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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2018  
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

ABOVE AVERAGE WIND, OVERCAST SKIES, AND
SEASONABLE HIGH TEMPERATURES ON TOP OF 
GREAT BLUE HILL TODAY....

The wind has decreased since Friday's winter
storm but still remains above average with
gust frequently over 25 MPH from the NNE this 
morning.
Dry air allowed for good visibility today 
ranging from 70-75 miles. Skies have been
mostly dry with a few rain/snow shower 
yesterday, which only accumulated a trace of
precipitation.  
Maximum temperatures have been close to 
seasonable with a high of 40F yesterday and a 
high of 37F by 10:00 A.M. today. The daily 
normal is 41F. Minimum temperatures, though have 
been around 10 degrees above seasonable with a
low of 35 since midnight. This is 12 degrees above 
the normal daily low of 23F. This morning skies 
have been overcast with stratus clouds.   

BHO Greatest March calendar day precipitation, 
inches (1885-2018):

1) 5.61 on 18 March, 1968
2) 4.95 on 14 March, 2010
3) 3.48 on 22 March, 2001
4) 3.47 on 02 March, 2018
5) 2.92 on 30 March, 2010
6) 2.89 on 31 March, 1987
7) 2.87 on 12 March, 1888
8) 2.86 on 15 March, 2010
 
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: 36.1
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 (1885-2017):

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 (1885-2017):

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) 36.1 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: Overcast stratus 
Temperature: 36F; Dew Point: 23F; Wind: N at 16G26 kts
Peak Wind: 27 kts (31 MPH) N at 06:04 A.M.
Sea-level pressure: 30.06 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly         
Visibility: 75 miles
6-hr Max temp: 36F
6-hr Min temp: 35F
24-hr precip:  Trace
24-hr snowfall: Trace
Snow depth: 0 ins.
BHO SA 1155 E39 OVC 75 197/36/23/0116G26/006/ NEW SNW 
PAST 24 HRS TRACE PK WND 0127/04/ 8/6// 51005 10036 20035

10 A.M.
Weather: Overcast stratus 
Temperature: 37F; Dew Point: 24F; Wind: NNE at 15G25 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.06 ins. Hg, steady  
Visibility: 70 miles
3-hr precip: 0.00 ins. 
3-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins.   
BHO SA 1455 E32 OVC 70 197/37/24/0215G25/006/ 8/6// 50000

SUMMARY FOR SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 2018

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....40   NORMAL.....40
MIN.....32   NORMAL.....22
MEAN....36   NORMAL.....31

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL............................+5
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH...........................+23 [+11.5 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY.............29   DEPARTURE..........-5
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............45   DEPARTURE.........-22
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON..........4167   DEPARTURE........-468
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.....3912   DIFFERENCE.......+255

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...................52 NNE AT  9:57 A.M. 
                   AERO........................50 NNE AT  2:50 A.M.
                   ASOS........................50 NNE AT  9:39 A.M.
                   DAVIS.......................49 M   AT  9:51 A.M ** RMY 49
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.....................39 NNE AT 10:02 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..................33 NNE AT 10:03 A.M.  
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.................32 M   AT 10:03 A.M.**
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.............20.3 NNE 
                   ASOS......................20.4  
                   DAVIS.....................18.8 ** 
** Davis direction malfunctioning

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00  DEPARTURE......-0.17
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........3.48  DEPARTURE......+3.14
                         ASOS..............3.54  
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........13.59  DEPARTURE......+4.83
                         ASOS.............14.39

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.0  DEPARTURE........-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................0.7  DEPARTURE........-0.8
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............44.7  DEPARTURE........-3.2

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 61/37/49/+18/0.00/0.0/.../..    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/.../..          52 NNE AERO 50 NNE RMY 49

3/04 Low temp since midnight is 35F; normal low is now 23F

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

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

RECORDS FOR MARCH 4 
HIGH 69 IN 1974 
LOW -5 IN 1950
PRECIP 1.80 IN 1960
SNOWFALL 17.3 IN 1960 
PEAK GUST 81e MPH SSW IN 1971

RECORDS FOR MARCH 5
HIGH 64 IN 1979
LOW -2 IN 1948
PRECIP 1.76 INS. IN 2001
SNOWFALL 13.0 INS. IN 1891
PEAK GUST 76e MPH WNW IN 1971

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Kaitlin Geagan