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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2018  
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

A SLIGHTLY BELOW SEASONABLE DAY WITH INCREASING 
CLOUDS AFTER NOON....

We observed a maximum temperature between 7:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M.
reaching 48F at 11:00 A.M., 3 degrees under the normal maximum 
of 51F. While skies were overcast for most of the day, a break
in cloud cover around 9:00 A.M. allowed the temperature to 
increase from 34F to 45F between the 7:00 A.M. and 10:00 A.M.
observations. The temperature decreased to 42F by 1:00 P.M.     
The low since midnight is 31F, 2 degrees under the normal low of
33F. The highest visibility seen today was 70 miles at the 
10:00 A.M. observation. Falling ice pellets were seen at 
1:15 P.M., changing over to rain by 2:00 P.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: 8.68 [+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

BHO Greatest March Monthly Precipitation, 
inches (1885-2018):

1) 18.81 in 2010
2) 13.07 in 2001
3) 10.96 in 1968
4) 10.02 in 1983
5) 9.53 in 1953
6) 9.00 in 1984
7) 8.72 in 1993
8) 8.69 in 2018
9) 8.09 in 1956
10) 7.98 in 1994

Today's Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Broken altocumulus and broken cirrus 
Temperature: 34F; Dew Point: 29F; Wind: S at 6 kts,
Wind: Light 
Sea-level pressure: 30.23 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly     
Visibility: 40 miles, thin smoke layer SE-NE 
6-hr Max temp: 34F
6-hr Min temp: 31F
24-hr precip:  0.13
24-hr snowfall: 1.6
Snow depth: 0 in.
BHO SA 1155 E200 BKN 300 BKN 40 236/34/29/1906/023/ NEW SNW PST 24 HRS 
1.6 INS THN K LYR SE-NE WND LGT/ 8/072 51018 MANUAL 70013 ASOS 70013 
10034 20031   

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered cirrostratus, few cumulus NE-NW 
Temperature: 45F; Dew Point: 27F; Wind: S at 11 kts 
Sea-level pressure: 30.21 ins. Hg, falling, then more slowly 
Visibility: 70 miles 
3-hr precip: 0.00 ins. 
3-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins. 
BHO SA 1455 250 SCT 70 230/45/27/1711G19/021/ FEW CU NE-NW/ 8/105 58006
  
1 P.M.
Weather: Overcast stratus
Temperature: 42F; Dew Point: 30F; Wind: S at 7 kts 
Sea-level pressure: 30.17 ins. Hg, falling then rising
Visibility: 40 miles, distant fog S-NE 
6-hr Max temp: 48F
6-hr Min temp: 34F
6-hr precip: 0.00 ins.
6-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins. 
Snow depth: 0 ins.
BHO SA 1755 E60 OVC 40 217/42/30/1807G12/017/ FEW STFA ALQDS DSNT FG S-NW/
8/6// 55013 10048 20034 

SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2018

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....38   NORMAL.....50
MIN.....30   NORMAL.....32
MEAN....34   NORMAL.....41

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL...........................-7
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH...........................-2 [-1.2 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY.............50   DEPARTURE..........+7
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............50   DEPARTURE..........+2
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON..........5113   DEPARTURE........-419
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.....4957   DIFFERENCE.......+156

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...................20 SSW AT 10:11 P.M.  
                   AERO........................15 SSW AT 10:11 P.M.
                   ASOS........................18 SSW AT 10:11 P.M.
                   DAVIS.......................17 M   AT 11:36 P.M ** RMY 17
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.....................13 SSW AT 11:36 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..................14 SSW AT 11:36 P.M.  
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.................13 M   AT 11:35 P.M.**
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.............5.7 WNW
                   ASOS......................5.2
                   DAVIS.....................5.8 

** Davis direction malfunctioning 

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.13  DEPARTURE......-0.04
                         ASOS..............0.13
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.13  DEPARTURE......-0.21
                         ASOS..............0.13  
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........18.93  DEPARTURE......+4.77
                         ASOS.............20.37

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........1.6  DEPARTURE........+1.4
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................1.6  DEPARTURE........+1.2
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............91.8  DEPARTURE.......+31.6

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/+3/0.12/1.2/261/38     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 35/31/33/0/1.49/10.0/000/00     52 ENE AERO 53 ENE RMY 50 
3/08 34/28/31/-2/0.67/5.0/000/00     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/-3/2.20/23.0/000/00    60 N   AERO 60 N   RMY 64
3/14 36/24/30/-5/0.00/0.0/470/66     38 WSW AERO 38 WSW RMY 41
3/15 40/29/35/0/0.01/0.2/422/59      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/-4/0.04/0.2/000/00     43 NE  AERO 44 NE  RMY N/A
3/22 39/30/35/-2/0.41/3.4/000/00     28 NNW AERO 26 NNW RMY 30
3/23 44/28/36/-2/0.00/0.0/539/73     21 NNW AERO 18 NNW RMY 21
3/24 45/32/39/+1/T/T/185/25          23 NE  AERO 21 NE  RMY N/A
3/25 36/29/33/-5/0.18/1.8/134/18     35 NNE AERO 30 NNE RMY 33
3/26 38/27/33/-6/0.00/0.0/701/94     33 NE  AERO 26 NE  RMY 30
3/27 44/25/35/-4/0.00/0.0/592/79     24 NE  AERO 17 NE  RMY 20
3/28 55/33/44/+5/0.01/0.0/293/39     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

4/01 58/33/46/+5/..../0.0/.../..   45 SSW AERO 43 SSW RMY N/A  
4/02 38/30/34/-7/..../1.6/.../..   20 SSW AERO 15 SSW RMY 17

4/3 Low temp since midnight is 31F; 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 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]

RECORDS FOR APRIL 4
HIGH 76 IN 2010
LOW 12 IN 1954
PRECIP 1.45 IN. IN 1987
SNOWFALL 7.3 IN. IN 2016
PEAK GUST 80 MPH WNW IN 1963

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Benjamin Turner and K.A. Geagan