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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
SUNDAY, APRIL 1, 2018  
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
A CLOSE TO SEASONABLE MARCH ENDS SECOND SNOWIEST 
ON RECORD...

This March ended well above normal for snowfall. This 
month we received 45.5 ins. of snow. This is + 32.8 ins.
above the normal of 12.5 ins. March began and ended 
above normal for temperatures but overall March was 0.9
degrees below normal. 
Today temperatures are continuing to be above normal 
with a high of 57F by 1:00 P.M. This is already 7 
degrees above the daily normal of 50F. Since midnight
we have had a low of 38F, which is 6 degrees above 
the daily normal of 32F. 
The wind has been moderate today and shifted from the
SSW-W. We have had frequent gusts over 35 MPH 
throughout the day and a peak gust of 39 kts (45 MPH) 
just before 5:00 A.M.
Humidity lowered throughout the day, visibility 
increased and we could see a max of 70 miles by 10:00 A.M. 

PRELIMINARY STATS FOR MARCH 2018
 
TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 41.2 [-3.1]
Avg. Min. 27.9 [+1.3]
Mean      34.6 [-0.9]
24-hour corrected mean: 33.9
Max. for month: 62F on 30th
Min. for month: 10F on 18th
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units:   941  [+25]
Total for the season: 4063 [-421]
Total for last season: 4902

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 8.69 [+3.29]
Greatest in 24 hrs: 3.47 on the 2nd 

SNOWFALL, Inches
Total: 45.5 [+32.8]
Greatest in 24 hrs: 23.0 in. on 13th
 
WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 13.9
Avg. corrected wind speed: 14.3
Prevailing wind direction: NW at 14%
Peak gust and direction: 73 NNE on 2nd
 
SUNSHINE:
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: N/A
Astronomical total minutes: N/A


Blue Hill Observatory Greatest March Snowfall Totals, 
Inches (1885-2018)

1) 52.0 in 1956
2) 45.5 in 2018 
3) 42.2 in 1916
4) 41.4 in 2001
5) 41.0 in 1967
6) 37.8 in 2013
7) 35.5 in 1993

Today's Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, overcast altostratus
Temperature: 44F; Dew Point: 31F; Wind: SSW at 21G32 kts,
Peak wind: 32 kts (37 MPH) at 06:53 A.M. 
Sea-level pressure: 29.91 ins. Hg, falling unsteadily      
Visibility: 60 miles
6-hr Max temp: 44F
6-hr Min temp: 38F
24-hr precip:  Trace
24-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins.
Snow depth: 0 in.
BHO SA 1155 110 SCT E170 OVC 60 127/44/31/2021G32/991/ 
PK WND 2032/53/ 8/02/ 57021 10044 20038 

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, broken cirrostratus,
few cumulus S-NNW
Temperature: 53F; Dew Point: 41F; Wind: WSW at 12G26 kts,
Peak wind: 29 kts (33 MPH) at 9:03 A.M.
Sea-level pressure: 29.88 ins. Hg, falling then rising 
Visibility: 70 miles 
3-hr precip: 0.0 ins. 
3-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins. 
BHO SA 1455 180 SCT E250 BKN 70 120/53/41/2512G26/988/ 
FEW CU S-NNW PK WND 2429/03/ 8/138 55007
  
1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, overcast cirrostratus,
few cumulus SSW-NNW
Temperature: 57F; Dew Point: 35F; Wind: W at 15G30 kts,
Peak wind: 30 kts (35 MPH) W at 12:47 P.M.
Sea-level pressure: 29.88 ins. Hg, falling, then more slowly
Visibility: 70 miles
6-hr Max temp: 57F
6-hr Min temp: 43F
6-hr precip: 0.0 ins.
6-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins. 
Snow depth: 0 ins.
BHO SA 1755 120 SCT E200 OVC 70 117/57/35/2715G30/988/ 
FEW DSNT CU SSW-NNW SUN DMLY VSBL PK WND 2630/47/ 
8/188 56003 10057 20043

SUMMARY FOR SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2018

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....56   NORMAL.....49
MIN.....35   NORMAL.....32
MEAN....46   NORMAL.....41

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL...........................+5
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH..........................-21 [-0.9 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY.............19   DEPARTURE..........-5
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH............941   DEPARTURE.........+25
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON..........5063   DEPARTURE........-421
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.....4902   DIFFERENCE.......+161

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...................37 NW  AT  2:29 A.M.  
                   AERO........................36 NW  AT  2:26 A.M.
                   ASOS........................37 NNW AT  2:30 A.M.
                   DAVIS.......................35 M   AT  2:29 A.M ** RMY N/A
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.....................24 S   AT 11:01 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..................25 S   AT 11:00 P.M.  
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.................24 M   AT 11:00 P.M.**
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.............14.8 NW
                   ASOS......................14.8
                   DAVIS.....................13.3 

