BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY 
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2015   
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

WINDS CALM OVERNIGHT, CLOUDS MOVE IN THIS MORNING

Winds, which gusted to a peak of 44 MPH from the WNW,
slowly diminished overnight after yesterday's day time
high surpassed the freezing mark at 35F. Some drifting
of snow was evident by this morning, with 37 inches
left on the ground for an average depth. 

High cirrus moved in by mid morning, and by the 1:00 PM EST
observation cirrostratus had overtaken the entire sky with 
a translucent layer. Visibility which was approximately 80
miles in all directions this morning, fell to 70 miles
by the 1:00 PM observation, with a maximum reading of 29F so
far for the day.


THE PRELIMINARY FEBRUARY 2015 STATS

TEMP. Deg. F
Av. Max. 25.6 [-11.2]
Av. Min.  6.8 [-12.3]
Mean     16.2 [-11.7]
Corrected mean: 17.0  
Max. for month: 39 on 2/22
Min. for month: -8 on 2/16
Number of days with temperature at or below zero: 6
Total heating units;   1360 [+323] 
Total for the season:  4708 [+140] 
Total for last season: 4591  

PRECIP: Inches

Total: 6.17 [+2.10]

SNOWFALL: Inches 
Total: 83.6 [+69.7] [greatest total any month of record] 
Now approaching the all-time record for any season on 
record with total this season of 140.4.
The all-time record is 144.4 inches in 1995-96.  

SUNSHINE:
Astronomical total minutes:   7695/17769 or 43%
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 7440/17148 or 43%


BHO Coldest Months, deg F (1885-2014)

1) 13.5 in Feb, 1934
2) 15.5 in Jan, 1920
3) 16.3 in Jan, 1888
4) 16.4 in Feb, 1885
5) 17.0 in Feb, 2015  
6) 17.1 in Feb, 1923 
7) 17.2 in Jan, 1912
   17.2 in Jan, 1918
   17.2 in Jan, 2004
10) 17.4 in Jan, 1893
   17.4 in Dec, 1989

BHO Coldest February Maximum Temperature, deg F (1885-2015)

1) 37 in 1923
2) 39 in 1969
   39 in 2015
4) 40 in 1978
5) 41 in 1905
   41 in 1924
   41 in 1934
8) 42 in 1958

Records below:


BHO Greatest Snowstorms, inches (1885-2015):

1) 38.7 on 24-28 Feb, 1969
2) 30.8 on 26-28 Jan, 2015
3) 30.3 on 3-5 Mar, 1960
4) 30.1 on 6-7 Feb, 1978
5) 30.0 on 31 Mar - 1 Apr, 1997
6) 29.8 on 6-8 Mar, 2013
7) 27.7 on 7-10 Feb, 2015
8) 26.6 on 8-9 Feb, 2013
9) 24.7 on 17-18 Feb, 2003
10) 24.3 on 5-7 Dec, 2003
11) 23.0 on 5-7 Mar, 2001
12) 22.2 on 16-17 Feb, 1958
13) 21.6 on 14-15 Feb, 2015
14) 21.0 on 9-10 Feb, 1969

BHO Greatest February Snowstorms, inches (1885-2015):

1) 38.7 on 24-28 Feb, 1969
2) 30.1 on 6-7 Feb, 1978
3) 27.7 on 7-10 Feb, 2015 
4) 26.6 on 8-9 Feb, 2013
5) 24.7 on 17-18 Feb, 2003
6) 22.2 on 16-17 Feb, 1958
7) 21.6 on 14-15 Feb, 2015
8) 21.0 on 9-10 Feb, 1969

BHO Snowiest February, inches (1885-2015):

1) 83.6 in 2015 (through Feb 28 at 10:00 AM EST)
2) 65.4 in 1969
3) 51.3 in 2003
4) 45.2 in 1967
5) 40.4 in 1920
6) 39.7 in 2013
7) 37.0 in 1893

BHO Snowiest January-February, inches (1886-2015):

1) 126.5 in 2015 (through Feb 28 at 10:00 AM EST)
2) 77.9 in 1948
3) 70.2 in 2005
4) 68.7 in 1904
5) 67.5 in 1920
6) 66.9 in 1994

BHO Greatest Snow Depth, inches (1895-2015):
1) 46 in February 2015
2) 43 in March 1969
3) 42 in January 1948
4) 41 in February 1969
5) 39 in February 1948
6) 38 in February 1920   
7) 33 in February 1978
   33 in January 1996
9) 31 in February 2003
   31 in February 2011
11)30 in March 1960
   30 in March 1978

Today's Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Clear, few cirrus overhead, few cirrostratus 
distant SSW-WNW
Temperature: 16F; Dew Point: 4F; Wind: WNW at 12 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.38 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly  
Visibility: 80 miles
6-hr max temp: 21F
6-hr min temp: 13F
24-hr precip: 0.00 inches
24-hr snowfall: 0.0 inches
Snow depth: 37 inches 
BHO SA 1155 CLR 80 288/16/4/3012/038/ FEW CI OVHD FEW CS DSNT 
SSW-WNW/ 8/005 4/037 51018 10021 20013

10 A.M. 
Weather: Broken cirrostratus
Temperature: 24F; Dew Point: 6F; Wind: NW at 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.40 ins. Hg, rising, then falling
Visibility: 80 miles
BHO SA 1455 E250 BKN 80 293/24/6/3208/040/ 8/006 50005

