BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02186
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
  
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2009  
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

NEW RECORD PEAK GUST OF 53 MPH YESTERDAY
A new record for the peak gust for May 14 
was set yesterday with a gust of 53 MPH 
from the south at 6:14 PM, surpassing the 
previous record for the date of 50 MPH 
from the southwest in 1976.

Today's observations:

7 A.M.   
Weather: Overcast stratus, thin fog
Temperature: 56F, Dew point: 55F, Wind: S at 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.29 inches Hg, rising
Visibility: 8 miles, 5 miles E-S, 12 miles N-NE
6-hour minimum temp: 54F
24-hour precipitation: 0.10 in.
BHO SA 1155 E3 OVC 8 257/56/55/1908/029/ THN FG VSBY E-S 5 N-NE 12/ 
8/6// 53014 MANUAL 70010 ASOS 70010 10057 20054

10 A.M.   
Weather: Overcast stratus, bright spots in overcast East
Temperature: 61F, Dew point: 57F, Wind: WSW at 4 kts
Wind: Light and variable 
Sea-level pressure: 30.29 inches Hg, falling
Visibility: 15 miles, thin fog/haze
BHO SA 1455 E10 OVC 15 256/61/57/2504/029/ BRGHT SPTS IOVC E 
THN FG/H WND LGT AND VRB/ 8/6// 58001

1 P.M.   
Weather: Scattered cumulus, thin broken cirrus
Temperature: 73F, Dew point: 53F, Wind: W at 2 kts (estimated)
Sea-level pressure: 30.26 inches Hg, falling 
Visibility: 20 miles, light haze
6-hour maximum temp: 62F
BHO SA 1755 30 SCT 250 –BKN 20 246/73/53/E2602/026/ 
LGT HZ/ 8/101 56010 10073 20056
   
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, MAY 14

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....62    NORMAL.....67
MIN.....47    NORMAL.....46
MEAN....55    NORMAL.....57

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL...........-2
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH..........+34 [+2.2 DEGREES/DAY] 

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY............10  DEPARTURE.......+1
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH...........117  DEPARTURE......-39
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON.........6013  DEPARTURE.....-169
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE....5793  DIFFERENCE....+220

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY............53 S   AT  5:14 P.M.  
                   AEROVANE.............52 S   AT  5:14 P.M.  
                   ASOS.................53 SSW AT  5:15 P.M.    
                   DAVIS................56 S   AT  5:14 P.M.   
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY..............36 S   AT  5:40 P.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE...........37 S   AT  5:44 P.M.   
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE..........35 S   AT  5:44 P.M.   
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION...... 22.7 SSE
                   ASOS................21.7
                   DAVIS...............19.8 SSE  [167 DEG]

PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.10  DEPARTURE....-0.02
                         ASOS..............0.10 
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........2.25  DEPARTURE....+0.52
                         ASOS..............2.24  
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........16.86  DEPARTURE....-2.82
                         ASOS.............17.92  

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.0  DEPARTURE..... 0.0
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................0.0  DEPARTURE.....-0.1
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............78.9  DEPARTURE.....18.8  
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MAY 2009 CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/AERO GUST
AERO: Aerovane recording wind system gust when significant
TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day)
....: Data not yet available, records not finalized

5/1  64/53/59/+7/T/000/00          37 SSW   AERO 37 MPH SSW
5/2  68/52/60/+8/0.05/263/31       32 WNW 
5/3  64/48/56/+3/T/068/08          25 S 
5/4  64/48/56/+3/0.01/009/01       17 SSW 
5/5  52/44/48/-5/0.95/000/00       43 NNE   AERO 40 MPH NNE
5/6  63/43/53/-1/0.40/189/22       24 SSE   
5/7  68/49/59/+5/0.60/009/01       29 S     
5/8  75/52/64/+10/0/690/80         28 S
5/9  71/55/63/+8/0.13/104/12       31 W     TSTM
5/10 65/46/56/+1/0/840/97          53 W     Aero 50 MPH W 
5/11 63/41/52/-3/0/781/90          24 WNW
5/12 63/45/54/-2/0/.../..          22 ENE 
5/13 70/45/58/+2/0/.../..          31 SSE   AERO 29 MPH SSE
5/14 62/47/55/-2/0.10/.../..       53 S     AERO 52 MPH S

5/15 morning low temp: 54F, our normal low temp. 47F 

NEW DAILY RECORDS FOR MAY 2009...
5/14: RECORD PEAK WIND GUST 53 MPH S; 
      Surpasses previous record of 50 MPH SW in 1976

DAILY EXTREMES

Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR MAY 15
HIGH 93F IN 1900
LOW 36F IN 1947,1985
PRECIP 1.63 INCHES IN 1978
PEAK GUST 53e MPH NE IN 1978, W 2002

RECORDS FOR MAY 16
HIGH 90F IN 1951
LOW 30F IN 1936
PRECIP 2.63 INCHES IN 1954
PEAK GUST 56e MPH NW IN 1952

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Stephanie Radner