** Davis direction malfunctioning 

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00  DEPARTURE......-0.18
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........8.69  DEPARTURE......+3.29
                         ASOS..............9.39  
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........18.80  DEPARTURE......+4.98
                         ASOS.............20.24

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.0  DEPARTURE........-0.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH...............45.5  DEPARTURE.......+32.8
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............90.2  DEPARTURE.......+30.4

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

3/01 61/37/49/+18/0.00/0.0/378/56    39 ENE AERO 37 ENE RMY N/A 
3/02 40/32/36/+5/3.47/0.7/000/00     73 NNE AERO 70 NNE RMY N/A
3/03 40/32/26/+4/T/T/034/05          52 NNE AERO 50 NNE RMY 49
3/04 39/34/37/+5/T/T/000/00          36 NNE AERO 32 NNE RMY 32 
3/05 40/29/35/+3/.../1.2/261/38      40 NE  AERO 39 NE  RMY 40
3/06 34/29/32/0/0.00/0.0/062/09      20 N   AERO 16 N   RMY N/A
3/07 35/31/33/0/..../.../000/00      52 ENE AERO 53 ENE RMY 50 
3/08 34/28/31/-2/..../.../000/00     44 NNE AERO 47 NNE RMY N/A
3/09 36/24/30/-3/T/T/265/38          28 W   AERO 26 W   RMY N/A 
3/10 37/28/33/0/0.00/0.0/343/49      38 WNW AERO 38 WNW RMY 41
3/11 42/26/34/0/0.00/0.0/583/83      28 NW  AERO 26 NW  RMY 29
3/12 39/26/33/-1/T/T/155/22          36 ENE AERO 33 ENE RMY N/A
3/13 35/26/31/-3/..../23.0/000/00    60 N   AERO 60 N   RMY 64
3/14 36/24/30/-5/..../.../470/66     38 WSW AERO 38 WSW RMY 41
3/15 40/29/35/0/..../.../422/59      44 W   AERO 44 W   RMY 44
3/16 35/23/29/-6/0.00/0.0/308/43     41 NW  AERO 41 NW  RMY 45
3/17 40/15/28/-8/0.00/0.0/533/74     46 W   AERO 45 W   RMY 49
3/18 31/10/21/-15/0.00/0.0/694/96    39 NW  AERO 38 NW  RMY 40
3/19 35/13/24/-12/0.00/0.0/704/97    32 WNW AERO 32 WNW RMY 34
3/20 40/18/29/-8/0.00/0.0/372/51     23 NW  AERO 21 NW  RMY N/A
3/21 35/31/33/-4/..../.../000/00     43 NE  AERO 44 NE  RMY N/A
3/22 39/30/35/-2/..../.../000/00     28 NNW AERO 26 NNW RMY 30
3/23 44/28/36/-2/0.00/0.0/.../..     21 NNW AERO 18 NNW RMY 21
3/24 45/32/39/+1/T/T/.../..          23 NE  AERO 21 NE  RMY N/A
3/25 36/29/33/-5/0.18/1.8/.../..     35 NNE AERO 30 NNE RMY 33
3/26 38/27/33/-6/0.00/0.0/.../..     33 NE  AERO 26 NE  RMY 30
3/27 44/25/35/-4/0.00/0.0/.../...    24 NE  AERO 17 NE  RMY 20
3/28 55/33/44/+5/0.01/0.0/.../..     21 SSW AERO 14 SSW RMY 18 
3/29 55/39/47/+7/T/0.0/.../..        24 SSE AERO 21 SSE RMY N/A
3/30 62/42/52/+12/0.08/0.0/.../..    32 NW  AERO 30 NW  RMY N/A
3/31 56/35/46/+5/T/0.0/.../..        37 NW  AERO 36 NW  RMY N/A

DAILY RECORDS FOR MARCH 2018

3/02/18: NEW DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM PRECIPITATION OF 3.47 INS.
         PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 2.15 INS. SET IN 1983

3/13/18: NEW DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM SNOWFALL OF 23.0 INS.
         PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 10.0 INS. SET IN 1993

3/13/18: NEW MONTHLY RECORD MAXIMUM DAILY SNOWFALL OF 23.0 INS.
         PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 18.0 INS. SET ON 8 MARCH 2013

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 Low temp since midnight is 38F; normal low is now 32F

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

RECORDS FOR APRIL 1
HIGH 74 IN 1967
LOW 6 IN 1923 [RECORD FOR MONTH]
PRECIP 3.47 IN. IN 2004 [RECORD FOR MONTH]
SNOWFALL 15.0 IN. IN 1997 [RECORD FOR MONTH]
PEAK GUST 75 MPH SSW IN 1962

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

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: K.A. Geagan