BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02186
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2009
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
EVENING THUNDERSTORM BRINGS QUICK DOWNPOUR
LOW OVERCAST, NORTHEAST WINDS AND SOME
VERY COOL WEATHER TODAY
SUNSHINE ABOVE NORMAL FOR MONTH TO DATE
 
A mid-evening thunderstorm dropped a quick half
inch of rain in just 20 minutes starting close
to 9:35 PM EDT.  The final total was 0.54 inch
by the time all rain ended before 11 p.m.
Much cooler temperatures prevail today under
low stratus clouds and northeast winds and
as we go from a low of 63F to the middle to
upper 60's by early afternoon.
The month has been sunnier than the long-term
with 67% through the first eleven days. Our
average for August is 58%. ugus
  
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M.  
Weather: Obscurement with heavy fog  
Temperature: 64F, Dew point: 64F, Wind: N at 6 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.00 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 1/8 mile
6-hour minimum temp: 63F
24-hourly precipitation: 0.54 inch
BHO SA 1155 W3 X 1/8F 159/64/64/0106/000/
VSBY INCRSNG/ 8//// 53022 MANUAL 70054
ASOS 70054 10066 20063 
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Partial obscurement with 3/10 covered by fog,
and overcast stratus clouds 
Temperature: 65F, Dew point: 65F, Wind: NNE at 7 kts,
Wind: direction variable N to ENE
Sea-level pressure: 30.05 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 3/4 miles, but 1/8 to the north and
1.5 miles southeast through southwest
BHO SA 1455 –X E3 OVC 3/4L-F 175/65/65/0307/005/ F3
VSBY N 1/8 SE-SW 11/2 VSBY INCRSNG PCPN VRY LGT WND 35V07/
8/6// 53016 MANUAL 6000/
3-hourly precipitation: trace
 
1 P.M.
Weather: Obscurement with heavy fog, light drizzle 
Temperature: 66F, Dew point: 66F, Wind: NE at 7 kts,
Wind: direction variability N to E 
Sea-level pressure: 30.06 inches Hg, falling
Visibility: 1/4 miles, 1/8 variable to 1/2 mile 
6-hourly max. temp: 67F
6-hourly precipitation: trace
BHO SA 1755 W2 X 1/4VL-F 181/66/66/0407/006/
STRA DRFTG OVR SMT VSBY 1/8V1/2/ LB40 WND 01V08
LB40 8//// 50006 MANUAL 6000/ 10067 20064 
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, AUGUST 11
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....84    NORMAL.....80
MIN.....66    NORMAL.....62
MEAN....75    NORMAL.....71
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR AVERAGE..........+4
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH...........+8  [0.5 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DATA WILL RESUME IN SEPTEMBER
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY.............25 NE  AT  6:31 P.M. 
                   AEROVANE..............23 NE  AT  6:31 P.M. 
                   ASOS..................24 NE  AT  6:31 P.M.     
                   DAVIS.................24 NE  AT  6:25 P.M.  
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY...............18 NE  AT  6:32 P.M.  
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE............17 NE  AT  6:28 P.M.      
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE...........18 NE  AT  6:27 P.M.   
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION....... 9.0 NE
                   ASOS.................9.0 
                   DAVIS................9.3 NNW [340 DEG]
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.54   DEPARTURE....+0.41
                         ASOS..............0.54
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.66   DEPARTURE....-0.74
                         ASOS..............0.66
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........31.92   DEPARTURE....+1.11
                         ASOS.............33.04
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR AUGUST 2009 CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/AERO GUST
AERO: Aerovane wind recording system gust when significant
TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day)
....: Data not yet available, records not finalized
 
8/1  83/63/73/+1/0/823/95    18 SSE
8/2  77/64/71/-1/T/104/12    25 SSE
8/3  84/67/76/+4/0/638/74    17 SW
8/4  83/66/75/+3/0/714/83    23 S
8/5  86/67/77/+5/T/378/44    27 SSW TSTM
8/6  76/61/69/-3/0/564/66    18 SSE
8/7  79/58/69/-2/0/836/98    32 W
8/8  74/55/65/-6/0/791/93    21 WNW
8/9  76/59/68/-3/T/178/21    25 SSE
8/10 87/66/77/+6/0.12/584/69 27 W  TSTM 
8/11 84/66/75/+4/0.54/684/81 25 NE TSTM 
 
8/12 our morning low temp: 63F; the normal low is now 62F
 
NEW DAILY RECORDS FOR AUGUST 2009 TO DATE...
NONE
 
DAILY EXTREMES
 
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR AUGUST 12
HIGH 99F IN 1944
LOW 48F IN 1930
PRECIP 1.89 INCHES IN 1979
PEAK GUST 50 MPH NE IN 1983
 
RECORDS FOR AUGUST 13
HIGH 98F IN 1944, 2002
LOW 47F IN 1902, 1957
PRECIP 2.92 INCHES IN 1989
PEAK GUST 52 MPH SSE IN 1963
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling