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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2015   
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

VIRTUALLY CLOUDLESS CONDITIONS FRIDAY- BELOW
NORMAL TEMPS PREVAIL

Cold, dry air worked in beginning yesterday afternoon,
as temperatures continued to slide through midnight.
Yesterday's minimum temperature, reached at midnight,
was 16F, bringing yesterday's midnight to midnight
average down to 26F, 6 degrees below the daily norm.

An overnight low of 5F was also well below today's
daily normal minimum, which is 23F for today's
date. Visibility has been excellent with a maximum
temperature of 23F recorded by the 1:00 PM EST observation.

Seasonal snowfall has now reached 143.4 inches, just
1.0 inch below the snowiest season on record set
in 1995-1996. Statistics and records are still being
finalized for the month of February below. For more 
information about this historic winter, visit our
web site at BlueHill.org: 


THE PRELIMINARY FEBRUARY 2015 STATS

PRELIMINARY STATS FOR FEBRUARY 2015

TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 25.6 [-11.2]
Avg. 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

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units;   1360 [+323] 
Total for the season:  4708 [+140] 
Total for last season: 4591  

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 6.17 [+2.10]

SNOWFALL, Inches 
Total: 83.6 [+69.7] 

WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 13.2 
Avg. corrected wind speed: 13.5
Prevailing wind direction: NW @ 17%
Peak gust and direction: 53 NW on the 15th 

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


BHO Coldest Months, deg F (1885-2015)

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

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 stratocumulus distant offshore NE-SSE
Temperature: 7F; Dew Point: -8F; Wind: NNW at 8 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.46 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly  
Visibility: 70 miles
6-hr Max temp: 14F
6-hr Min temp: 5F
24-hr precip: 0.02 inches
24-hr snowfall: 0.2 inches
Snow depth: 34 inches 
BHO SA 1155 CLR 70 316/7/-8/3408/046/ FEW SC DSNT OFFSHR NE-SSE 
NEW SNW PST 24 HRS 0.2 INS/ 8/500 4/034 51023 ASOS 70001 MANUAL 
70002 10014 20005

10 A.M. 
Weather: Clear, few stratocumulus distant offshore NE-SSE
Temperature: 16F; Dew Point: -2F; Wind: estimated NNW at 5 kts
Wind Speed: Light
Sea-level pressure: 30.50 ins. Hg, rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 70 miles
BHO SA 1455 CLR 70 327/16/-2/E3305/050/ FEW SC DSNT OFFSHR NE-SSE 
WND LGT/ 8/500 51011

1 P.M.
Weather: Clear, few stratocumulus distant NE-S
Temperature: 22F; Dew Point: 1F; Wind estimated NW at 4 kts
Wind Speed: Light
Sea-Level Pressure: 30.46 ins. Hg, rising, then fallings
Visibility: 70 miles
6-hr Max temp: 23F
6-hr Min temp: 6F
BHO SA 1755 CLR 70 314/22/1/E3104/046/ FEW SC DSNT NE-S WND LGT/ 
8/500 58013 10023 20006

 
SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....36   NORMAL.....41
MIN.....16   NORMAL.....23
MEAN....26   NORMAL.....32

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL............................-6
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH...........................-21 [-4.4 DEGREES/DAY] 
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............39  DEPARTURE...........+6
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............188  DEPARTURE..........+21     
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........4896  DEPARTURE.........+161
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......4735  DIFFERENCE.........+96

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..................28 NW    AT 11:27 P.M.* 
                   ASOS.......................29 NW    AT 11:10 P.M. 
                   DAVIS......................27 NW    AT  6:03 A.M. RMY 29
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY....................20 NW    AT 11:32 P.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.................21 NW    AT 11:53 P.M.     
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE................19 NW    AT 11:53 P.M.       
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION............11.3 NNW  
                   ASOS.....................12.0   
                   DAVIS....................9.5 NW [317 degrees] 
* last of several occurrences..
 
PRECIPITATION (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL PRECIPITATION 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M....0.02  DEPARTURE.....-0.16
                         ASOS..............0.01
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE MONTH..........0.64  DEPARTURE.....-0.23  
                         ASOS..............0.66 
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR..........11.99  DEPARTURE.....+2.82
                         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..........0.2  DEPARTURE......-0.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................5.9  DEPARTURE......+3.3
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON.............143.4  DEPARTURE.....+93.8 

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/-7/0.08/1.1/000/00              25 WSW RMY N/A
2/8  29/11/20/-7/0.78/12.2/000/00             30 NNE RMY 29
2/9  19/12/16/-11/1.59/13.6/000/00            29 N   RMY 28
2/10 28/12/20/-7/0.10/0.8/081/13              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  32/13/23/-9/..../2.8/.../..              33 S   RMY N/A
3/4  41/32/37/+5/..../.../000/00              33 SW  RMY 36  
3/5  36/16/26/-6/0.02/0.2/000/00              28 NW  RMY 29

3/6 morning low temp: 5F 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

-NEW DAILY RECORD SNOWFALL FOR 9 FEBRUARY 2015
SNOWFALL 13.6 INS. surpasses previous record:
13.0 ins. in 1969

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

RECORDS FOR MARCH 6
HIGH 66 IN 1894
LOW 3 IN 1948, 2007
PRECIP 1.85 INS. IN 2001
SNOWFALL 15.5 INS. IN 2001
PEAK GUST 82 MPH S IN 1959

RECORDS FOR MARCH 7
HIGH 66 IN 1946
LOW -1 IN 1890
PRECIP 2.05 INS. IN 1967
SNOWFALL 11.5 INS. IN 2013 

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald