BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA   DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013    ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME   EARLY DUSTING GIVES WAY TO SUNSHINE   An early morning trace amount of snow fell between 5:00 and 7:00 totaling 0.1 inch but not impacting the average ground snow depth of 3 inches. Morning relative humidity of 96% fell as the clouds dispersed leaving mostly blue skies and significant haze which limited visibility to 25 miles.   Yesterday was the second consecutive warmer than average day (+8F), but so far January has still been colder than the 30 year average, by 1.6F per day.   At Blue Hill, 2012 finished as the warmest year on record by a significant margin.  The year also finished with the lowest wind speed on record, again by a significant margin.   BLUE HILL WARMEST ANNUAL TEMPERATURE 1885-2012 (deg F) 1) 51.7 in 2012 2) 51.0 in 2010 3) 50.9 in 1999 4) 50.8 in 1998 5) 50.6 in 2006   BLUE HILL LOWEST ANNUAL WIND SPEED 1885-2012 (deg F) 1) 11.8 in 2012 2) 12.5 in 2011 3) 12.6 in 2008    12.6 in 2009 5) 12.7 in 2001    12.7 in 2005   A few updates/additions have been made to the December stats below.   DECEMBER 2012 PRELIMINARY STATISTICS:   TEMPERATURE: Average Max Temp:  42.8F [+3.7F] Average Min Temp:  30.1F [+6.5F] Mean Temp:  36.5F [+5.2F] 24-hr. Corr. Mean Temp:  36.2F [+4.6F] Max Temp:  59F on 10th Min Temp:  17F on 31st Total heating degree day units (month):    878 [-165] *NCDC method Total heating degree day units (season): 2,028 [-276] *start July 1 (NCDC) Total heating degree day units (calendar year): 5,259   PRECIPITATION: Total precipitation:  6.52 ins. [+1.63 ins.] Greatest 24-hr precipitation:  1.93 ins. on 26th/27th Total snowfall:  9.4 inches [-2.0 ins.] *using 1890-2010 mean Greatest snow depth: 7 ins. on 30th   WIND: Avg wind speed:  12.7 MPH Avg corrected wind speed:  13.0 MPH Prevailing wind direction: WNW [14%] Peak gust:  70 MPH E on 27th Peak fastest mile:  51 MPH E on 27th   SUNSHINE: * Total astronomical minutes: 5,695 of possible 17,037 or 33% Total Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 5,520 of possible 16,470 or 34%   * Corrected values as of 1/5/2012   Today's observations:   7 A.M. Weather: Few stratus fractus, overcast nimbostratus, snowfall ended within past hour time unknown Temperature: 28F; Dew Point: 26F; Wind: SSW at 12 kts Sea-level pressure: 30.10 ins. Hg, falling then falling more slowly Visibility: 10 miles, thin fog all quadrants Snow on ground: 3 inches BHO SA 1155 E70 OVC 10 192/28/26/2012/010/ FEW STFRA THN F ALQDS SEUKN/ 8/72/ 4/003 56020 MANUAL 6000/ 10031 20026   10 A.M. Weather: Clear, few stratus fractus, few altocumulus WNW-NNE Temperature: 34F; Dew Point: 29F; Wind: SW at 13 kts, Sea-level pressure: 30.07 ins. Hg, falling then falling more rapidly Visibility: 15 miles, thin fog BHO SA 1455 CLR 15 183/34/29/2213/007/ FEW STFRA/AC WNW-NNE K LYR WSW-NNE THN F 8/640 58009    1 P.M. Weather: Clear, few cirrus, thin smoke layer NNW-NE Temperature: 40F; Dew Point: 27F; Wind: WSW at 9kts, Wind: direction variable S-WNW Sea-level pressure:29.97 ins. Hg, falling then falling more slowly Visibility: 25 miles, hazy 6-hour max: 40F 6-hour min: 26F BHO SA 1755 CLR 25 150/40/27/2509/997/ FEW CI -K LYR NNW-NE HZ ALQDS/ WND 19V29/ 8/001 56033 10040 20026   WEATHER SUMMARY FOR SATURDAY, JANUARY 5   TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F) MAX.....40      NORMAL.....34 MIN.....27      NORMAL.....18 MEAN....34      NORMAL.....26   DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL......................+8 TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH......................-9 [-1.6 DEGREES/DAY]   HEATING DEGREE DAYS TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY............31    DEPARTURE.........-8 TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH...........202    DEPARTURE.........+9 TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON.........2230    DEPARTURE.......-267 TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE....1930    DIFFERENCE......+300   PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...............36 WNW AT  12:37 P.M.                    AERO....................37 WNW AT  12:37 P.M.                    ASOS....................37 WNW AT  12:38 P.M.                    DAVIS...................36 WNW AT  12:38 P.M. RMY: 38 THE FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.............26 WNW AT  12:38 P.