BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
VERY COLORFUL SUNRISE WITH THE CIRRUS CLOUDS THIS MORNING
CLEAR SKY, CALM WINDS AND VERY DRY AIR ALLOWED
FOR STRONG RADIATIONAL COOLING OVERNIGHT LAST NIGHT
 
A brilliant colorful sunrise was observed this morning followed
by two bright parahelia (sun dogs) which were each brightest
when only one on left or on right of the sun was visible. 
 
The clear sky, light winds and very dry air with dew points
down around 10 degrees last night were ideal conditions
for strong radiational cooling.  Most of the state except
Cape Cod, higher elevations, and the immediate coast and
some urban centers had low temperatures down into the
teens.  Boston and Worcester had lows of 29 degrees, while
our minimum atop Blue Hill was 26 degrees.
 
Nearby Norwood Airport had its coldest of the season to
date with a low of 14 degrees. Other lows in the teens
included: 17 at Taunton, 13 at Springfield, 13 at Orange, 15
at Pittsfield, 17 at Fitchburg, Beverly 19 and Bedford 16.  
 
Rainfall is badly needed as moderate drought conditions have
continued to develop across much of the area.  Precipitation
from September 2 through November 20 (80 days) has only been
3.69 inches, or about 34% of the 30-year average of 10.93 inches.
 
Today's Observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Scattered cirrus, thin overcast cirrus, breaks in
the overcast, bright right parahelion SSE
Temperature: 29F; Dew Point: 10F; Wind: N at 6 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.64 ins. Hg, rising slightly 
Visibility: 60 miles, except 70 miles NW, distant haze  
6-hr min temp: 26F
BHO SA 1155 250 SCT 300 –OVC 60 375/29/10/3606/064/ PTCHS LWR CI
BINOVC BRGHT RIGHT PARAHELION SSE VSBY NW 70 DSNT HZ INVSN PRSNT/
8/001 53005 10029 20026
 
10 A.M. 
Weather: Clear, few cirrus all quadrants   
Temperature: 38F; Dew Point: 19F; Wind: W at 3 kts,
Wind: Light
Sea-level pressure: 30.62 ins. Hg, falling then rising slightly
Visibility: 60 miles, except 75 miles WNW-NW, smoke layer all horizons,
dark smoke layer NNW-ENE, estimated top 6 hundred feet over city N,
distant haze 
BHO SA 1455 CLR 60 370/38/19/2703/062/ FEW CI ALQDS K LYR ALG
HRZN ALQDS DRK SHLW K LYR NNW-ENE ESTMTD TOP 6 HND OVR CTY N
VSBY WNW-NW 75 ABV INVSN DSNT HZ WND LGT/ 8/001 55005
 
1 P.M.
Weather: Thin scattered cirrus, patches of lower cirrus 
Temperature: 45F; Dew Point: 22F; Wind: WSW at 7 kts,
Wind: Direction variable, SSW-W
Sea-level pressure: 30.56 ins. Hg, falling then more quickly 
Visibility: 75 miles, thin smoke layer distant NNE-ESE, light
distant haze 
6-hr max temp: 46F 
BHO SA 1755 250 –SCT 75 348/45/22/2407/056/ PTCHS LWR CI
WND 21V27 THN K LYR DSNT NNE-ESE LGT DSNT HZ/ 8/001 58022
10046 20029 
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2013
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....40    NORMAL.....49
MIN.....25    NORMAL.....32
MEAN....33    NORMAL.....40
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL......................-7
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.....................+12 [+0.4 DEGREE/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............32  DEPARTURE.........+7
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............420  DEPARTURE........-12
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON............897  DEPARTURE........-98
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.......869  DIFFERENCE.......+28
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..................23 NW  AT  2:03 A.M. 
                   AERO.......................25 NW  AT  2:03 A.M. 
                   ASOS.......................25 NW  AT 12:00 A.M. 
                   DAVIS......................22 NW  AT  2:03 A.M. RMY N/A
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY....................17 NW  AT 12:09 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.................18 NW  AT 12:09 A.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE................16 NW  AT 12:09 A.M. 
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION............10.0 NNW
                   ASOS......................9.7
                   DAVIS.....................8.5 NNW [330 degrees]
* last of several occurrences...
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00   DEPARTURE............-0.16
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........1.01   DEPARTURE............-2.14
                         ASOS..............1.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........44.02   DEPARTURE............-2.90
                         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.............-0.1
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH.............0.2     DEPARTURE.............-0.7
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON............0.2     DEPARTURE.............-1.0    
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR NOVEMBER 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/.../..         23 NW  AERO 22 MPH NW  RMY 22
 
11/21 morning low temp: 26F; the normal low is now 32F
 
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 20
HIGH 72 IN 1953
LOW 10 IN 1894
PRECIP 2.78 INS IN 1988
SNOWFALL 3.0 INS IN 1897
PEAK GUST 73e S IN 1950
 
RECORDS FOR NOVEMBER 22
HIGH 70 IN 1931
LOW 12 IN 1987
PRECIP 1.78 INS IN 2005
SNOWFALL 9.0 INS IN 1971
PEAK GUST 70e SE IN 1945
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Robert Skilling