BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2013 
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
WARMEST TEMPERATURE OF THE SEASON TO DATE....
 
The maximum temperature touched 61F early this afternoon for
our warmest for this season and year to date.  
 
MARCH 2013 ENDS UP 5TH SNOWIEST ON RECORD
TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION NEAR NORMAL
 
PRELIMINARY MARCH STATS
 
TEMPERATURE (Deg. F)
Av. Max. 42.6
Av. Min  28.7
Mean     35.7 [+0.2]
24-hour corr. mean 35.2
Max. temp: 59/31st
Min. temp: 16/18th
Total Heating Units:      897 [-19]
Seasonal total (heating) 5017 [-467]

PRECIPITATION
Total precip: 5.70 ins. [+0.12 in.]
Greatest calendar day: 1.45 ins. [19th]
Total snowfall: 37.8 ins. [+25.1] *
Seasonal total: 99.0 ins. [+39.4]

WIND
Av. wind speed: 13.0 mph
Av. corrected:  13.4 mph
Prevailing wind direction: NW @ 22%
Peak Gust:    47 mph NE on 6th
Fastest mile: 34 mph NE on 6th

SUNSHINE
Astronomical only: 9799/22247 or 44% (preliminary only)
Campbell-Stokes card data not available at this time
 
* BLUE HILL SNOWIEST MARCHES, INCHES (1885-2013)
1) 52.0 in 1956
2) 42.2 in 1916
3) 41.4 in 2001
4) 41.0 in 1967
5) 37.8 in 2013 
6) 35.5 in 1993
 
Today's observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Overcast stratus, breaks in overcast along horizon distant ESE-S
and clearing sky band along horizon distant WSW-WNW
Temperature: 41F; Dew Point: 40F; Wind: W at 14 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 29.62 ins. Hg, rising then more slowly
Visibility: 25 miles, light distant fog
6-hour min. temp: 40F
6-hour precip:  0.03 in.
24-hour precip: 0.12 in.
BHO SA 1155 E6 OVC 25 031/41/40/2814/962/ BINOVC/CLR SKY BND ALG HRZN
DSNT ESE-S AND LINE CLRG ALG HRZN DSNT WSW-WNW DSNT THN FG ALQDS
VSBY ESE-S 35/ 8/6// 51020 ASOS 60002 MANUAL 6003/ ASOS 70011
MANUAL 70012 10045 20040
 
10 A.M.
Weather:  Scattered cirrus, cumulus fractus and cumulus forming,
patch cirrus SW-NW-NE
Temperature: 55F; Dew Point: 40F; Wind: WSW at 14 kts,
Wind: Direction variable SSW-WNW
Sea-level pressure: 29.63 ins. Hg, rising then falling
Visibility: 45 miles, distant haze
BHO SA 1455 220 SCT 45 034/55/40/2514/963/ CUFRA/CU FRMG
PTCH CI SW-N-NE DSNT HZ WND 20V29/ 8/101 50003
 
1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered cumulus, few moderate cumulus, broken stratocumulus 
cumulogenitus, cumulus and moderate cumulus dark bases W-N mostly 
clear sky E-S, haze increasing 
Temperature: 59F; Dew Point: 41F; Wind: SSW at 15G24 kts,
Wind: Direction variable SSW-WNW
Sea-level pressure: 29.56 ins. Hg, falling then more rapidly
Visibility: 35 miles, except 45 miles WNW, haze increasing
6-hourly max. temp: 61F
BHO SA 1755 45 SCT E60 BKN 35 010/59/41/2015G24/956/
CU/MDT CU/SCCU DRK BASES W-N MSTLY CLR SKY E-S HAZY
AND HZ INCRSNG VSBY WNW 45 WND 17V24/ 8/200 58024 10061 20041
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR SUNDAY, MARCH 31
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....59     NORMAL.....49
MIN.....37     NORMAL.....32                         
MEAN....48     NORMAL.....41  
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.......................+7
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH......................+16 [+0.2 DEGREE/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS 
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY............17   DEPARTURE.............-7
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH...........897   DEPARTURE............-19
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON.........5017   DEPARTURE...........-466
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE....4285   DIFFERENCE..........+732
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...............37 SSW  AT   4:26 P.M. 
                   AERO....................35 SSW  AT   4:26 P.M.
                   ASOS....................39 SSW  AT   4:26 P.M.
                   DAVIS...................38 SSW  AT   4:26 P.M. RMY: 40
THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.............29 S    AT   4:32 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..............29 SSW  AT   4:47 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.............28 S    AT   4:26 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.........12.3 S
                   ASOS..................12.3
                   DAVIS.................10.8 S [185 deg]
*last of several occurrences
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.12  DEPARTURE...........-0.06
                         ASOS..............0.11
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MARCH..........5.76  DEPARTURE...........+0.18
                         ASOS..............5.91
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........14.15  DEPARTURE...........+0.21
                         ASOS..............N/A*
*ASOS malfunctioned during storm on 2/8-9, leading to erroneous totals
                       
SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M.........0.0   DEPARTURE............-0.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH..............37.8   DEPARTURE...........+25.2
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON.............99.0   DEPARTURE...........+39.4
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MARCH 2013 CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/AERO GUST
AERO: Aerovane wind recording system gust
RMY:  RMY = R.M. Young wind gust recording system added 8/9/2011
TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day)
....: Data not yet available, records not finalized
 
3/1  39/33/36/+5/0.00/0.0/047/07     25 NNW AERO 24 MPH NNW RMY 28
3/2  42/30/36/+5/0.00/0.0/400/59     18 NW  AERO 16 MPH NW  RMY 21
3/3  42/30/36/+4/0.01/0.2/034/05     17 WNW AERO 15 MPH WNW RMY N/A
3/4  39/26/33/+1/T/T/328/48          32 NW  AERO 33 MPH WNW RMY 37
3/5  43/30/37/+5/0/0/123/18          27 WNW AERO 24 MPH WNW RMY N/A
3/6  37/33/35/+3/0.19/0.3/000/00     47 NE  AERO 46 MPH NE  RMY 51
3/7  34/29/32/-1/1.36/11.5/000/00    45 NE  AERO 45 MPH NE  RMY 47
3/8  37/28/33/0/1.89/18.0/000/00     41 NNE AERO 39 MPH NNW RMY 45
3/9  40/29/35/+2/0.00/0.0/677/97     29 N   AERO 23 MPH N   RMY 28
3/10 40/27/34/+1/0.00/0.0/372/53     21 S   AERO 17 MPH S   RMY N/A
3/11 50/32/41/+7/0.00/0.0/099/14     27 S   AERO 25 MPH S   RMY N/A
3/12 52/39/46/+12/0.51/0.0/000/00    45 S   AERO 46 MPH S   RMY 47
3/13 50/33/42/+8/T/0.0/674/95        32 WNW AERO 32 MPH WNW RMY 34
3/14 34/20/27/-8/0.00/0.0/014/02     37 W   AERO 37 MPH NW  RMY 38
3/15 39/17/28/-7/0.00/0.0/408/57     35 NW  AERO 37 MPH W   RMY 34
3/16 39/25/32/-3/0.00/0.0/352/49     23 NW  AERO 18 MPH WNW RMY 20
3/17 38/23/31/-5/0.00/0.0/665/95     32 WNW AERO 28 MPH WNW RMY 34
3/18 37/16/27/-9/0.14/1.1/557/77     27 NNW AERO 23 MPH NNW RMY N/A
3/19 35/26/31/-5/1.45/5.8/000/00     42 E   AERO 39 MPH E   RMY 43
3/20 37/22/30/-7/0.00/0.0/628/86     37 W   AERO 33 MPH W   RMY 38
3/21 36/27/32/-5/0.03/0.3/154/21     15 NNW AERO  8 MPH NW  RMY N/A
3/22 39/26/33/-4/0.00/0.0/492/67     30 W   AERO 29 MPH W   RMY 34
3/23 41/28/35/-3/0.00/0.0/649/88     40 W   AERO 38 MPH W   RMY 42
3/24 45/28/37/-1/0.00/0.0/704/95     29 WNW AERO 28 MPH WNW RMY N/A
3/25 40/31/36/-2/T/T/060/08          33 NNE AERO 31 MPH NE  RMY 38
3/26 48/31/40/+1/0.05/0.6/486/65     25 NW  AER0 23 MPH N   RMY 25
3/27 52/30/41/+2/T/0.0/.../..        30 NNW AERO 30 MPH NNW RMY 30
3/28 46/35/41/+2/0.01/0.0/.../..     23 NNW AERO 18 MPH NNW RMY N/A
3/29 56/35/46/+6/0.00/0.0/.../..     25 W   AERO 22 MPH NW  RMY 27
3/30 56/35/46/+6/0.00/0.0/.../..     25 WWN AERO 20 MPH WNW RMY 25
3/31 59/37/48/+7/0.06/0.0/.../..     37 SSW AERO 35 MPH SSW RMY 40
 
4/1  the morning low temp: 40F; the normal low is now 32F
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR MARCH 2013
3/7 - NEW DAILY RECORD SNOWFALL OF 11.5 INCHES;
      surpasses the previous record of 11.1 inches in 1967
3/8 - NEW DAILY RECORD SNOWFALL OF 18.0 INCHES;
      surpasses the previous record of 8.3 inches in 1941
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR APRIL 1
HIGH 74 IN 1967
LOW 6 IN 1923 [RECORD FOR MONTH]
PRECIP 3.47 IN. IN 2004 [RECORD FOR MONTH]
SNOWFALL 15.0 IN. IN 1997 [RECORD FOR MONTH]
PEAK GUST 75 MPH SSW IN 1962
 
RECORDS FOR APRIL 2
HIGH 77 IN 1967
LOW 14 IN 1919
PRECIP 1.83 IN. IN 1970
SNOWFALL 13.0 IN. IN 1887
PEAK GUST 76 MPH SSW IN 1970
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling