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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
THURSDAY, MAY 12, 2016 
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
ANOTHER DAY OF CLEAR SKIES AND ABOVE NORMAL TEMPS

Temperatures were again above average and reached a maximum
of 75F by 1:00 PM EST.  Winds remained light today with a peak 
gust of only 16 MPH.  Skies were clear with no clouds observed 
throughout the day.  Visibility diminished to 65 miles by 1:00PM
due to distant haze.


Today's Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 60F; Dew Point: 28F; Wind: NE at 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.19 ins. Hg, rising, then more quickly
Visibility: 70 miles
6-hr Max temp: 60F 
6-hr Min temp: 55F
24-hr precip: 0.00 in.
BHO SA 1155 CLR 70 223/60/28/0508/019/ SKC/ 8/000 53015 
10060 20055

10 A.M.
Weather: Clear, small fires N of observatory causing light smoke
Temperature: 71F; Dew Point: 28F; Wind: estimated E at 5 kts
Wind: light and variable
Sea-level pressure: 30.18 ins. Hg, falling, then more quickly
Visibility: 65 miles
BHO SA 1455 CLR 65 220/71/28/E1005/018/ SKC WND LGT AND VRB 
SMALL FIRES N OF OBSVTRY CAUSING LGT SMK/ 8/000 58003

1 P.M.
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 75F; Dew Point: 32F; Wind: ENE at 7 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.11 ins. Hg, falling
Visibility: 65 miles
6-hr Max temp: 75F 
6-hr Min temp: 59F
BHO SA 1755 CLR 65 198/75/32/0607/011/ SKC/ 8/000 57022 
10075 20059

SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016 
  
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....76   NORMAL.....65
MIN.....50   NORMAL.....46 
MEAN....63   NORMAL.....56

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL..........................+7
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.........................-50 [-4.7 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY...............2   DEPARTURE..........-8
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............168   DEPARTURE.........+45
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........5160   DEPARTURE........-998
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......6324   DIFFERENCE......-1164   

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...................22 WNW AT  2:33 P.M.     
                   ASOS........................23 W   AT  2:34 P.M.  
                   DAVIS.......................21 W   AT  2:32 P.M.  RMY 22
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.....................15 WNW AT  2:35 P.M.   
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..................18 W   AT  2:34 P.M
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.................16 W   AT  2:34 P.M.  
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION...............8.1 NW
                   ASOS........................8.2
                   DAVIS.......................7.2 WNW [300 Deg.]
* Last of several occurrences 

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00  DEPARTURE......-0.12
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........1.61  DEPARTURE......+0.33
                         ASOS..............1.59
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........18.61  DEPARTURE......-1.28 
                         ASOS.............18.59

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 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

5/1 52/39/46/-7/0.08/T/000/00               21 S   AERO 22 SE  RMY 20
5/2 50/41/46/-7/0.31/0.0/000/00             20 NE  AERO 21 NE  RMY 18
5/3 48/43/46/-7/0.16/0.0/000/00             16 E   AERO 16 E   RMY 17 
5/4 48/41/45/-9/0.53/0.0/000/00             33 NE  AERO 35 NE  RMY 34
5/5 44/41/43/-11/0.30/0.0/000/00            39 NNE AERO 41 NNE RMY 39
5/6 54/43/49/-5/0.13/0.0/.../..             28 ENE AERO 29 N   RMY 26
5/7 51/43/47/-8/.../0.0/.../..              25 NE  AERO 25 NE  RMY 23
5/8 60/46/53/-2/.../0.0/.../..              47 W   AERO 53 W   RMY 49         
5/9 65/43/54/-1/0.00/0.0/.../..             40 W   AERO 44 W   RMY 40
5/10 69/40/55/0/0.00/0.0/.../..             22 W   AERO 25 WNW RMY 22
5/11 76/50/63/0.00/0.0/.../..               22 WNW AERO 23 WNW*RMY 22
* Last of several occurrences

5/12 low temp since midnight is 55F; normal low now 47F

    
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 12
HIGH 88F IN 2001
LOW 29F IN 1907
PRECIP 1.49 INCHES IN 1968
PEAK GUST 76 MPH S IN 1974

RECORDS FOR MAY 13
HIGH 85F IN 1947
LOW 35F IN 1914, 2005
PRECIP 2.39 INCHES IN 2006
PEAK GUST 49 MPH NNW IN 1965

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Cece Borries-Strigle