BLUE HILL METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ELEVATION 635 FEET, 10 MILES SSW OF BOSTON, MA
 
DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2015 
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME
 
ABOVE NORMAL WARMTH AND MODERATE DROUGHT CONTINUES
 
Hazy skies with significant cloud cover were visible
at this morning's 7:00 AM EST observation. Haze limited
visibility to just 25 miles in all directions with scattered
altocumulus and broken thin cirrus above. 

Another day without rain has increased the deficit this
month with moderate drought occurring throughout most
of southern New England. Here at BHO, precipitation is
now 2.58 inches below normal for the month of May, and 
3.08 inches below normal for the year. Spotty but strong
thunderstorms may temporarily alleviate some drought
conditions in some areas of the region this week. 

By today's 1:00 PM EST observation skies were still mostly
cloudy with clouds at low, medium and high levels. Hazy
conditions had continued as well, keep visibility at 25 miles
in all directions. A maximum temperature of 82F had been 
recorded by this time as well.

 
Today's Observations:
 
7 A.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, broken cirrus, few
altocumulus lenticularis in all directions
Temperature: 67F; Dew Point: 57F; Wind: SSW at 15G20 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.17 ins. Hg, rising, then more quickly
Visibility: 25 miles, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 67F
6-hr Min temp: 61F
24-hr precip: 0.00 ins.
BHO SA 1155 140 SCT E250 BKN 25 218/67/57/2115G20/017/ 
FEW ACSL ALQDS HAZY/ 8/032 53011 10067 20061
 
10 A.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, broken cirrostratus, few
altocumulus lenticularis in all directions
Temperature: 74F; Dew Point: 60F; Wind: SSW at 12 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.18 ins. Hg, rising slightly
Visibility: 25 miles, hazy
BHO SA 1455 160 SCT E250 BKN 25 219/74/60/2112/018/ 
FEW ACSL ALQDS HAZY/ 8/056 51001 

1 P.M.
Weather: Scattered altocumulus, broken thin cirrus,
few altocumulus lenticularis distant NE, few cumulus
distant NW-NNE
Temperature: 82F; Dew Point: 63F; Wind: SSW at 15G21 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.15 ins. Hg, falling, then more quickly 
Visibility: 25 miles, hazy
6-Hr Max temp: 82F
6-Hr Min temp: 67F
BHO SA 1755 160 SCT E200 BKN 25 209/82/63/2215G21/015/ FEW CU 
DSNT NW-NNE FEW ACSL DSNT NE HAZY/ 8/132 58010 10082 20067

 
SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015 MEMORIAL DAY
  
TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....80   NORMAL.....69
MIN.....56   NORMAL.....51
MEAN....68   NORMAL.....60
 
DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL........................+8
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH......................+106 [+4.0 DEGREES/DAY]
 
HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY...............0  DEPARTURE...........-6
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............130  DEPARTURE.........-104 
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON...........6401  DEPARTURE.........+132
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE......6336  DIFFERENCE.........+65
 
COOLING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JAN TO DEC)
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY..............3   DEPARTURE..........+2
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE MONTH.............20   DEPARTURE..........+6
TOTAL COOLING UNITS FOR THE SEASON............20   DEPARTURE..........+4
TOTAL COOLING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.......13   DIFFERENCE.........+7
 
PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH)
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY..................29  SSW  AT  11:57 P.M. *         
                   ASOS.......................30  SSW  AT   8:52 P.M.            
                   DAVIS......................29  SSW  AT  10:05 P.M. RMY 31
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY....................23  SSW  AT  10:09 P.M.   
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE.................23  SSW  AT  10:10 P.M.            
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE................23  SSW  AT  10:05 P.M.     
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.............14.1 SW       
                   ASOS......................14.3     
                   DAVIS.....................12.8 SSW [209 deg.]  
* 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...........0.63  DEPARTURE.....-2.58 
                         ASOS...............0.63
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........18.55  DEPARTURE.....-3.08
                         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......0.0
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH.................0.0  DEPARTURE......0.0 
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............150.8  DEPARTURE....+88.1
 
PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MAY 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
 
5/1  52/37/45/-8/0.00/0.0/354/42               21 NE  RMY 20
5/2  63/35/49/-4/0.00/0.0/668/79               20 S   RMY 20 
5/3  74/44/59/+6/0.00/0.0/509/60               22 S   RMY 22
5/4  83/47/65/+11/0.00/0.0/783/92              39 SSW RMY 45
5/5  77/56/67/+13/0.03/0.0/222/26              29 SW  RMY N/A
5/6  74/54/64/+10/0.00/0.0/574/67              24 SSW RMY 25
5/7  84/52/68/+13/0.00/0.0/824/96              29 S   RMY 32
5/8  74/44/59/+4/0.00/0.0/809/94               27 NNE RMY 26
5/9  77/44/61/+6/0.00/0.0/509/59               30 S   RMY 32
5/10 88/60/74/+19/0.00/0.0/692/80              28 SSW RMY 30
5/11 84/48/66/+10/0.00/0.0/529/61              30 NE  RMY 31
5/12 84/47/66/+10/0.24/0.0/287/33              33 WNW RMY 37 
5/13 67/47/57/+1/0.00/0.0/820/94               31 WNW RMY N/A
5/14 70/44/57/+0/0.00/0.0/848/97               22 NW  RMY 22
5/15 73/51/62/+5/0.00/0.0/491/56               20 WSW RMY 21
5/16 68/53/61/+4/T/0.0/053/06                  23 S   RMY 24
5/17 79/50/65/+8/T/0.0/783/89                  21 NE  RMY N/A
5/18 62/48/55/-3/..../0.0/538/61               25 NE  RMY N/A
5/19 63/50/57/-1/0.36/0.0/000/00               24 S   RMY 26
5/20 66/46/56/-2/0.00/0.0/.../..               32 WNW RMY 37 
5/21 66/43/55/-4/..../0.0/.../..               24 S   RMY 24
5/22 73/49/61/+2/T/0.0/.../..                  32 NW  RMY 36
5/23 64/40/52/-7/0.00/0.0/.../..               28 WNW RMY 32
5/24 81/50/66/+7/0.00/0.0/.../..               28 SSW RMY 31
5/25 80/56/68/+8/0.00/0.0/.../..               29 SSW RMY 31

5/26 low since midnight is 61F; normal low is now 51F
 
DAILY RECORDS FOR MAY 2015
 
NONE SO FAR.
 
DAILY EXTREMES
Temperature and precipitation records back to 1885, and
wind records back to 1940 (e = estimated): 

RECORDS FOR MAY 26
HIGH 94F IN 2010  (RECORD FOR MAY) 
LOW 37F IN 1972,2013
PRECIP 1.73 INS IN 2003
SNOWFALL TRACE IN 1967 (Fell as ice pellets in nor'easter)
PEAK GUST 62 MPH NE IN 1967 
 
RECORDS FOR MAY 27
HIGH 92F IN 1914
LOW 36F IN 1915
PRECIP 1.40 INS IN 1898
PEAK GUST 55 S IN 1956

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Brian Fitzgerald