 miles  
3-hr precip: 0.00 in.
BHO SA 1455 17 SCT E22 BKN 50 OVC 40 127/47/41/0812/991/ BRGHT 
SPTS IOVC VSBY NE-SE 50/ 8/52/ 53005 
 
1 P.M.
Weather: Broken stratocumulus, overcast altostratus
Temperature: 46F; Dew Point: 39F; Wind: E at 15G23 kts,
Sea-level Pressure: 29.85 ins. HG, falling then more slowly
Visibility: 45 miles 
6-hr Max temp: 48F
6-hr Min temp: 45F 
6-hr Precip: 0.00in.
BHO SA 1755 E20 BKN 45 OVC 45 110/46/39/0815G23/985/ BRGHT SPTS 
IOVC/ 8/52/ 56017 10048 20045
 
SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, MAY 3, 2016
  
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....48   NORMAL.....63
MIN.....43   NORMAL.....44
MEAN....46   NORMAL.....53
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.........................-7
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.........................-21 [-7.2 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............19   DEPARTURE..........+7
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH..............57   DEPARTURE.........+20
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........5049   DEPARTURE.......-1023
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......6313   DIFFERENCE......-1264  
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...................16 E   AT  4:23 P.M.   
                   ASOS........................16 E   AT  4:24 P.M. 
                   DAVIS.......................15 ENE AT  4:19 P.M.  RMY 17
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.....................11 E   AT  4:25 P.M.   
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..................13 E   AT  4:25 P.M.  
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.................10 ENE AT  4:24 P.M. 
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION...............5.1 NE
                   ASOS........................6.0
                   DAVIS.......................4.7 NE [050 Deg.]
* last of several occurrences
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.06  DEPARTURE......-0.07
                         ASOS..............0.06
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.55  DEPARTURE......+0.18 
                         ASOS..............0.52
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........17.49  DEPARTURE......-1.43
                         ASOS.............17.52
 
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST) 
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.0  DEPARTURE........0.0
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH..............TRACE  DEPARTURE........0.0
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............57.5  DEPARTURE.......-5.7
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR APRIL-MAY 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
 
4/1  66/54/60/+19/0.06/0.0/092/12          39 SSW AERO N/A    RMY 43
4/2  54/40/47/+6/0.47/0.0/023/03           23 SSW AERO N/A    RMY N/A       
4/3  40/23/32/-10/0.85/7.7/354/46          46 W   AERO N/A    RMY 55
4/4  28/21/25/-17/0.63/7.3/000/00          29 NNE AERO N/A    RMY 25
4/5  35/19/27/-16/0.00/0.0/660/85          25 NW  AERO N/A    RMY 27
4/6  41/21/31/-12/T/0.0/483/62             44 S   AERO N/A    RMY N/A  
4/7  56/41/49/+6/1.41/0.0/000/00           53 SSE AERO 59 SSE RMY 55
4/8  52/32/42/-2/T/0.0/353/45              41 WSW AERO 45 WSW RMY 42
4/9  47/29/38/-6/0.00/0.0/417/53           33 NW  AERO 39 NW  RMY 32
4/10 49/26/38/-7/0.00/0.0/735/93           30 NW  AERO 32 NW  RMY 31
4/11 58/40/49/+4/0.01/T/182/23             47 S   AERO 52 S   RMY N/A
4/12 59/37/48/+3/0.30/0.0/040/05           53 S   AERO 60 S   RMY 54
4/13 53/33/43/-3/0.00/0.0/798/100          21 NNW AERO 25 NNW RMY 21
4/14 48/33/41/-5/0.00/0.0/793/99           28 ENE AERO 28 NNE RMY 26
4/15 54/35/45/-2/0.00/0.0/804/100          26 NNE AERO 28 NNE RMY N/A
4/16 52/39/46/-1/0.00/0.0/783/97           36 NNE AERO 31 NNE RMY 34
4/17 62/36/49/+2/0.00/0.0/809/100          20 NNE AERO 20 NNE RMY 19
4/18 67/45/56/+8/0.00/0.0/715/88           28 ENE AERO 29 NE  RMY 28
4/19 55/41/48/0/0.05/0.0/440/54            25 NW  AERO 30 NW  RMY N/A
4/20 57/41/49/0/0.00/0.0/801/98            29 NNW AERO 30 NNW RMY 29
4/21 76/38/57/+8/0.00/0.0/795/97           28 W   AERO 29 WSW RMY 28
4/22 80/56/68/+19/0.03/0.0/313/38          36 S   AERO 37 S   RMY 36
4/23 60/46/53/+3/0.19/0.0/289/35           26 NNW AERO 60 NNW RMY 24
4/24 59/38/49/-1/0.00/0.0/770/93           23 NW  AERO 25 NW  RMY 24
4/25 63/41/52/+2/0.00/0.0/158/19           23 W   AERO 24 W   RMY N/A
4/26 52/35/44/-7/0.36/0.0/000/00           33 E   AERO 35 E   RMY 31
4/27 61/33/47/-4/0.00/0.0/761/91           28 S   AERO 39 S   RMY 29
4/28 60/37/49/-3/0.00/0.0/670/80           26 S   AERO 30 S   RMY 27
4/29 56/40/48/-4/0.00/0.0/563/67           20 ESE AERO 22 SE  RMY 20
4/30 62/38/50/-2/0.00/0/0/835/99           24 S   AERO 24 S   RMY 25
 
5/1 52/39/46/-7/.../T/000/00               21 S   AERO 22 SE  RMY 20
5/2 50/41/46/-7/.../0.0/000/00             20 NE  AERO 21 NE  RMY 18
5/3 48/43/46/-7/.../0.0/000/00             16 E   AERO 16 E   RMY 17
 
5/4 low temp since midnight is 42F; normal low now 44F
    
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
 
4/22/16: NEW DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 56F,
BREAKS PREVIOUS RECORD OF 55F IN 1977 AND 1992
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR MAY 2016
 
5/1/16: DAILY RECORD SNOWFALL OF A TRACE,
TIES PREVIOUS RECORDS SET IN 1905, 1917, 1921, and 1995
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR MAY 4
HIGH 90F IN 2001
LOW 27F IN 1911 (RECORD FOR MAY)
PRECIP 1.92 INCHES IN 1893
SNOWFALL 0.1 INCHES IN 1920
PEAK GUST 60 MPH NW IN 1966
 
RECORDS FOR MAY 5
HIGH 92F IN 1949
LOW 30F IN 1891
PRECIP 2.74 INCHES IN 1922
SNOWFALL 3.0 INCHES IN 1917
PEAK GUST 58 MPH S IN 1966 & 58e MPH SW IN 1976
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling