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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2018  
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

FEBRUARY, METEOROLOGICAL WINTER, ENDS DRY, 
CLEAR, AND ABOVE SEASONABLE.... 

February is ending with clear, warm conditions 
on top of Great Blue Hill. Overall this month 
has been above normal for temperatures, ranking 
in the top 3 warmest on record. This February, 
so far, is close to 8 degrees above normal. 
Temperatures continue to be above normal today 
after yesterday's max of 51F. This is 12 degrees 
above normal high of 39F, which is only two 
degrees above our low since midnight of 37F. 
So far today we have a high of 59F, which is 19 
degrees above the daily normal of 40F. 
The wind shifted overnight from WNW to SW. 
Today the wind was moderate and from the SW. 
With dry air, low dew points and humidity 
visibility was excellent today ranging from 
75-80 miles. 

BHO Warmest February Daily Maximum Temperature, 
deg F (1885-2018):

1) 71 on 24 Feb 2017
2) 70 on 21 Feb 2018
3) 68 on 24 Feb 1985
   68 on 25 Feb 2017
   68 on 20 Feb 2018
6) 67 on 26 Feb 1957
   67 on 25 Feb 1976
   67 on 23 Feb 2017
9) 66 on 20 Feb 1930
   66 on 19 Feb 1981

BHO Warmest February Daily High Minimum Temperature, 
deg F (1885-2018):

1) 50 on 21 Feb 2018
2) 49 on 20 Feb 1981
3) 48 on 20 Feb 2018
4) 47 on 28 Feb 1910
   47 on 23 Feb 1990
   47 on 24 Feb 2017
7) 46 on 26 Feb 1957
8) 45 on 22 Feb 1954
   45 on 5 Feb 1991
   45 on 21 Feb 2002

BHO Warmest February 24-Hour Adjusted Mean Temperature, 
deg F (1885-2018):

1) 34.9 in 1984
2) 34.3 in 2012
3) 34.0 in 1998
4) 33.9 in 1954
   33.9 in 1981
6) 33.8 in 2017
7) 33.7 in 1976

BHO February Warmest Average Maximum Temperature, 
deg F (1885-2018):

1) 44.0 in 1976
2) 43.5 in 1981
3) 43.2 in 1984
   43.2 in 2017
5) 43.0 in 2012
6) 42.9 in 1954
   42.9 in 2002

BHO February Warmest Average Minimum Temperature, 
deg F (1885-2018):

1) 27.9 in 1998
2) 27.1 in 1984
3) 26.4 in 2012
4) 26.3 in 1925
5) 26.2 in 1954
6) 25.7 in 1981
7) 25.5 in 1997
   25.5 in 2017
     
Today's Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Broken cirrostratus
Temperature: 39F; Dew Point: 25F; Wind: SW at 13G17 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.09 ins. Hg, falling, then more slowly       
Visibility: 80 miles
6-hr Max temp: 39F
6-hr Min temp: 37F
24-hr precip:  0.00 ins.
24-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins.
Snow depth: 0 ins.
BHO SA 1155 E250 BKN 80 191/39/25/2213G17/009/ 8/008 56007 
10039 20037    

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered cirrostratus, few cirrocumulus S-SSW
Temperature: 52F; Dew Point: 24F; Wind: SW at 10G14 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.06 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 75 miles
3-hr precip: 0.00 ins.
3-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins.   
BHO SA 1455 250 SCT 75 178/52/24/2210G14/006/ 
FEW PTCHS CC S-SSW/ 8/004 57013 

1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered cirrostratus, few dense cirrus overhead
Temperature: 59F; Dew Point: 27F; Wind: SSW at 13G22 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 29.96 ins. Hg, falling then more rapidly
Visibility: 75 miles   
6-hr Max temp: 59F
6-hr Min temp: 39F
6-hr precip: 0.00 ins. 
6-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins.
Snow depth: 0 ins.
BHO SA 1755 250 SCT 75 145/59/27/2013G22/996/ FEW DNS CI OVHD/ 
8/008 58033 10059 20039     
  
SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2018

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....51   NORMAL.....40
MIN.....29   NORMAL.....22
MEAN....40   NORMAL.....31

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL............................+9
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH..........................+217 [+7.8 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY.............25   DEPARTURE..........-9
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH............784   DEPARTURE........-219
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON..........4105   DEPARTURE........-429
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.....3859   DIFFERENCE.......+246

