BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2013 ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME FIRST FLAKES OF THE SEASON FALL IN RAIN AND SNOW MIX EARLY SUNDAY TEMPERATURES DROP INTO 20'S EARLY THIS MORNING The first snowflakes of the season accompanied the light rain which fell Sunday morning. The rainfall was once again a very small amount of only 0.06 inch. This was the 7th daily rainfall out of 8 daily amounts to accumulate less than one tenth of an inch. The low temperature of 27F this morning was our coldest of the season to date and coldest since early last April. We were declared in a moderate drought last week and the only 0.16 inch so far this month has done nothing to ease the continuing shortage of precipitation. The last significant daily rainfall was just over a half inch way back on October 6th. At our Hingham cooperative station the dry conditions extend all the way back to early August with only 0.23 inch from August 10-31, 1.42 inches during September, and just 1.09 inches in October. Percentages of normal rainfall are way down around 20 to 25% for the period. September-October at 2.48 inches was the driest on our 61-year record. OCTOBER 2013 PRELIMINARY STATISTICS AT BLUE HILL: (departures relative to 1981-2010 average) TEMPERATURE: Average Max Temp: 62.5F [+2.2F] Average Min Temp: 45.9F [+3.0F] Mean Temp: 54.2F [+2.6F] 24-hr. Corr. Mean Temp: 53.4F Max Temp: 78F on 2nd Min Temp: 30F on 29th (first freeze of the season) Total heating degree day units (month): 331 [-90] *NCDC method Total heating degree day units (season): 477 [-86] *start July 1 (NCDC) Total cooling degree day units (month): 5 [0] *NCDC method Total cooling degree day units (season): 701 [+99] *start Jan 1 (NCDC) PRECIPITATION: Total precipitation: 1.09 inches [-3.60 inches] Greatest 24-hr precipitation: 0.56 on October 6. WIND: Avg wind speed: 10.7 MPH Avg corrected wind speed: 11.2 MPH Prevailing wind direction: W [17%] Peak gust: 48 MPH S on 7TH Peak fastest mile: 40 MPH S on 7TH SUNSHINE: Total astronomical minutes: 11,757 (196.0 hrs.) out of possible 20,551 minutes (342.5 hrs.) or 57% Total Campbell Stokes card minutes; 11,358 (189.3 hrs.) out of possible 19,824 minutes (330.4 hrs.) or 57% BHO DRIEST OCTOBERS (INCHES, 1886-2013) 1) 0.22 IN 1924 2) 0.39 IN 1994 3) 0.50 IN 1946 4) 0.61 IN 1935 5) 0.63 IN 1897 6) 0.79 IN 2001 7) 1.09 IN 2013 8) 1.15 IN 1918 9) 1.24 IN 1921 10) 1.25 IN 1940 Today's Observations: 7 A.M. Weather: Clear, stratocumulus/cumulus along and offshore NE-SE Temperature: 28F; Dew Point: 16F; Wind: N at 10 kts. Sea-level pressure: 30.58 ins. Hg, rising then rising more slowly Visibility: 80 miles Visibility: E-SE 20 miles, hazy 6-hr min temp: 27F 24-hour precip: 0.05 inch BHO SA 1155 CLR 80 357/28/16/3510/058/ SC LYR ALG/OFFSHR NE-SSE HAZY AND VSBY 20 E-SE LGT DSNT HZ NW/ 8/800 51028 MANUAL 70005 ASOS 70004 10029 20027 10 A.M. Weather: Scattered cumulus/stratocumulus/stratocumulus generated by cumulus, cumulus fractus/cumulus forming vicinity overhead-SSE-SSW Temperature: 37F; Dew Point: 16F; Wind: N at 9 kts, Wind: Gust to 21 kts past hour Wind: Direction variable N-NE Sea-level pressure: 30.62 ins. Hg, rising then rising more slowly Visibility: 80 miles BHO SA 1455 55 SCT 80 369/37/16/0109/062/ SC/CU NNE-SSW FEW CUFRA/CU FRMG VCTY OVHD-SSE-SSW WND GUST 21 KTS PST HR WND 35V05/ 8/800 51012 1 P.M. Weather: Clear, stratocumulus along/offshore NE-SE, few small cumulus and stratocumulus generated by cumulus SSE-SSW, cirrus distant WSW-WNW Temperature: 41F; Dew Point: 18F; Wind: NE at 8 kts, Wind: Direction variable NNW-ENE Sea-level pressure: 30.61 ins. Hg, falling slightly Visibility: 80 miles 6-hr max temp: 42F BHO SA 1755 CLR 80 367/41/18/0408/061/ SC ALG/OFFSHR NE-SSE SML CU/SCCG DSNT SSE-SSW CI DSNT WSW-WNW WND 34V07/ 8/801 58002 10042 20028 WEATHER SUMMARY FOR SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2013 TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F) MAX.....49 NORMAL.....54 MIN.....30 NORMAL.....37 MEAN....40 NORMAL.....46 DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.....................-6 TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH....................+21 [+6.8 DEGREES/DAY] HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN) TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............25 DEPARTURE.........+6 TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH..............36 DEPARTURE........-21 TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON............513 DEPARTURE.......-107 TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.......463 DIFFERENCE.......+50 PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..................23 N AT 2:33 A.M. * AERO......................N/A ASOS.......................23 NNW AT 3:09 A.M. DAVIS......................20 N AT 1:41 A.M. RMY N/A FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY....................15 NNW AT 9:07 P.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.................16 NNW AT 9:07 P.M. MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE................14 NW AT 1:43 A.M. AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION............10.2 NNW ASOS......................9.6 DAVIS.....................8.4 NNW [340 degrees] * last of several occurrences... PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST) TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.05 DEPARTURE.............-0.11 ASOS..............0.05 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR OCTOBER............0.16 DEPARTURE.............-0.31 ASOS..............0.16 TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........43.17 DEPARTURE.............-1.07 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.......Trace DEPARTURE.............-0.1 TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH.............Trace DEPARTURE.............-0.1 TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON............Trace DEPARTURE.............-0.4 PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR OCTOBER & NOVEMBER 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 10/1 75/50/63/+6/0.00/676/96 16 WNW AERO 16 MPH WNW RMY 18 10/2 78/56/67/+10/0.00/666/95 29 W AERO 30 MPH W RMY 29 10/3 77/56/67/+11/0.00/628/90 20 WNW AERO 20 MPH WNW RMY N/A 10/4 67/56/62/+6/0.26/028/04 18 NW AERO 20 MPH NW RMY N/A 10/5 67/56/62/+6/0.01/125/18 14 ENE AERO 12 MPH ENE RMY N/A 10/6 58/53/56/+1/0.56/000/00 20 NE AERO 20 MPH NE RMY N/A 10/7 75/57/66/+11/0.07/213/31 48 S AERO 55 MPH S RMY 55 10/8 65/50/58/+4/0.00/581/85 25 NW AERO 27 MPH NW RMY 28 10/9 59/49/54/0/0.00/545/80 25 ENE AERO 24 MPH ENE RMY 25 10/10 61/46/54/0/0.00/095/14 18 NE AERO 17 MPH NE RMY 18 10/11 67/50/59/+6/0.00/473/70 20 NE AERO 20 MPH NE RMY N/A 10/12 59/50/55/+2/0.02/007/01 30 ENE AER0 31 MPH ENE RMY 32 10/13 59/46/53/0/0.00/482/72 23 ENE AERO 23 MPH ENE RMY 23 10/14 64/42/53/+1/0.00/580/87 15 SSW AERO 15 MPH SSW RMY 15 10/15 66/50/58/+6/0.00/266/40 16 ESE AERO 16 MPH ESE RMY N/A 10/16 60/49/55/+4/0.00/013/02 23 ESE AERO 24 MPH ESE RMY 23 10/17 70/52/61/+10/0.06/277/42 21 S AERO 23 MPH S RMY N/A 10/18 67/50/59/+8/T/630/96 32 WNW AERO 32 MPH W RMY 31 10/19 65/45/55/+5/0.00/379/58 21 W AERO 22 MPH W RMY N/A 10/20 61/44/53/+3/0.00/644/99 33 W AERO 36 MPH W RMY 34 10/21 67/43/55/+5/0.00/648/100 23 SSW AERO 25 MPH SSW RMY 27 10/22 69/44/57/+8/T/419/65 25 SSW AERO 27 MPH SSW RMY 27 10/23 50/40/45/-4/0.00/103/16 18 WNW AERO 18 MPH WNW RMY N/A 10/24 53/36/45/-4/0.00/640/100 31 W AERO 31 MPH W RMY 34 10/25 49/34/42/-7/0.00/401/63 25 WNW AERO 26 MPH WNW RMY 26 10/26 54/34/44/-4/0.00/521/82 35 SW AERO 36 MPH SSW RMY 39 10/27 55/39/47/-1/0.04/480/76 30 W AERO 30 MPH W RMY 29 10/28 58/35/47/-1/0.00/529/84 31 W AERO 33 MPH W RMY 34 10/29 50/30/40/-7/0.00/614/98 15 N AERO 15 MPH N RMY 15 10/30 51/38/45/-2/0.02/094/15 16 W AERO 15 MPH W RMY N/A 10/31 61/43/52/+5/0.05/000/00 37 SSW AERO N/A N/A RMY N/A 11/1 68/56/62/+16/0.10/.../.. 60 SSW AERO N/A N/A RMY 66 11/2 65/49/57/+11/0.00/.../.. 22 WSW AERO N/A N/A RMY 23 11/3 49/30/40/-6/0.06/.../.. 23 N AERO N/A N/A RMY N/A 11/4 morning low temp: 27F; the normal low is now 37F DAILY RECORDS FOR OCTOBER 2013 None. DAILY RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 2013 None so far. DAILY EXTREMES Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated): RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 4 HIGH 77 IN 1987 LOW 22 IN 1891 PRECIP 3.27 INCHES IN 1910 SNOWFALL 6.4 IN 1945 PEAK GUST 73 WNW IN 1965 RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 5 HIGH 76 IN 1994 LOW 18 IN 1908 PRECIP 4.26 INCHES IN 1955 SNOWFALL 1.5 IN 1892 PEAK GUST 69 W IN 2004 TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling