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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2018  
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

MARCH BEGINS MILD AND FEBRUARY ENDS WARMEST 
ON RECORD....

A quick rain shower moved over yesterday around
9:00 P.M. leaving 0.01 ins of precipitation. The
month of February ended near normal for liquid
precipitation at 4.12 ins., normal being 4.07 ins.
After an above seasonable high of 59F yesterday
we ended the month of February over 8 degrees 
above normal. This has been the warmest February
on record with a mean of 36.2F (mean of average
maximum and average minimum), and the normal mean 
is 27.9F. We also recorded an extremely high sea 
level pressure this month on the 13th around 
9:00 A.M. at 1044 mb (30.83 in Hg.) 

Today has been a mild day with winds and clouds
increasing as pressure began dropping this
afternoon. Temperatures continued to be well 
above seasonable with a high of 61 by 1:00 P.M.
This is 21 degrees above the normal of 40F and
just below the record for the date of 62F set 
in 1972. 

PRELIMINARY STATS FOR FEBRUARY 2018
 
TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max.: 45.1 [+8.3]
Avg. Min.: 27.3 [+8.2]
Mean:      36.2 [+8.3]
24-hour corrected mean: 36.2
Max. for month: 70 on 21st
Min. for month: 4F on  3rd
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units:  801  [-236] 
Total for the season: 4122 [-446]
Total for last season: 3877

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 4.12 [+0.04]
Greatest in 24 hrs: N/A

SNOWFALL, Inches
Total: 10.2 [-3.7]
Greatest in 24 hrs: 5.8 in. on 17th-18th
 
WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 12.5
Avg. corrected wind speed: 12.8
Prevailing wind direction: WNW at 18%
Peak gust and direction: 47 WNW on 5th
 
SUNSHINE:
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: N/A
Astronomical total minutes: N/A

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) 36.2 in 2018
2) 34.9 in 1984
3) 34.3 in 2012
4) 34.0 in 1998
5) 33.9 in 1954
   33.9 in 1981
7) 33.8 in 2017
8) 33.7 in 1976

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

1) 45.1 in 2018
2) 44.0 in 1976
3) 43.5 in 1981
4) 43.2 in 1984
   43.2 in 2017
6) 43.0 in 2012
7) 42.9 in 1954
   42.9 in 2002

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

1) 27.9 in 1998
2) 27.3 in 2018 
3) 27.1 in 1984
4) 26.4 in 2012
5) 26.3 in 1925
6) 26.2 in 1954
7) 25.7 in 1981
8) 25.5 in 1997
   25.5 in 2017
     
Today's Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few cirrus SSE-SW
Temperature: 42F; Dew Point: 35F; Wind: W at 7 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.86 ins. Hg, falling, then more rapidly        
Visibility: 40 miles, distant haze in all directions
6-hr Max temp: 43F
6-hr Min temp: 42F
24-hr precip:  0.01 ins.
24-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins.
Snow depth: 0 ins.
BHO SA 1155 CLR 40 111/42/35/2607/986/ FEW CI SSE-SW DSNT 
HZ ALQDS/ 8/001 53008 MANUAL 70001 ASOS 70001 10043 20042    

10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered cirrostratus
Temperature: 56F; Dew Point: 36F; Wind: NW at 7 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.86 ins. Hg, steady
Visibility: 40 miles, distant haze in all directions
3-hr precip: 0.00 ins.
3-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins.   
BHO SA 1455 250 SCT 40 111/56/36/3207/986/ DSNT HZ ALQDS/ 
8/005 55000 

1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered cumulus, broken cirrostratus,
sun dimly visible 
Temperature: 59F; Dew Point: 32F; Wind: ENW at 2 kts,
Wind: Light  
Sea-level pressure: 29.85 ins. Hg, falling unsteadily 
Visibility: 70 miles   
6-hr Max temp: 59F
6-hr Min temp: 42F
6-hr precip: 0.00 ins. 
6-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins.
Snow depth: 0 ins.
BHO SA 1755 65 SCT E250 BKN 70 108/59/32/E3102/985/ 
SUN DMLY VSBL WND LGT/ 58003 10059 20042        
  
SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2018

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....59   NORMAL.....40
MIN.....37   NORMAL.....22
MEAN....48   NORMAL.....31

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL...........................+17
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH..........................+234 [+8.4 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY.............17   DEPARTURE.........-17
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH............801   DEPARTURE........-236
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON..........4122   DEPARTURE........-446
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.....3877   DIFFERENCE.......+245

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...................28 SSW AT 1:55 P.M. 
                   AERO........................25 SSW AT 2:26 P.M.
                   ASOS........................28 S   AT 2:24 P.M.
                   DAVIS.......................26 M   AT 1:54 P.M ** RMY 27
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.....................20 SSW AT 2:25 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..................22 S   AT 2:24 P.M.  
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.................20 M   AT 2:24 P.M.**
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.............13.2 SSW 
                   ASOS......................14.2  
                   DAVIS.....................12.9 ** 
** Davis direction malfunctioning

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.01  DEPARTURE......-0.16
                         ASOS..............0.01
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........4.12  DEPARTURE......+0.04
                         ASOS..............4.28  
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........10.12  DEPARTURE......+1.70
                         ASOS.............10.86

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........-3.7
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............44.7  DEPARTURE........-2.4

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/-2/0.00/0.0/496/79       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/..../0.0/.../..      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 59/37/48/+17/0.01/0.0/.../..      28 SSW AERO 25 SSW RMY 27 

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 Low temp since midnight is 42F; 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 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

RECORDS FOR MARCH 2
HIGH 63 IN 2004
LOW -3 IN 1886
PRE 2.15 INS. IN 1983
SNOW 8.2 INS. IN 2009
WIND 75 MPH NW IN 1966

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Kaitlin Geagan