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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2020
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

ANOTHER CLOUDY DAY, BUT TEMPERATURES STILL MILD....

It feels like we've been listening to a broken record, dare I
say like Groundhog's Day? Yet another day that has featured 
cloudy skies and warmer than normal temperatures. However no
precipitation is falling from these clouds, thus our 
precipitation and snowfall deficits continue to grow. We are 
currently running 3.15" below normal for the year to date for
precipitation, and 9.9" below normal for our seasonal snowfall
to date.

A plume of smoke has been seen about 5 miles east of the 
Observatory most of the day. The smoke got trapped under
the inversion and has overspread the entire region on an 
easterly wind. Visibility this morning was up to 60 miles
above the inversion, but as the inversion has been lifting,
the visibility has dropped to 30 miles. The air is quite hazy
due to the lingering smoke.

The high so far today is 42F, 7 degrees above the normal high
of 35F. The low since midnight 33F, 16 degrees above the normal
low of 17F.

JANUARY 2020 RANKED 9TH WARMEST ON RECORD!
Warmest 24-Hour Adjusted Mean Temperature, deg F (1886-2020):

1) 35.6 in 1913
2) 35.0 in 1932
3) 34.6 in 1937
4) 33.9 in 2006
5) 33.8 in 1933
   33.8 in 1950
   33.8 in 1990
8) 33.5 in 2002
9) 32.8 in 2020
10) 32.7 in 2017


Today's Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Overcast altostratus, few breaks in overcast distant
N-E, virga SSE-SSW
Temperature: 37F; Dew Point: 27F; Wind: E at 10 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.86 ins. Hg: rising, then more slowly
Visibility: 60 miles, thin smoke layer along horizon
6-hr Max temp: 37F
6-hr Min temp: 33F
24-hr Precip:  0.00 ins.
24-hr Snowfall: 0.0 ins. 
BHO SA 1155 E130 OVC 60 113/37/27/0810/986/ FEW BINOVC DSNT N-E
VIRGA SSE-SSW THN K LYR ALNG HRZN ALQDS/ 8/02/ 55011 10037 20033

10 A.M.
Weather: Overcast altostratus
Temperature: 40F; Dew Point: 31F; Wind: ESE at 6 kts,
Sea-level pressure: 29.86 ins. Hg: rising, then falling
Visibility: 60 miles
3-hr Precip:   0.00 ins.
3-hr Snowfall:  0.0 ins.
BHO SA 1455 E110 OVC 60 111/40/31/1106/986/ K PLUME E DRFTG W
K LYR ALQDS BLW INVSN VSBY LWR BLW INVSN WND LGT/ 8/02/ 58002

1 P.M.
Weather: Overcast stratus
Temperature: 42F; Dew Point: 35F; Wind: SE at 2 kts
Sea-level pressure: 29.77 ins. Hg: falling, then more rapidly
Visibility: 30 miles, hazy
6-hr Max temp: 42F
6-hr Min temp: 37F
6-hr Precip:  0.00 ins.
6-hr Snowfall: 0.0 ins.
BHO SA 1755 E20 BKN 30 082/42/35/1302/977/ K LYR ALQDS SUN
DMLY VSBL HAZY WND LGT/ 8/7// 58029 10042 20037 


SUMMARY FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2020 

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....44   NORMAL.....35
MIN.....27   NORMAL.....17
MEAN....36   NORMAL.....26

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL....................+10
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH....................+27 [+8.8 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY...............29  DEPARTURE.......-10
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH...............90  DEPARTURE.......-28
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON............3319  DEPARTURE......-329
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.......3626  DEPARTURE......-307

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY....................28 W   AT  1:12 P.M.  
                   AERO.........................28 W   AT  1:10 P.M.   
                   ASOS.........................28 W   AT  1:12 P.M. 
                   DAVIS........................29 W   AT  1:10 P.M. RMY 28
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY......................20 W   AT  2:22 P.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE...................20 W   AT  4:05 P.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE..................21 WSW AT  2:28 P.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION..............11.0 W                 
                   ASOS.......................11.1
                   DAVIS......................11.7 W [273 deg.]


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..........0.01  DEPARTURE......-0.39
                         ASOS..............0.03
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........1.47  DEPARTURE......-3.15
                         ASOS..............1.57

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.0  DEPARTURE.......-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH..............Trace  DEPARTURE.......-1.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............24.2  DEPARTURE.......-9.9


PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR JANUARY CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOW/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/PEAK GUST/AERO/RMY GUST
AERO: Aerovane wind recording system 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
M:    Missing data


01/01  38/30/34/+7/..../0.0/400/73           39 W   AERO 38 W   RMY 41 
01/02  46/29/38/+11/0.00/0.0/269/49          28 SW  AERO 28 SW  RMY 30
01/03  46/40/43/+17/0.00/0.0/000/00          21 SW  AERO 18 SW  RMY N/A
01/04  46/36/41/+15/..../0.0/000/00          16 NNW AERO 16 NNW RMY N/A
01/05  36/24/30/+4/..../0.5/116/21           43 NW  AERO 46 NW  RMY 43
01/06  33/23/28/+2/T/T/133/24                26 W   AERO 21 W   RMY N/A
01/07  38/29/34/+8/..../0.4/161/29           30 WSW AERO 28 WSW RMY N/A
01/08  39/22/31/+5/..../0.4/350/63           50 W   AERO 46 WNW RMY 47
01/09  28/16/22/-4/..../0.0/540/97           43 WNW AERO 40 WNW RMY N/A
01/10  48/23/36/+11/T/..../0.0/106/19        37 SW  AERO 37 SW  RMY 39 
01/11  65/46/56/+31/..../0.0/408/73          53 SSW AERO 53 SSW RMY N/A           
01/12  68/36/52/+27/..../0.0/297/53          60 SSW AERO 62 SSW RMY N/A
01/13  39/31/35/+10/0.01/T/000/00            21 NE  AERO 20 NE  RMY N/A
01/14  38/31/35/+10/0.01/0.0/000/00          16 W   AERO 15 W   RMY N/A
01/15  48/35/42/+17/0.00/0.0/503/89          24 W   AERO 23 W   RMY 24
01/16  42/24/33/+8/0.06/T/142/25             54 W   AERO 52 W   RMY 59    
01/17  24/10/17/-8/0.00/0.0/552/97           50 NW  AERO 48 NW  RMY N/A
01/18  28/8/18/-7/0.35/2.8/000/00            28 WSW AERO 24 ESE RMY N/A
01/19  40/21/31/+6/0.02/0.2/332/58           44 W   AERO 44 W   RMY 42
01/20  26/12/19/-6/0.00/0.0/442/77           33 NW  AERO 32 NW  RMY N/A
01/21  24/10/17/-8/0.00/0.0/472/82           22 NW  AERO 21 NW  RMY N/A
01/22  34/13/24/-1/0.00/0.0/566/98           16 SW  AERO 16 SW  RMY N/A
01/23  46/26/36/+11/0.00/0.0/348/60          21 SW  AERO 20 SW  RMY 19
01/24  44/31/38/+13/0.00/0.0/524/90          21 ENE AERO 17 ENE RMY N/A
01/25  50/36/43/+18/0.57/0.0/..../..         41 ESE AERO 41 ESE RMY 40 
01/26  49/35/42/+17/0.00/0.0/..../..         33 W   AERO 31 W   RMY 32
01/27  43/33/38/+13/0.00/0.0/..../..         30 W   AERO 29 W   RMY 29
01/28  37/30/34/+9/0.00/0.0/..../..          25 NW  AERO 25 NW  RMY 27
01/29  38/23/31/+6/0.00/0.0/..../..          24 N   AERO 23 N   RMY 24
01/30  34/16/25/-1/0.00/0.0/..../..          17 NNW AERO 16 NNW RMY N/A
01/31  43/24/34/+8/0.00/0.0/..../..          22 S   AERO 21 S   RMY 22

DAILY RECORDS FOR JANUARY

1/11/20: DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 65F,
         BREAKS PREVIOUS RECORD OF 60F SET IN 1975.

1/11/20: DAILY RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 46F,
         BREAKS PREVIOUS RECORD OF 40F SET IN 1983.

1/12/20: DAILY RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 68F,
         BREAKS PREVIOUS RECORD OF 60 SET IN 2018.
         TIES HIGHEST MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR JANUARY,
         MATCHES 68F SET ON 1/26/1950.


PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR FEBRUARY CALENDAR DAY DATA
DATE: MAX/MIN/MEAN/DEP/PRECIP/SNOW/SUN(MIN.)/SUN(%)/PEAK GUST/AERO/RMY GUST
AERO: Aerovane wind recording system 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
M:    Missing data

02/01  38/30/34/+8/31/0.01/T/..../..          14 WSW AERO 14 WSW RMY N/A
02/02  40/30/35/+9/30/0.00/0.0/..../..        18 W   AERO 18 WNW RMY 18
02/03  44/27/36/+10/29/0.00/0.0/..../..       28 W   AERO 28 W   RMY 28

02/04 The low since midnight is 33F, daily normal minimum is 17F 


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

RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 4
HIGH 63F IN 1991
LOW -4F IN 1886, 1908
PRECIP 1.80 INS. IN 1926
SNOWFALL 15.0 INS. IN 1961
PEAK GUST 89 MPH SSE IN 1972

RECORDS FOR FEBRUARY 5
HIGH 65F IN 1991
LOW -14F IN 1918
PRECIP 1.55 INS. IN 2001
SNOWFALL 16.0 INS. IN 1907
PEAK GUST 67 MPH WNW IN 1969


TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Matt Douglas