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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
SUNDAY, APRIL 2, 2017  
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

CLEARING SKIES FROM HIGH PRESSURE, STORM TOTALS
3.13 INS. OF PRECIP.

An additional 0.3 inches of snow fell after 1:00PM EST
yesterday afternoon making the storm total 3.7 inches
of frozen precip. and 3.13 inches of liquid precip.
High pressure has moved into the area clearing skies
and dropping dew points into the low 30s.  The sunny
skies have helped temperatures to rise to 47F by the
1:00PM EST observation.

*March precipitation totals have been corrected.


PRELIMINARY STATS FOR MARCH 2017
 
TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 39.8 [-4.5]
Avg. Min. 23.4 [-3.2]
Mean      31.6 [-3.9]
24-hour corrected mean: 31.6
Max. for month: 61F on 1st
Min. for month:  4F on 12th
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units: 1025 [+109]
Total for the season: 4902 [-582]
Total for last season: 4419

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 4.84 [-0.74]
Greatest in 24 hrs: 2.15 on the 14th

SNOWFALL, Inches
Total: 11.4 [-1.3]
Greatest in 24 hrs: 7.3 in. on 14th
 
WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 14.3
Avg. corrected wind speed: 14.6
Prevailing wind direction: W at 18%
Peak gust and direction: 60 NE on 14th
 
SUNSHINE:
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 11,490 minutes of possible 21,516 or 53%
Astronomical total minutes: 11,899 minutes of possible 22,264 or 53%


March 2017's average temperature measured 31.6F which was
colder than each of the last three winter months. March has
been colder than February of the same year three times in
the past, and colder than all three preceding winter months
only once before in 1936-1937. 

BHO Lowest Mar-Feb 24-hour Mean Temperature Difference, deg F (1885-2017):

1) -5.4 in 1984
2) -3.1 in 1960
3) -2.2 in 2017
4) -0.3 in 1937
5) +0.8 in 1890
   +0.8 in 1997 
7) +0.9 in 1939
8) +1.2 in 1954

Today's Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Few cumulus fractus in all directions, overcast stratus
Temperature: 31F; Dew Point: 31F; Wind: WNW at 7 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.07 ins. Hg, rising, then more quickly
Visibility: 35 miles, distant fog in all directions
6-hr Max temp: 31F
6-hr Min temp: 30F
24-hr precip: 1.23 in.
24-hr snowfall: 2.6 in.
BHO SA 1155 E16 OVC 35 182/31/31/3007/007/ FEW CUFRA ALQDS
DSNT FG ALQDS NEW SNW PST 24 HRS 2.6 INS THN GLZ/
8/6// 4/004 53017 MANUAL 70123 ASOS 70126 10031 20030

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered cumulus
Temperature: 39F; Dew Point: 34F; Wind: NW at 12G20 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.07 ins. Hg, rising then falling
Visibility: 70 miles
BHO SA 1455 23 SCT 70 182/39/34/3212G20/007/ 8/100 50000

1 P.M.
Weather: Few cumulus ESE-SSE and WSW-NNE, few cirrus NW-NNE
Temperature: 47F; Dew Point: 30F; Wind: NW at 9G17 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.02 ins. Hg, falling, then more quickly
Visibility: 70 miles
6-hr Max temp: 47F
6-hr Min temp: 31F
BHO SA 1755 CLR 70 165/47/30/3109G17/002/ FEW CU ESE-SSE AND WSW-NNE
FEW CI NW-NNE/ 8/101 58017 10047 20031


SUMMARY FOR SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 2017
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....35   NORMAL.....50
MIN.....31   NORMAL.....32
MEAN....33   NORMAL.....41

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.........................-8
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.........................-8 [-8.2 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............32   DEPARTURE..........+8
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH..............32   DEPARTURE..........+8
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........4934   DEPARTURE........-574
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......4424   DIFFERENCE.......+510

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...................40 ENE AT 3:28 A.M.
                   AERO........................41 ENE AT 3:28 A.M.
                   ASOS........................44 ENE AT 3:27 A.M.
                   DAVIS.......................41 E   AT 3:27 A.M. RMY 41
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.....................30 ENE AT 3:26 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..................30 E   AT 3:28 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.................28 E   AT 3:28 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.............18.2 N
                   ASOS......................18.1
                   DAVIS.....................14.3 NE [050 deg.]

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....1.23  DEPARTURE......+1.06
                         ASOS..............1.26
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........2.14  DEPARTURE......+1.97
                         ASOS..............2.17
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........16.33  DEPARTURE......+2.16
                         ASOS...............N/A ***
*** ASOS annual total not available due to erroneous readings

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........2.6  DEPARTURE.......+2.4
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................2.7  DEPARTURE.......+2.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............66.4  DEPARTURE.......+6.5


PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MARCH CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOW/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
M:    Missing data

3/1  61/46/54/+23/0.01/0.0/000/00          41 S   AERO 45 S   RMY 45
3/2  55/26/41/+10/T/T/509/75               58 W   AERO 61 W   RMY 59 
3/3  36/19/28/-4/T/T/592/87                38 W   AERO 44 W   RMY N/A
3/4  20/7/14/-18/T/T/622/91                45 NW  AERO 48 NW  RMY 51
3/5  29/5/17/-15/0.00/0.0/687/100          35 WNW AERO 43 WNW*RMY N/A
3/6  40/11/26/-6/0.00/0.0/641/93           18 WNW AERO 17 NW* RMY N/A
3/7  47/29/38/+5/0.01/0.0/000/00           32 S   AERO 35 S   RMY 36 
3/8  55/43/49/+16/0.05/0.0/320/46          35 W   AERO 36 W   RMY 37
3/9  49/35/42/+9/0.0/0.0/684/98            53 W   AERO 59 W   RMY 58 
3/10 35/20/28/-5/0.27/2.9/000/00           35 WNW AERO 44 WNW RMY 40
3/11 20/7/14/-20/0.02/0.2/612/87           43 W   AERO 47 W   RMY 50
3/12 25/4/15/-19/0.00/0.0/679/96           32 W   AERO 40 WNW RMY N/A
3/13 33/8/21/-13/0.00/0.0/667/94           25 WNW AERO 29 WNW RMY N/A
3/14 38/23/31/-4/2.15/7.3/000/00           60 NE  AERO 62 NE  RMY 62
3/15 27/15/21/-14/0.00/0.0/536/75          36 W   AERO 37 W   RMY N/A
3/16 33/17/25/-10/0.00/0.0/696/97          36 W   AERO 37 W   RMY 38
3/17 40/22/31/-5/0.00/0.0/577/80           25 WNW AERO 24 WNW RMY 27
3/18 36/24/30/-6/0.00/0.0/557/77           26 ENE AERO 24 ENE RMY 26
3/19 35/28/32/-4/0.01/T/153/21             39 N   AERO 37 N   RMY 39
3/20 49/29/39/+2/0.00/0.0/686/94           31 N   AERO 35 N   RMY 36
3/21 52/34/43/+6/0.00/0.0/418/57           28 W   AERO 26 W   RMY N/A
3/22 38/15/27/-10/T/T/603/82               46 NW  AERO 50 NW  RMY 51 
3/23 36/13/25/-13/0.00/0.0/716/97          36 WNW AERO 35 WNW RMY 38 
3/24 44/25/35/-3/0.02/T/000/00             37 S   AERO 38 S   RMY 39
3/25 44/31/38/0/0.07/0.07/000/00           22 NE  AERO 20 NE  RMY 21
3/26 42/29/36/-3/0.00/0.0/232/31           25 ENE AERO 23 ENE RMY 25
3/27 43/33/38/-1/0.51/0.0/000/00           22 E   AERO 18 E   RMY N/A
3/28 40/33/37/-2/0.69/0.0/000/00           16 N   AERO 15 N   RMY N/A TSTM
3/29 46/33/40/0/0.11/0.0/053/07            37 NW  AERO 36 NW  RMY 37  TSTM
3/30 50/30/40/0/0.00/0.0/659/87            23 NW  AERO 21 NW  RMY N/A 
3/31 37/32/35/-6/0.92/1.0/000/00           25 E   AERO 30 E   RMY N/A

DAILY RECORDS FOR MARCH 2017

3/11/17: DAILY RECORD LOW MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 20F,
         TIES PREVIOUS RECORD SET IN 1885

3/14/17: DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM SNOWFALL OF 7.3 INS,
         BREAKS PREVIOUS RECORD OF 6.7 INS SET IN 1958


PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR APRIL CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOW/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
M:    Missing data

4/1  35/31/33/-8/..../2.7/000/00           40 ENE AERO 41 ENE RMY 41

4/2  Low temp since midnight is 30F; normal low is now 33F

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

RECORDS FOR APRIL 2
HIGH 77 IN 1967
LOW 14 IN 1919
PRECIP 1.83 IN. IN 1970
SNOWFALL 13.0 IN. IN 1887
PEAK GUST 76 MPH SSW IN 1970

RECORDS FOR APRIL 3
HIGH 76 IN 1892
LOW 16 IN 1894
PRECIP 2.18 IN. IN 1990
SNOWFALL 8.0 IN. IN 1915
PEAK GUST 83e MPH NW IN 1977 [RECORD FOR MONTH]


TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Cecilia Borries-Strigle