1 P.M.
Weather: Overcast cirrostratus
Temperature: 28F; Dew Point: 8F; Wind SW at 8 kts
Sea-Level Pressure: 30.35 ins. Hg, falling, then more quickly
Visibility: 70 miles
6 Hr Max temp: 29F
6 hr min temp: 16F
BHO SA 1755 E200 OVC 70 278/28/8/2208/035/ 8/007 58015 10029 20016

 
SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....35   NORMAL.....40
MIN.....22   NORMAL.....22
MEAN....29   NORMAL.....31

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL............................-2
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH...........................-11 [-5.7 DEGREES/DAY] 
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............36  DEPARTURE...........+2
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH..............79  DEPARTURE..........+11     
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........4787  DEPARTURE.........+152
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......4635  DIFFERENCE........+122

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..................44 WNW   AT  1:39 P.M. 
                   ASOS.......................45 WNW   AT  1:40 P.M. 
                   DAVIS......................44 WNW   AT  1:39 P.M. RMY 48
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY....................34 WNW   AT  1:30 P.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.................32 W     AT  1:30 P.M.     
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE................30 WNW   AT  1:41 P.M.       
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION............16.1 WNW  
                   ASOS.....................16.1   
                   DAVIS....................13.9 WNW [287 degrees] 
* last of several occurrences..
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.00  DEPARTURE.....-0.17
                         ASOS..............0.00
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.24  DEPARTURE.....-0.11  
                         ASOS..............0.25  
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........11.58  DEPARTURE.....+2.94
                         ASOS...............N/A *** 
*** ASOS annual totals not available due to erroneous readings


SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.0  DEPARTURE......-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................2.9  DEPARTURE......+1.9
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON.............140.4  DEPARTURE.....+92.4 

PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATA REPORTED:
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOWFALL/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


2/1  28/8/18/-8/0.00/0.0/582/97               29 WNW RMY N/A
2/2  29/8/19/-7/1.53/16.5/000/00              44 NE  RMY 46
2/3  21/0/11/-15/0.00/0.0/593/98              31 NW  RMY N/A            
2/4  36/14/25/-1/0.00/0.0/164/27              31 S   RMY 33
2/5  34/4/19/-7/0.15/3.5/000/00               38 NW  RMY 39
2/6  19/-2/9/-17/0.00/0.0/392/64              28 NW  RMY 27    
2/7  25/14/20/-7/..../.../000/00              25 WSW RMY N/A
2/8  29/11/20/-7/..../.../000/00              30 NNE RMY 29
2/9  19/12/16/-11/..../.../000/00             29 N   RMY 28
2/10 28/12/20/-7/..../.../081/13              29 N   RMY 29
2/11 24/15/20/-7/0.03/1.4/000/00              30 N   RMY 29
2/12 28/14/21/-6/0.02/0.6/000/00              31 NW  RMY N/A
2/13 20/2/11/-17/0.00/0.0/630/100             35 NW  RMY 35
2/14 26/1/14/-14/..../.../241/38              24 NW  RMY N/A
2/15 18/-6/6/-22/..../.../000/00              53 NW  RMY 59
2/16 17/-8/5/-23/0.00/0.0/606/95              43 NW  RMY N/A
2/17 21/5/13/-15/0.12/2.0/064/10              18 NW  RMY 16
2/18 28/15/22/-7/..../.../039/06              17 W   RMY N/A
2/19 26/6/16/-13/0.02/0.3/116/18              40 W   RMY 43
2/20 15/0/8/-21/0.00/0.0/630/97               38 W   RMY 40
2/21 32/3/18/-11/..../.../462/71              39 SSW RMY 42
2/22 39/27/33/+4/..../.../327/50              25 WSW RMY N/A
2/23 28/1/15/-15/0.00/0.0/204/31              38 WNW RMY 44
2/24 18/-6/6/-24/..../.../574/87              26 S   RMY 27
2/25 32/11/22/-8/..../.../650/98              35 W   RMY 36
2/26 21/15/18/-12/0.04/0.6/000/00             25 NE  RMY 24
2/27 25/9/17/-14/0.00/0.0/669/100             20 NW  RMY N/A
2/28 30/5/18/-13/0.00/0.0/671/100             22 NW  RMY N/A

3/1  29/14/22/-9/..../.../.../..              25 SSW RMY 25
3/2  35/22/29/-2/..../.../.../..              44 WNW RMY 48

3/3 morning low temp: 13F since midnight, normal low is now 23

DAILY RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 2015

- NEW DAILY RECORD SNOWFALL FOR 2 FEBRUARY 2015
SNOWFALL 16.5 INS. surpasses previous record: 
5.5 ins. in 1916, 1934

DAILY EXTREMES 
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated): 

RECORDS FOR MARCH 3
HIGH 64 IN 1991
LOW -1 IN 1950
PRECIP 2.36 INS. IN 1972
SNOWFALL 12.8 INS. IN 1960
PEAK GUST 78e MPH E IN 1942

RECORDS FOR MARCH 4 
HIGH 69 IN 1974 
LOW -5 IN 1950
PRECIP 1.80 IN 1960
SNOWFALL 17.3 IN 1960 
PEAK GUST 81e MPH SSW IN 1971

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald