BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA   DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2013 ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME   SUNSHINE RETURNS YESTERDAY AFTER TWO OVERCAST DAYS SUNSHINE CONTINUES TODAY DESPITE SOME HIGH CLOUDINESS HEAVY EARLY MORNING FROST TODAY    The sun made another appearance today after first appearing yesterday by mid-day, this after being overcast for the first two days of December. The sunshine was continuing despite high cirrus clouds. A heavy white frost formed overnight last night in a very moist air mass and coated the grass and snow boards on the summit this morning.    Temperatures reached the normal high for this date of 43 degrees early this afternoon and December is off to a slightly milder than normal start.   November, overall, ended up being a cool and relatively dry month compared to the 30-year normals.  Statistics can be found below.   Meteorological autumn came to a close at the end of November.  The mean temperature for the September through November period was 51.7F, which was slightly warmer (+0.7F) than the 120-year mean, and slightly cooler (-0.2F) than the 30-year mean.  It has been a while since there has been a whole season below the 30-year normal.  It appears as though winter 2010-2011 was the last time a season finished below the 30-year normal. The autumn precipitation of 8.59 inches was the 20th driest on record.   For the Jan 1 through Nov 30 period, the mean temperature is tied for 13th warmest on record.  This year cannot make it into the top ten warmest unless December has better than record warmth.  The average wind speed for the Jan 1 through Nov 30 period of 12.2 is tied for second slowest.    NOVEMBER 2013 PRELIMINARY STATISTICS: (departures relative to 1981-2010 average)   TEMPERATURE: Average Max Temp: 48.4F [-1.6F] Average Min Temp: 31.2F [-2.3F] Mean Temp: 39.8F [-1.9F] 24-hr. Corr. Mean Temp: 39.7F [-2.4F] Max Temp: 68F on 1st Min Temp: 14F on 25th   Total heating degree day units (month):    747 [+49] *NCDC method Total heating degree day units (season): 1,224 [-37] *start July 1 (NCDC)   PRECIPITATION: Total precipitation: 3.59 inches [-1.17 inch] Greatest 24-hr precipitation: 2.31 inches on 26th and 27th Total snowfall: 0.2 inch [-2.1 inches]   WIND: Avg wind speed: 13.6 MPH Avg corrected wind speed: 13.9 MPH Prevailing wind direction: WNW [18%] Peak gust: 63 MPH SSE on 27th Peak fastest mile: 49 MPH SSE on 7th   SUNSHINE: Total astronomical minutes: 10,313 of possible 17,650 or 58% Total Campbell Stokes card minutes; 9,966 of possible 17,010 or 59% * Long term November average is 47%   BHO Highest November Sea Level Pressure, inches (1885-1895, 1942-present) 1. 30.86 in 1887 2. 30.82 in 1891 3. 30.80 in 1996 4. 30.79 in 2013 5. 30.75 in 1888    30.75 in 1993 7. 30.73 in 1986   BHO Greatest November Sunshine, hours (1885-2013) 1) 182.3 in 1939 2) 181.5 in 1917    181.5 in 1976 4) 173.9 in 1905 5) 171.3 in 1964 6) 170.8 in 1941 7) 169.6 in 2011 8) 169.4 in 1975 9) 166.5 in 1994 10) 166.1 in 2013 11) 161.4 in 1965   BHO Greatest Sep-Nov Sunshine, hours (1885-2013) 1) 623.3 in 2001     (63%) 2) 610.7 in 1941     (62%) 3) 605.1 in 1973     (62%) 4) 599.4 in 1966     (61%) 5) 594.5 in 1952     (60%) 6) 592.4 in 1916     (60%) 7) 590.0 in 1978     (60%) 8) 587.8 in 2013     (60%) 9) 587.6 in 1967     (60%)   Today's Observations:   7 A.M. Weather: Thin broken cirrus, thin fog, heavy frost grass/boards Temperature: 30F; Dew Point: 28F; Wind: WNW at 11 kts. Sea-level pressure: 30.06 ins. Hg, rising then more rapidly Visibility: 9 mile, thin fog 6-hr min temp: 29F 24-hr precip:  None BHO SA 1155 250 –BKN 9 179/30/28/2911/006/ THN F ALQDS HVY FROST GRASS/BOARDS/ 8/001 53021 10032 20029   10 A.M.  