BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2015
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
HOT WEATHER CONTINUES WITH TEMPERATURE CLIMBING TO 90F
 
The hot weather pattern of recent days has continued today.  Starting off
from a warm morning low of 70F, the temperature has risen to 90F by 2PM EDT.
Yesterday's high of 87F means that this will not make an official "heat wave"
of three straight days at or above 90F, after a high of 92F on Saturday. 
Light WNW winds and mostly sunny skies have accompanied the warmth, with a
few afternoon cumulus developing as well as some high cirrus.  Humidity has
been noticeable but not oppressive, with the dew point in the low-mid 60s
this afternoon.
 
Showers and thunderstorms finally hit the summit Saturday evening and
overnight, bringing 1.24 inches of welcome rain, although we continue to run
a sizable yearly precipitation deficit, now a little under 4 inches.  The
month of August is close to normal for now thanks to that heavy rain event.
 
Today's Observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Mostly clear, few altocumulus distant SE-S. few cirrus WSW-NE
Temperature: 74F; Dew Point: 67F; Wind: W at 6 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.11 ins. Hg, rising then steady
Visibility: 45 miles, distant haze
6-hr Max temp: 74F
6-hr Min temp: 70F
24-hr precip: 0.00 ins.
BHO SA 1155 45 196/74/67/2806/011/ FEW AC DSNT SE-S FEW CI WSW-NE
DSNT HZ/ 8/051 51009 10074 20070
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered cirrus, few small cumulus over city N
Temperature: 84F; Dew Point 65F; Wind: estimated WNW at 5 kts,
Wind: Light
Sea-level pressure: 30.10 ins. Hg, falling then rising
Visibility: 40 miles, distant haze
BHO SA 1455 250 SCT 40 193/84/65/E3005/010/ FEW SML CU OVR CTY N
DSNT HZ WND LGT/ 8/101 55003

1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered cumulus, scattered cirrus (partly thin)
Temperature: 90F; Dew Point: 63F; Wind: estimated WNW at 5 kts,
Wind: Light
Sea-level pressure: 30.07 ins. Hg, rising slightly then falling
Visibility: 40 miles, distant haze
6-hr Max temp: 90F 
6-hr Min temp: 74F
BHO SA 1755 50 SCT 250 SCT 40 182/90/63/E2905/007/ CI LYR PRTLY THN
DSNT HZ WND LGT/ 8/101 58011 10090 20074
 
SUMMARY FOR SUNDAY, AUGUST 16, 2015
  
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....87   NORMAL.....79
MIN.....65   NORMAL.....62
MEAN....76   NORMAL.....71
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL........................+5
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH.......................+25  [+1.4 DEGREES/DAY]

COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JAN TO DEC)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............11   DEPARTURE..........+5
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............130   DEPARTURE.........+21
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON............524   DEPARTURE.........+64
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.......417   DIFFERENCE.......+107

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY...................16 W  AT   1:10 A.M. *      
                   ASOS........................17 W  AT  12:18 A.M.    
                   DAVIS.......................16 W  AT  12:12 A.M. RMY N/A
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY.....................13 W  AT  12:16 A.M.    
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE..................14 W  AT   1:11 A.M.      
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE.................13 W  AT  12:18 A.M.    
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION..............6.9 W
                   ASOS.......................7.4
                   DAVIS......................6.4 W [278 deg.]
* Last of several occurrences...
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M.....0.00  DEPARTURE.....-0.13
                         ASOS...............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH...........2.13  DEPARTURE.....-0.10
                         ASOS...............2.16
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........29.49  DEPARTURE.....-3.73
                         ASOS...............N/A ***
*** ASOS annual total not available due to erroneous readings
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR AUGUST CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/ PEAK GUST/RMY GUST
RMY:  R.M. Young wind gust recording system
TSTM: Thunderstorm day (thunder heard some time during day)
....: Data not yet available, records not finalized
 
8/1  88/68/78/+6/0.06/729/84               28 WNW RMY N/A
8/2  86/62/74/+2/0.00/865/100              24 SW  RMY N/A
8/3  89/68/79/+7/0.00/690/80               31 S   RMY N/A 
8/4  86/66/76/+4/0.31/422/49               45 W   RMY 50  TSTM 
8/5  84/64/74/+2/0.00/765/89               28 WNW RMY 27
8/6  80/59/70/-2/0.00/685/80               22 W   RMY 21
8/7  78/61/70/-2/0.00/845/99               20 ESE RMY 18
8/8  77/58/68/-4/0.00/741/87               18 E   RMY N/A
8/9  72/59/66/-6/T/458/54                  27 NNE RMY 26  
8/10 84/58/71/0/0.00/.../..                28 S   RMY N/A
8/11 70/63/67/-4/0.52/000/00               32 SSE RMY 35
8/12 83/65/74/+3/0.00/766/91               22 W   RMY 20
8/13 83/62/73/+2/0.00/832/99               18 WNW RMY 18
8/14 86/63/75/+4/0.00/837/100              21 S   RMY 23
8/15 91/66/79/+8/..../.../..               38 W   RMY 41  TSTM
8/16 87/65/76/+5/..../.../..               16 W   RMY N/A
 
8/17 low since midnight is 70F; normal low is now 62F
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR AUGUST 2015
None so far.
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated):
 
RECORDS FOR AUGUST 17
HIGH 97F IN 1944
LOW 48F IN 1902
PRECIP 2.17 INCHES IN 1998
PEAK GUST 50e MPH SSW IN 1952, 50 MPH WNW IN 1962
 
RECORDS FOR AUGUST 18
HIGH 93F IN 2002
LOW 47F IN 1824
PRECIP 5.75 INCHES IN 1955 [DIANE]
PEAK GUST 46 MPH WNW IN 2007
 
TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Jonathan O'Brien