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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2016 
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
DRIZZLE AND FOG RETURN, BELOW AVERAGE TEMPS CONTINUE

Last evening's and this morning's rain totaled 0.57 inches 
at the 7:00AM EST observation.  Only traces of precipitation 
were measured at each of the 10:00AM EST and 1:00PM EST 
observations.  Thick fog returned this morning but cleared
during the day for a peak visibility of 15 miles.

Wind speeds increased today, reaching a peak gust of
33 kts (38 MPH) this afternoon.  A maximum temperature of
44F and a minimum temperature of 42F were measured by the 
1:00PM observation, giving a daily average temperature 
11F below normal.

 
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 the 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: Light drizzle, fog
Temperature: 43F; Dew Point: 42F; Wind: NNE at 18G30 kts
Peak Wind: NE at 30 kts, 6:51 A.M. EST
Sea-level pressure: 29.77 ins. Hg, rising slightly
Visibility: 3 miles
6-hr Max temp: 43F 
6-hr Min temp: 41F
24-hr precip: 0.57 in.
BHO SA 1155 W3 X 3L-F 082/43/42/0318G30/977/ PK WND 0530/51/ 
8//// 53006 ASOS 60001 70059 MANUAL 70057 10043 20041

10 A.M.
Weather: Light drizzle, overcast stratus
Temperature: 43F; Dew Point: 42F; Wind: NE at 15G29 kts
Peak Wind: NE at 30 kts, 9:17 A.M. EST
Sea-level pressure: 29.79 ins. Hg, rising slightly 
Visibility: 10 miles, thin fog in all directions
3-hr precip: Trace
BHO SA 1455 E4 OVC 10L- 089/43/42/0415G29/979/ THN FG ALQDS 
PK WND 0430/17/ 8/6// 53007 MANUAL 6000/

1 P.M.
Weather: Overcast stratus
Temperature: 44F; Dew Point: 41F; Wind: NE at 16G29 kts
Peak Wind: NE at 30 kts, 12:26 P.M. EST
Sea-level Pressure: 29.76 ins. HG, falling, then more quickly
Visibility: 15 miles, thin fog in all directions
6-hr Max temp: 44F 
6-hr Min temp: 42F  
6-hr Precip: Trace
BHO SA 1755 E7 OVC 15 079/44/41/0416G29/976/ THN FG ALQDS 
PK WND 0530/26/ 8/6// 58010 MANUAL 6000/ 10044 20042

SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2016 
  
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....48   NORMAL.....63
MIN.....41   NORMAL.....44 
MEAN....45   NORMAL.....54

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL..........................-9
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.........................-30 [-7.7 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............20   DEPARTURE..........+8
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH..............77   DEPARTURE.........+29
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........5069   DEPARTURE.......-1014
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......6313   DIFFERENCE......-1244   

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...................33 NE  AT  4:32 P.M.    
                   ASOS........................33 NE  AT  4:37 P.M.  
                   DAVIS.......................30 NE  AT  4:31 P.M.  RMY 34
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.....................21 NE  AT 11:02 P.M.    
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..................22 NE  AT 11:03 P.M.   
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.................20 NNE AT  7:21 P.M.  
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION...............12.7 ENE 
                   ASOS........................12.7
                   DAVIS.......................11.1 NE [050 Deg.]
* last of several occurrences 

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.57  DEPARTURE......-0.06
                         ASOS..............0.59
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........1.12  DEPARTURE......+0.45  
                         ASOS..............1.11
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........18.06  DEPARTURE......-0.98
                         ASOS.............18.11

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 48/41/45/-9/.../0.0/.../..             33 NE  AERO 35 NE  RMY 34


5/5 low temp since midnight is 41F; normal low now 45F
     
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 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

RECORDS FOR MAY 6
HIGH 90F IN 1930
LOW 29F IN 1891
PRECIP 1.04 INCHES IN 1890
SNOWFALL TRACE IN 1917,1996
PEAK GUST 65 MPH SSE IN 1989

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Cecilia Borries-Strigle