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..............24 WNW AT  12:44 P.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.............24 WNW AT  12:45 P.M. AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.........11.0 WSW                    ASOS..................9.9                    DAVIS.................9.8 W [267 deg.]   PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST) TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00   DEPARTURE..........-0.14                          ASOS..............0.00 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.00   DEPARTURE..........-0.72                          ASOS..............0.00 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........0.00   DEPARTURE..........-0.72                          ASOS..............0.00   SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST) TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M.........0.1   DEPARTURE............-0.4 TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH...............0.1   DEPARTURE............-2.7 TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON.............15.5   DEPARTURE............-3.3        PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR DECEMBER 2012 & JANUARY 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   12/1  34/25/30/-7/0.06/0.8/000/00     16 E   AERO 14 MPH E   RMY 16 12/2  52/32/42/+6/T/0.0/006/01        32 SSW AERO 32 MPH SSW RMY 34 12/3  57/43/50/+14/0.00/0.0/523/94    31 NW  AERO 30 MPH NW  RMY 32 12/4  56/40/48/+13/0.03/0.0/000/00    37 S   AERO 39 MPH S   RMY 38 12/5  56/31/44/+9/0.03/0.0/310/56     38 WNW AERO 37 MPH WNW RMY 40 12/6  38/25/32/-3/0.00/0.0/519/94     31 NW  AERO 30 MPH NW  RMY N/A 12/7  42/30/36/+2/0.02/0.0/000/00     18 SSW AERO 16 MPH SSW RMY 18        12/8  45/41/43/+9/0.35/0.0/000/00     21 ENE AERO 18 MPH ENE RMY N/A 12/9  45/38/42/+8/0.10/0.0/181/33     24 NNW AERO 24 MPH NNW RMY 25 12/10 59/39/49/+16/0.51/0.0/000/00    32 SSW AERO 33 MPH SSW RMY 35 12/11 54/30/42/+9/0.01/0.0/351/64     25 W   AERO 25 MPH W   RMY 23 12/12 38/26/32/-1/0.00/0.0/126/23     20 NW  AERO 18 MPH NW  RMY N/A 12/13 42/29/36/+4/0.00/0.0/416/76     18 NW  AERO 15 MPH NW  RMY N/A 12/14 47/29/38/+6/0.00/0.0/535/98     28 W   AERO 25 MPH W   RMY 27 12/15 40/31/36/+4/0.00/0.0/530/97     24 NNW AERO 22 MPH NNW RMY 21 12/16 36/31/34/+3/0.25/0.1/000/00     25 E   AERO 22 MPH E   RMY N/A 12/17 44/36/40/+9/0.65/0.0/000/00     31 ENE AERO 29 MPH ENE RMY 30 12/18 50/40/45/+14/0.61/0.0/000/00    28 E   AERO 24 MPH E   RMY N/A 12/19 44/35/40/+10/T/0.0/087/16       42 WNW AERO 40 MPN WNW RMY 43 12/20 42/30/36/+6/T/0.0/262/48        25 NNW AERO 23 MPH NNW RMY N/A 12/21 53/35/44/+14/0.90/0.0/000/00    58 E   AERO 53 MPH E   RMY 57 12/22 37/26/32/+3/T/T/136/25          47 W   AERO 47 MPH W   RMY 43 12/23 37/25/31/+2/0.00/0.0/305/56     44 WNW AERO 44 MPH WNW RMY N/A 12/24 39/28/34/+5/0.00/0.0/452/83     25 W   AERO 23 MPH W   RMY 22 12/25 33/25/29/+1/0.04/0.6/000/00     21 NNW AERO 21 MPH NNW RMY 19  12/26 35/20/28/+0/0.30/1.0/234/43     39 E   AERO 39 MPH E   RMY N/A 12/27 45/30/38/+10/1.64/0.3/000/00    70 E   AERO 71 MPH E   RMY 67 12/28 34/24/29/+1/0.00/0.0/528/99     37 NW  AERO 39 MPH NW  RMY 36 12/29 34/25/30/+3/0.98/6.0/000/00     39 ENE AERO 39 MPH ENE RMY 40 12/30 27/18/23/-4/0.04/0.6/132/24     50 NW  AERO 53 MPH NW  RMY 53 12/31 31/17/24/-3/0.00/0.0/049/09     35 WNW AERO 35 MPH WNW RMY 36   1/1   35/18/27/0/0.00/0.0/.../..      44 WNW AERO 44 MPH WNW RMY 45 1/2   29/11/20/-7/0.00/0.0/.../..     35 WNW AERO 35 MPH WNW RMY 33 1/3   23/2/13/-13/0.00/0.0/.../..     24 WNW AERO 23 MPH WNW RMY 23 1/4   38/19/29/+3/0.00/0.0/.../..     35 W   AERO 36 MPH W   RMY 36 1/5   40/27/34/+8/T/T/.../..          36 WNW AERO 37 MPH WNW RMY 38   1/6   morning low temp: 27F; the normal low is now 18F   DAILY RECORDS FOR DECEMBER 2012 None.   DAILY RECORDS FOR JANUARY 2013 None so far.   DAILY EXTREMES Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):   RECORDS FOR JANUARY 6 HIGH 66F IN 2007 LOW -14F IN 1896 PRECIP 3.10 INS. IN 1889 [RECORD FOR MONTH] SNOWFALL 7.5 INS. IN 1893 PEAK GUST 70 MPH WNW IN 1959   RECORDS FOR JANUARY 7 HIGH 60F IN 1930 LOW -7F IN 1896 PRECIP 1.97 INS. IN 1977 SNOWFALL 16.0 INS. IN 1977 PEAK GUST 74 MPH NW IN 1968   TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Forrest Iwanik / Jonathan O'Brien