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...................26 WNW AT  2:57 P.M. 
                   AERO........................23 WNW AT  2:57 P.M.
                   ASOS........................25 WNW AT  2:57 P.M.
                   DAVIS.......................24 M   AT  2:57 P.M ** RMY 28
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.....................18 WNW AT  2:58 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..................18 WNW AT 11:45 P.M.  
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.................17 M   AT  2:58 P.M.**
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.............11.0 NW 
                   ASOS......................11.1  
                   DAVIS.....................9.7 ** 
** Davis direction malfunctioning

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00  DEPARTURE......-0.16
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........4.11  DEPARTURE......+0.21
                         ASOS..............4.27  
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........10.11  DEPARTURE......+1.86
                         ASOS.............10.85

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.0  DEPARTURE........-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH...............10.2  DEPARTURE........-3.2
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............44.7  DEPARTURE........-1.9

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY 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

2/1  45/27/36/+10/..../0.0/120/20      36 SSW AERO 35 SSW RMY N/A 
2/2  34/08/21/-5/..../2.5/223/37       43 WNW AERO 46 WNW RMY 46 
2/3  25/04/15/-11/0.00/0.0/557/92      26 S   AERO 24 S   RMY 30 
2/4  45/23/34/+8/.../T/000/00          31 SSE AERO 29 S   RMY 30
2/5  46/19/33/+7/0.00/0.0/464/76       47 WNW AERO 47 WNW RMY 44
2/6  31/17/24/+2/T/T/025/04            26 SSW AERO 23 SSW RMY 23 
2/7  42/21/32/+5/0.62/1.1/000/00       45 SW  AERO 46 SW  RMY 47
2/8  30/20/25/-2/0.00/0.0/501/81       38 WNW AERO 38 WNW RMY N/A
2/9  30/16/23/-4/0.00/0.0/384/62       28 S   AERO 25 S   RMY N/A
2/10 51/28/40/+13/..../0.0/000/00      31 S   AERO 30 S   RMY 31
2/11 46/36/41/+14/..../0.0/000/00      24 SW  AERO 21 SW  RMY N/A
2/12 53/27/40/+13/..../0.0/132/21      33 WNW AERO 33 WNW RMY N/A
2/13 31/21/26/-2/0.00/0.0/498/79       22 S   AERO 18 WNW RMY 21
2/14 46/25/36/+8/0.00/0.0/234/37       30 S   AERO 26 SSW RMY 29 
2/15 47/35/41/+13/..../0.0/000/00      23 SSW AERO 20 SSW RMY N/A
2/16 50/31/41/+13/..../0.0/000/00      45 W   AERO 44 W   RMY 42
2/17 38/23/31/+3/..../.../468/73       33 SSW AERO 29 SSE RMY 33
2/18 42/29/35/+6/..../.../451/70       32 WNW AERO 29 WNW RMY 34 
2/19 48/30/39/+10/..../0.0/.../..      39 SSW AERO 37 SSW RMY 40       
2/20 68/48/58/+29/..../0.0/.../..      32 SSW AERO 30 SSW RMY N/A
2/21 70/50/60/+31/0.00/0.0/.../..      32 SW  AERO 30 SW  RMY 33
2/22 53/30/42/+13/..../0.8/.../..      30 N   AERO 28 N   RMY N/A 
2/23 41/28/35/+5/0.20/0.0/.../..       34 SW  AERO 20 SW  RMY N/A
2/24 54/35/45/+15/..../.../.../..      32 W   AERO 30 W   RMY 29
2/25 39/33/36/+6/..../T/000/00         33 ESE AERO 30 ESE RMY 33
2/26 48/35/42/+12/0.00/0.0/.../..      29 WNW AERO 25 WNW RMY 28
2/27 51/29/40/+9/0.00/0.0/.../..       26 WNW AERO 23 WNW RMY 25

2/28 Low temp since midnight is 37F; normal low is now 22F

DAILY RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 2018

2/20/18: NEW DAILY RECORD HIGH MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 68F
         PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 66F SET IN 1930
2/21/18: NEW DAILY RECORD HIGH MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 70F
         PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 62F SET IN 1930
2/21/18: NEW DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 50F
         PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 45F SET IN 2002 

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

RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 28
HIGH 62F IN 1976
LOW -2F IN 1907,1934
PRECIP 1.79 INCHES IN 1958
SNOWFALL 8.5 INCHES IN 2005
PEAK GUST 88e MPH SSW IN 1943

RECORDS FOR MARCH 1
HIGH 62 IN 1972
LOW -3 IN 1886
PRECIP 1.65 INS. IN 1900
SNOWFALL 9.4 INS. IN 1949
PEAK GUST 78 WSW IN 1966

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Kaitlin Geagan