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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2018 
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

A CLOUDY DAY WITH LIGHT WINDS AND LIMITED VISIBILITY....

Visibility was highest at 10 A.M. at 40 miles. We observed 
20 miles of visibility at 7 A.M. and 1 P.M., due to a distant
haze. Winds have remained light and westerly for most of the day
today. Humidity has dropped off since this morning, decreasing 
from 89% to 60% this afternoon. The maximum so far today was
88F, 8 degrees above the daily normal of 80F. The low since
midnight was 73F, 10 degrees above the normal minimum of 63F.  

The minimum temperature on Tuesday of 73F was a new record 
high minimum for August 7th, surpassing the previous record
of 72F set in 1988. 


PRELIMINARY STATS FOR JULY 2018

TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 83.9 [+3.1]
Avg. Min. 63.7 [+0.8]
Mean      73.8 [+1.9]
24-hour corrected mean: 73.6
Max. for month: 94F on  1st and 3rd
Min. for month: 54F on  7th

COOLING DEGREE DAYS
Total cooling units:   296 [+74]
Total for the season:  455 [+104]
Total for last season: 421

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 3.84 [-0.18]
Greatest in 24 hrs: 1.36 in on 17th-18th

WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 9.8
Avg. corrected wind speed: 10.4
Prevailing wind direction: S at 19%
Peak gust and direction: 41 SSW on 26th  

SUNSHINE:
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 18642 minutes of possible 26682 or 70%
Astronomical total minutes: 19402 minutes of possible 27744 or 70%

BHO Warmest July Mean Temperature (24-hr corrected mean), 
deg F (1885-2018):

1)  75.1 in 2010
2)  74.9 in 1952
3)  74.1 in 1994
    74.1 in 2013
5)  74.0 in 2011
    74.0 in 2016
7)  73.8 in 1999
8)  73.6 in 2018
9)  73.5 in 1949
10) 73.2 in 2012

Today's Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Broken cumulus and cirrostratus
Temperature: 77F; Dew Point: 73F; Wind: W at 3 kts,
Wind: Light and variable 
Sea-level pressure: 29.93 ins. Hg, rising then steady 
Visibility: 20 miles, distant fog 
6-hr Max temp: 76F
6-hr Min temp: 73F
24-hr Precip: 0.00 ins.  
BHO SA 1155 E10 BKN 250 BKN 20 134/77/73/2703/993/ DSNT FG ALQDS 
WND L/V/ 8/202 50004 10076 20073

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, broken cirrostratus
Temperature: 85F; Dew Point: 71F; Wind: SW at 4 kts,
Wind: Light 
Sea-level pressure: 29.92 ins. Hg, falling, then more rapidly  
Visibility: 40 miles
3-hr Precip: 0.00 ins.  
BHO SA 1455 150 SCT 250 BKN 40 131/85/71/2304/992/ WND LGT/ 
8/068 58003    

1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered cumulus, scattered cirrus 
Temperature: 87F; Dew Point: 71F; Wind: W at 3 kts,
Wind: Light and variable
Sea-level pressure: 29.87 ins. Hg, falling then more rapidly 
Visibility: 20 miles, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 88F
6-hr Min temp: 76F
6-hr precip: 0.00 ins.
BHO SA 1755 45 SCT 250 BKN 20 115/87/71/2703/987/ HAZY WND L/V/ 
8/208 58016 10088 20076

SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2018 

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....92   NORMAL.....81
MIN.....73   NORMAL.....63
MEAN....83   NORMAL.....72

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL........................+11
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH........................+53 [+7.4 DEGREES/DAY]

COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JAN TO DEC)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............18   DEPARTURE.........+11
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............102   DEPARTURE.........+52
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON............557   DEPARTURE........+156
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.......471   DEPARTURE.........+86

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.....................25 S   AT 5:04 P.M.
                   AERO..........................23 S   AT 5:04 P.M.
                   ASOS..........................26 S   AT 5:05 P.M.
                   DAVIS.........................27 S   AT 5:04 P.M. RMY 26
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.......................21 S   AT 5:05 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE....................20 S   AT 5:05 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE...................19 SSW AT 4:07 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION...............10.7 SW
                   ASOS........................11.0
                   DAVIS.......................10.5 SW [231 deg.] 

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00  DEPARTURE......-0.14
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........1.35  DEPARTURE......+0.31
                         ASOS..............1.39 
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........35.36  DEPARTURE......+3.51
                         ASOS.............36.97

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JULY-AUGUST 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
M:    Missing data

7/01 94/72/83/+13/0.00/667/73       21 ESE AERO 18 ESE RMY 19 
7/02 90/68/79/+9/0.00/858/94        21 S   AERO 21 S   RMY 22
7/03 94/69/82/+11/0.00/657/72       20 SSW AERO 18 SW  RMY 19 TSTM
7/04 89/73/81/+10/0.00/884/97       17 NE  AERO 15 NE  RMY 16
7/05 91/73/82/+11/0.00/865/95       29 SSW AERO 28 SSW RMY N/A
7/06 80/59/70/-1/0.56/018/02        37 NNW AERO 38 SW  RMY 40 TSTM
7/07 78/54/66/-5/0.00/900/99        22 N   AERO 18 N   RMY N/A 
7/08 83/57/70/-2/0.00/890/98        23 S   AERO 21 S   RMY 22  
7/09 88/60/74/+2/0.00/852/94        23 SW  AERO 23 SW  RMY 24 
7/10 91/63/77/+5/0.10/751/83        24 W   AERO 22 W   RMY N/A
7/11 73/62/68/-4/0.63/705/78        28 NE  AERO 25 NE  RMY 27 TSTM
7/12 77/56/67/-5/0.00/867/96        16 NW  AERO 15 NW  RMY N/A 
7/13 84/61/73/+1/0.00/568/63        23 SSE AERO 23 SSE RMY 24
7/14 80/61/71/-1/0.00/540/60        18 S   AERO 16 S   RMY 19
7/15 84/65/75/+3/T/521/58           16 S   AERO 15 S   RMY 14 
7/16 83/67/75/+3/0.00/682/76        23 S   AERO 23 S   RMY 23 
7/17 88/67/78/+6/1.34/430/48        31 SW  AERO 30 SW  RMY 32 TSTM 
7/18 81/63/72/0/0.02/769/86         21 NW  AERO 22 NW  RMY 23 
7/19 80/56/68/-4/0.00/874/98        21 S   AERO 17 SSE RMY 19 
7/20 83/62/73/1/0.00/864/97         21 SE  AERO 17 ESE RMY 19
7/21 76/59/68/-4/0.00/738/83        23 ENE AERO 20 ENE RMY N/A
7/22 76/63/69/-3/0.29/009/01        29 ESE AERO 28 ESE RMY N/A
7/23 82/71/77/+5/0.09/327/37        32 S   AERO 30 S   RMY 32 
7/24 85/72/79/+7/T/698/79           31 S   AERO 29 S   RMY 29 
7/25 82/71/77/+5/0.11/159/18        35 SSE AERO 32 SSE RMY N/A 
7/26 83/69/76/+5/0.69/158/18        41 SSW AERO 39 SSW RMY N/A TSTM
7/27 88/69/79/+7/0.00/605/69        25 S   AERO 23 SSW RMY 26
7/28 87/71/79/+7/0.01/569/65        28 S   AERO 26 S   RMY 29
7/29 82/67/75/+3/0.00/768/88        18 W   AERO 16 W   RMY 18
7/30 82/64/73/+1/0.00/470/54        18 W   AERO 16 W   RMY 17
7/31 86/63/75/+3/0.00/739/85        16 SSW AERO 15 W   RMY N/A

DAILY RECORDS FOR JULY 2018

07/01/18: DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 72F, 
          TIES PREVIOUS RECORD OF 72F SET IN 1968

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR AUGUST 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
M:    Missing data

8/1  82/66/74/+2/T/.../..           31 S   AERO 30 S   RMY 31
8/2  92/74/83/+11/0.00/.../..       30 SW  AERO 28 SW  RMY 31 
8/3  88/74/81/+9/0.19/.../..        35 NW  AERO 32 NW  RMY 35 TSTM
8/4  82/69/76/+4/1.16/.../..        28 SW  AERO 25 SW  RMY 30 TSTM
8/5  89/66/78/+6/0.00/.../..        20 W   AERO 18 W   RMY 19
8/6  92/71/+10/0.00/.../..          20 W   AERO 16 WSW RMY N/A
8/7  92/73/+11/0.00/.../..          25 S   AERO 23 S   RMY 26

8/8 Low temp since midnight is 73F; normal low is now 63F

DAILY RECORDS FOR AUGUST 2018

08/04/18: DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 74F, 
          BREAKS PREVIOUS RECORD OF 71F SET IN 1928, 1969, AND 1979

08/07/18: DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 73F, 
          BREAKS PREVIOUS RECORD OF 72F SET IN 1988


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

RECORDS FOR AUGUST 8
HIGH 93F IN 1909,1949
LOW 47F IN 1903
PRECIP 3.08 INCHES IN 1976
PEAK GUST 45 MPH WNW IN 1958

RECORDS FOR AUGUST 9
HIGH 100F IN 1949
LOW 49F IN 1899
PRE 2.65 INS IN 1976
PEAK GUST 90 MPH SW IN 1968

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Benjamin Turner