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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018  
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

DRY WEATHER TODAY BUT CONSIDERABLE CLOUDINESS

Dry weather has returned today following the minor snowstorm that wrapped up
yesterday.  Temperatures are running close to normal, with a low of 28F this
morning and a high so far of 44F. A blanket of cirrostratus clouds invaded
the sky this morning and has lingered all day, causing sunshine to be heavily
filtered. A solar halo has also been observed. Winds have been mostly light, out 
of the north to northwest at 5-10mph. High visibility conditions have been 
present despite the cloudiness, with the visibility near 80 miles.  

A total of 3.6 inches of snow fell at the summit in this most recent storm.
While less than had been anticipated, it brings our March snowfall total to 
a remarkable 43.7 inches, well over 30 inches above normal for the month so far.
A solid 13 inch snowpack remained on the ground this morning, with a little
melting occurring today. While no further significant storms appear on the 
horizon, March 2018 is already the second snowiest March on record at the 
Observatory, and is in the top ten for liquid equivalent precipitation.

Blue Hill Observatory Greatest March Snowfall Totals, Inches (1885-2018)

1) 52.0 in 1956
2) 43.7 in 2018 (through 3/22)
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

Today's Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Scattered cirrostratus, broken cirrus, few altocumulus NE-SE
Temperature: 31F; Dew Point: 22F; Wind: NW at 10 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.93 ins. Hg, rising then more rapidly         
Visibility: 60 miles
6-hr Max temp: 32F
6-hr Min temp: 28F
24-hr precip:  0.07 ins.
24-hr snowfall: 0.6 ins.
Snow depth: 13 ins.
BHO SA 1155 200 SCT E250 BKN 60 137/31/22/3110/993/ FEW AC NE-SE 
NEW SNW PST 24 HRS 0.6 INS STORM TOTAL 3.6 INS/ 
8/035 4/013 53018 MANUAL 70007 ASOS 70010 10032 20028

10 A.M.
Weather: Broken cirrostratus, few cumulus all quadrants except S-SW,
full solar halo
Temperature: 39F; Dew Point: 22F; Wind: N at 7 kts,
Wind: Direction variable NNW-NNE  
Sea-level pressure: 29.93 ins. Hg, rising then falling
Visibility: 80 miles
3-hr precip: 0.00 ins.
BHO SA 1455 E200 BKN 80 135/39/22/3507/993/ FEW CU ALQDS XCPT S-SW 
FULL SOLAR HALO WND 33V03/ 8/106 58002

1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered stratocumulus (formed by spreading of cumulus), overcast
cirrostratus, full solar halo   
Temperature: 42F; Dew Point: 20F; Wind: estimated NW at 5 kts,
Wind: Light and variable
Sea-level pressure: 29.90 ins. Hg, falling then more rapidly
Visibility: 80 miles 
6-hr Max temp: 44F
6-hr Min temp: 31F
6-hr precip:  0.00 ins.
6-hr snowfall: 0.0 ins.
Snow depth: 11 ins.
BHO SA 1755 50 SCT E200 BKN 80 125/42/20/E3105/990/ FULL SOLAR HALO WND L/V/ 
8/407 4/011 58010 10044 20031
 
SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2018

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....39   NORMAL.....46
MIN.....30   NORMAL.....28
MEAN....35   NORMAL.....37

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL............................-2
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH...........................-34 [-1.7 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY.............30   DEPARTURE..........+2
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH............721   DEPARTURE.........+39
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON..........4843   DEPARTURE........-407
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.....4641   DIFFERENCE.......+202

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...................43 NNE AT 1:57 A.M.  
                   AERO........................39 NNE AT 1:51 A.M.
                   ASOS........................44 NNE AT 1:57 A.M.
                   DAVIS.......................41 M   AT 1:57 A.M ** RMY N/A
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.....................27 NNE AT 2:15 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..................26 NNE AT 2:17 A.M.  
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.................25 M   AT 2:16 A.M.**
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.............12.5 N
                   ASOS......................12.1
                   DAVIS.....................11.3 
** Davis direction malfunctioning

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.07  DEPARTURE......-0.12
                         ASOS..............0.10
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........8.42  DEPARTURE......+4.69
                         ASOS..............9.14  
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........18.53  DEPARTURE......+6.38
                         ASOS.............19.99

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.6  DEPARTURE........+0.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH...............43.7  DEPARTURE.......+33.7
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............88.4  DEPARTURE.......+31.3

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/.../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/..../.../000/00      52 ENE AERO 53 ENE RMY 50 
3/08 34/28/31/-2/..../.../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/..../23.0/000/00    60 N   AERO 60 N   RMY 64
3/14 36/24/30/-5/..../.../470/66     38 WSW AERO 38 WSW RMY 41
3/15 40/29/35/0/..../.../.../..      44 W   AERO 44 W   RMY 44
3/16 35/23/29/-6/0.00/0.0/.../..     41 NW  AERO 41 NW  RMY 45
3/17 40/15/28/-8/0.00/0.0/.../...    46 W   AERO 45 W   RMY 49
3/18 31/10/21/-15/0.00/0.0/.../..    39 NW  AERO 38 NW  RMY 40
3/19 35/13/24/-12/0.00/0.0/.../..    32 WNW AERO 32 WNW RMY 34
3/20 40/18/29/-8/0.00/0.0/.../..     23 NW  AERO 21 NW  RMY N/A
3/21 35/31/33/-4/..../.../000/00     43 NE  AERO 44 NE  RMY N/A
3/22 39/30/35/-2/..../.../000/00 

3/23 Low temp since midnight is 30F; normal low is now 28F

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

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

RECORDS FOR MARCH 23
HIGH 78 IN 1938
LOW 3 IN 1934
PRE 2.52 INS. IN 2010
SNOW 3.0 INS. IN 1977
WIND 78e MPH W IN 1940

RECORDS FOR MARCH 24
HIGH 70 IN 1920
LOW 6 IN 1906
PRECIP 1.51 INS. IN 1956
SNOWFALL 12.3 INS. IN 1956
PEAK GUST 71 MPH W IN 1968

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Jonathan O'Brien