Weather: Scattered cirrus, patches dense cirrus all quadrants, thin fog SE-S, hazy Temperature: 36F; Dew Point: 29F; Wind: WNW at 8 kts. Sea-level pressure: 30.11 ins. Hg, rising Visibility: 20 miles, 10 miles SE-S, 30 miles W-NE, hazy BHO SA 1455 220 SCT 250 –OVC 20 195/36/29/2908/011/ PTCHS DNS CI ALQDS THN F SE-S VSBY SE-S 10 W-N-NE 30 HAZY / 8/002 51016     1 P.M. Weather: Scattered altocumulus/altocumulus lenticularis all quadrants, scattered dense cirrus (layer distant NE-SE, thin broken cirrus  Temperature: 41F; Dew Point: 25F; Wind: WNW at 7 kts, Wind: Direction variable WSW-NNW Sea-level pressure: 30.10 ins. Hg, falling slightly Visibility: 35 miles, hazy, except 40 miles WNW, hazy 6-hr max. temp: 42F BHO SA 1755 100 SCT 150 SCT 200 SCT 250 –BKN 35 189/41/25/3007/010/ ACSL ALQDS DNS CI LYR DSNT NE-SE VSBY WNW 40 DSNT HZ ALQDS WND 25V34/ 8/042 56006 10042 20030   WEATHER SUMMARY FOR TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2013   TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F) MAX.....45    NORMAL.....44 MIN.....32    NORMAL.....28 MEAN....39    NORMAL.....36   DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL......................+3 TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH......................+4 [+1.1 DEGREES/DAY]   HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN) TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............26  DEPARTURE.........-3 TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH..............82  DEPARTURE.........-5 TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........1386  DEPARTURE........-42 TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......1223  DIFFERENCE.......+83   PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..................18 NNW AT  2:57 P.M. *                    AERO.......................20 NNW AT  2:40 P.M.                     ASOS.......................20 NNW AT  2:41 P.M.                     DAVIS......................18 WNW AT  8:01 P.M. RMY 20 FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY....................15 NW  AT  8:04 P.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.................15 NW  AT  8:04 P.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE................14 WNW AT  8:03 P.M. AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.............8.7 NNW                    ASOS......................9.1                    DAVIS.....................7.5 NW [320 degrees] * last of several occurrences   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..........0.28  DEPARTURE.............-0.21                          ASOS..............0.28 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........46.88  DEPARTURE.............-2.14                          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...........Trace     DEPARTURE.............-0.8 TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON............0.2     DEPARTURE.............