BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2013
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
ANOTHER MILD DAY TODAY WITH HIGH CLOUDS INCREASING THIS AFTERNOON
 
Today has been yet another day of above average temperatures, with a high
temperature through 1PM this afternoon of 65F.  This morning's low temperature
of 45F was also a few degrees above average, and we are unlikely to drop below
that value by the end of the day.  This means that today will be the 23rd
consecutive day of at or above average temperatures. The last time a streak like
this occurred was November 8-30, 2009.  The warm weather has now pushed the month
of October to 5 degrees above average.
 
Today began with mostly sunny skies, but high clouds have been increasing from
late morning through early afternoon ahead of a weather system that may bring us
some light rain tonight.  In fact, the sky was nearly overcast with the high
clouds by the 1PM observation.  Any rain tonight would be much needed as our
monthly rainfall total remains under an inch, 1.70 inches below average.  Winds
have been light today, with no gusts past 20mph since 7AM.  The wind was stronger
yesterday, with an average speed of over 15mph, and every hour averaging a speed
of at least 11mph.  Despite the dry air in place today, the visibility has only
been about 45 miles throughout the day with distant haze.
 
Today's Observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Scattered cirrus, few altocumulus NW-NNE, few lower cirrus
Temperature: 48F; Dew Point: 39F; Wind: W at 9 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.98 ins. Hg, about steady
Visibility: 45 miles, distant haze
6-hr min temp: 45F
BHO SA 1155 250 SCT 45 151/48/39/2809/998/ FEW AC NW-NNE FEW LWR CI DSNT HZ/
8/031 50003 10049 20045
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered cirrus, dense cirrus mostly distant E-SW
Temperature: 62F; Dew Point: 40F; Wind: SSW at 6 kts,
Wind: Direction variable S-WSW
Sea-level pressure: 29.99 ins. Hg, rising then falling slightly
Visibility: 45 miles, distant haze
BHO SA 1455 250 SCT 45 155/62/40/2106/999/ DNS CI MSTLY DSNT E-SW DSNT HZ
WND 17V24/ 8/001 50004
 
1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, broken dense cirrus, broken cirrus, few moderate
cumulus S, few small cumulus WNW
Temperature: 64F; Dew Point: 40F; Wind: SSW at 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.92 ins. Hg, falling then falling more rapidly
Visibility: 50 miles, distant haze
6-hr max temp: 65F
BHO SA 1755 150 SCT E210 BKN 250 BKN 50 132/64/40/2008/992/ FEW MDT CU S
FEW SML CU WNW DSNT HZ/ 8/231 58023 10065 20048
 
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2013
 
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....67    NORMAL.....59
MIN.....50    NORMAL.....42
MEAN....59    NORMAL.....50
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL.....................+9
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.....................+93  [+5.0 DEGREES/DAY]
 
COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JAN TO DEC)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............0   DEPARTURE..........0
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH..............5   DEPARTURE..........0
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........701   DEPARTURE........+99
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......767   DIFFERENCE.......-66
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY...............6  DEPARTURE........-8
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............113  DEPARTURE........-93
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON............259  DEPARTURE........-89
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.......288  DIFFERENCE.......-29
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..................32 WNW AT   9:40 A.M. 
                   AERO.......................32 W   AT  10:38 A.M. * 
                   ASOS.......................33 W   AT   9:41 A.M.
                   DAVIS......................29 W   AT   9:41 A.M. RMY 31
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY....................23 W   AT  10:37 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.................23 W   AT   1:39 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE................21 W   AT  10:45 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.............15.3 WNW
                   ASOS......................14.7
                   DAVIS.....................13.5 WSW [254 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..........0.98   DEPARTURE.............-1.70
                         ASOS..............0.97
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........42.90   DEPARTURE.............+1.14
                         ASOS..............N/A*
*ASOS malfunctioned during storm on 2/8-9, leading to erroneous totals
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR OCTOBER 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/.../..        21 S   AERO 23 MPH S   RMY N/A
10/18 67/50/59/+8/0.00/.../..         32 WNW AERO 32 MPH W   RMY 31
 
10/19 the morning low temp: 45F; the normal low is now 42F
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR OCTOBER 2013
None so far.
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR OCTOBER 19
HIGH 81F IN 1945
LOW 21F IN 1922
PRECIP 3.64 INCHES IN 1932
SNOWFALL 1.0 INCHES IN 1972
PEAK GUST 66 MPH SSW IN 1967
 
RECORDS FOR OCTOBER 20
HIGH 78F IN 1965,1984
LOW 24F IN 1972
PRECIP 7.10 INCHES IN 1996 (RECORD FOR MONTH)
SNOWFALL TRACE IN 1934,1943
PEAK GUST 63 MPH W IN 1966
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Jonathan O'Brien