-3.2   PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2013 CALENDAR DAY DATA DATA REPORTED: DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOW/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   11/1  68/56/62/+16/0.10/0.0/012/02        60 SSW AERO N/A N/A    RMY 66 11/2  65/49/57/+11/0.00/0.0/296/48        22 WSW AERO N/A N/A    RMY 23 11/3  49/30/40/-6/0.06/T/135/22           23 N   AERO N/A N/A    RMY N/A 11/4  42/27/35/-10/0.00/0.0/588/96        24 NNE AERO N/A N/A    RMY 25 11/5  50/29/40/-5/0.00/0.0/487/80         16 SSW AERO N/A N/A    RMY 17 11/6  59/40/50/+5/0.00/0.0/419/69         30 SSW AERO 31 MPH SSW RMY 33 11/7  65/37/51/+6/0.31/0.0/079/13         33 SW  AERO 37 MPH SW  RMY 37 11/8  48/31/40/-4/T/T/0.0/421/70          37 WNW AERO 37 MPH WNW RMY 39 11/9  44/29/37/-7/0.00/0.0/366/61         25 WNW AERO 25 MPH WNW RMY 29 11/10 52/40/46/+2/0.08/0.0/108/18         31 WNW AERO 33 MPH WNW RMY N/A 11/11 51/36/44/+1/0.00/0.0/500/84         36 WNW AERO 37 MPH WNW RMY 37 11/12 48/24/36/-7/0.11/0.2/000/00         42 SW  AERO 43 MPH SW  RMY 43 11/13 35/21/28/-15/0.00/0.0/591/100       29 NW  AERO 30 MPH NW  RMY 30 11/14 49/26/38/-4/0.00/0.0/536/91         25 SW  AERO 25 MPH SW  RMY 28 11/15 59/38/49/+7/0.00/0.0/393/67         24 S   AERO 25 MPH S   RMY 26 11/16 59/40/50/+8/0.00/0.0/363/62         20 WSW AERO 20 MPH WSW RMY N/A 11/17 59/42/51/+10/0.07/0.0/000/00        23 SSE AERO 25 MPH SSE RMY N/A 11/18 65/46/56/+15/0.28/0.0/400/69        40 SSW AERO 40 MPH S   RMY N/A 11/19 46/28/37/-4/0.00/0.0/428/74         46 WNW AERO 46 MPH WNW RMY 46 11/20 40/25/33/-7/0.00/0.0/565/98         23 NW  AERO 22 MPH NW  RMY 22 11/21 46/26/36/-4/0.00/0.0/460/80         16 SW  AERO 16 MPH SW  RMY N/A 11/22 46/39/43/+3/0.22/0.0/000/00         17 WSW AERO 18 MPH SW  RMY 19 11/23 46/27/37/-2/0.00/0.0/451/79         40 WNW AERO 44 MPH WNW RMY 48 11/24 27/17/22/-17/0.00/0.0/552/97        53 NW  AERO 59 MPH NW  RMY 57 11/25 32/14/23/-16/0.00/0.0/568/100       29 W   AERO 29 MPH WNW RMY N/A 11/26 42/29/36/-2/0.13/T/000/00           25 SW  AERO 27 MPH SW  RMY 28 11/27 61/34/48/+10/2.23/0.0/000/00        63 SSE AERO 68 MPH SSE RMY 67 11/28 35/21/28/-10/0.00/0.0/557/99        43 W   AERO 46 MPH W   RMY 45 11/29 33/19/26/-11/0.00/0.0/527/94        23 NNW AERO 23 MPH NNW RMY 24 11/30 32/15/24/-13/0.00/0.0/510/91        18 SE  AERO 19 MPH SE  RMY N/A   12/1  45/30/38/+1/0.28/T/000/00           22 SSE AERO 23 MPH SSE RMY 23 12/2  38/34/36/0/T/0.0/000/00             15 NW  AERO 15 MPH NW  RMY N/A 12/3  45/32/39/+3/0.00/0.0/.../..         18 NNW AERO 18 MPH NNW RMY 20   12/4  morning low temp: 29F; the normal low is now 28F   DAILY RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 2013 11/27 - NEW RECORD MAXIMUM DAILY PRECIPITATION OF 2.23 INCHES;         surpasses the previous record of 1.92 inches in 1898   DAILY RECORDS FOR DECEMBER 2013 None so far.   DAILY EXTREMES Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):   RECORDS FOR DECEMBER 4 HIGH 67 IN 1998 LOW -4 IN 1940 PRECIP 1.87 INS. IN 1968 SNOWFALL 6.0 INS. IN 1907 PEAK GUST 73 MPH WNW IN 1980   RECORDS FOR DECEMBER 5 HIGH 65 IN 2001 LOW -1 IN 1926 PRECIP 2.86 INS. IN 1993 SNOWFALL 7.0 INS. IN 1926, 1981 PEAK GUST 67 MPH WNW IN 1961, S IN 1973   TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling