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

DAILY DISCUSSION AND CLIMATE SUMMARY
SUNDAY, MARCH 8, 2020
ALL TIMES ARE IN EASTERN STANDARD TIME

A PARTLY CLOUDY DAY WITH DECENT VISIBILITY AND
MILD TEMPERATURES....

We observed fair weather today with an average visibility
around 75 miles. Wind was northwesterly at around 15 mph.
Houghton's Pond had some ice around its edges following
a below freezing overnight low, while Ponkapoag remained
completely unfrozen during sunrise. 

On the season, the observatory is considerably dry to 
start the year. With an annual rain total of 4.82 inches,
we are 4.81 inches below the normal amount. We continue 
to depart further from our normal seasonal snow total of
50.6 inches, being 25.0 inches below that amount. 

The high so far today is 51F, this is 9 degrees above
the normal high of 42F. The low since midnight is 26F,
2 degrees above the normal low of 24F.

PRELIMINARY STATS FOR FEBRUARY 2020

TEMPERATURE, Deg. F
Avg. Max. 40.7 [+3.9]
Avg. Min. 25.9 [+6.7]
Mean      33.3 [+5.4]
24-hour corrected mean: 33.0
Max. for month: 60F on the 24th
Min. for month: 4F on the 15th

HEATING DEGREE DAYS
Total heating units:    911 [-164]
Total for the season:  4140 [-345]
Total for last season: 4485

PRECIPITATION, Inches
Total: 3.20 [-0.87]
Greatest in 24 hrs: N/A 

SNOWFALL, Inches
Total: 0.6 [-13.3]
Greatest in 24 hrs: 0.5 ins. on the 13th

WIND, mph
Avg. uncorrected wind speed: 11.5 mph
Avg. corrected wind speed:   12.0 mph
Prevailing wind direction:   W [24%]
Peak gust and direction:     71 WSW on the 7th

SUNSHINE:
Campbell-Stokes card minutes: 7596 minutes of possible 17796 or 43%
Astronomical total minutes: 7853 minutes of possible 18422 or 43%


Today's Observations:

7 A.M.
Weather: Broken altocumulus and cirrostratus
Temperature: 29F; Dew Point: 9F; Relative Humidity: 43%
Wind: W at 14G19 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.35 ins. Hg: rising steadily
Visibility: 75 miles
6-hr Max temp: 28F
6-hr Min temp: 26F
24-hr Precip:  0.00 ins.
24-hr Snowfall: 0.0 ins.
BHO SA 1155 E100 BKN 250 BKN 75 277/29/9/2814G19/035/ 8/078 
51010 10028 20026

10 A.M.
Weather: Broken altocumulus and cirrostratus, few
stratocumulus
Temperature: 42F; Dew Point: 6F; Relative Humidity: 22%
Wind: W at 10G19 kts
Sea-level pressure: 30.36 ins. Hg: falling then rising
Visibility: 75 miles
3-hr Precip:  0.00 ins.
3-hr Snowfall: 0.0 ins.
BHO SA 1455 E100 BKN 250 BKN 75 281/42/6/2810G19/036/ FEW SC 
ALQDS/ 8/478 51004 

1 P.M.
Weather: Broken altocumulus and cirrocumulus, few 
stratocumulus
Temperature: 51F; Dew Point: 9F; Relative Humidity: 18%
Wind: WNW at 10G15 kts 
Sea-level pressure: 30.30 ins. Hg: falling steadily 
Visibility: 75 miles
6-hr Max temp: 51F
6-hr Min temp: 29F
6-hr Precip:  0.00 ins. 
6-hr Snowfall: 0.0 ins.
BHO SA 1755 E100 BKN 250 BKN 75 262/51/9/3010G15/030/ FEW SC 
ALQDS/ 8/479 58019 10051 20029


SUMMARY FOR SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020 

TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F)
MAX.....43   NORMAL.....42
MIN.....26   NORMAL.....24
MEAN....35   NORMAL.....33

DEPARTURE FROM 30-YEAR NORMAL....................+2
TOTAL DEPARTURE FOR THE MONTH...................+54 [+7.5 DEGREES/DAY]

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (SEASON JUL TO JUN)
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR YESTERDAY...............30  DEPARTURE........-2
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE MONTH..............178  DEPARTURE.......-54
TOTAL HEATING UNITS FOR THE SEASON............4318  DEPARTURE......-482
TOTAL HEATING UNITS LAST SEASON TO DATE.......4770  DEPARTURE......-452

PEAK GUST AND AVERAGE WIND SPEED (MPH) 
PEAK WIND GUST FOR YESTERDAY....................42 N   AT   9:02 A.M.  
                   AERO.........................43 N   AT   8:41 A.M.   
                   ASOS.........................44 N   AT   9:02 A.M. 
                   DAVIS........................42 N   AT   8:51 A.M. RMY 44
FASTEST MILE FOR YESTERDAY......................29 N   AT   9:00 A.M. 
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE ASOS AVERAGE...................28 N   AT   8:59 A.M.
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE DAVIS AVERAGE..................29 N   AT   9:02 A.M.
AVERAGE WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION..............17.6 NW                
                   ASOS.......................16.3
                   DAVIS......................17.3 NNW [346 deg.]


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..........0.16  DEPARTURE......-1.05
                         ASOS..............0.19
TOTAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE YEAR...........4.82  DEPARTURE......-4.81
                         ASOS..............5.10

SNOWFALL (INCHES) THROUGH THIS MORNING (EST)
TOTAL SNOWFALL 24 HRS ENDING 7 A.M..........0.8  DEPARTURE.......-0.5
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE MONTH................0.8  DEPARTURE.......-2.8
TOTAL SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON..............25.6  DEPARTURE......-25.0


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/+8/0.01/T/000/00          14 WSW AERO 14 WSW RMY N/A
02/02  40/30/35/+9/0.00/0.0/078/13        18 W   AERO 18 WNW RMY 18
02/03  44/27/36/+10/0.00/0.0/260/43       28 W   AERO 28 W   RMY 28
02/04  44/33/39/+13/0.00/0.0/055/09       19 E   AERO 16 E   RMY 18
02/05  41/30/36/+10/0.00/0.0/000/00       20 NNW AERO 19 NNW RMY N/A
02/06  31/30/34/+8/0.00/0.0/000/00        29 E   AERO 28 E   RMY 27
02/07  53/25/39/+12/..../0.1/000/00       71 WSW AERO 71 SSW RMY 73
02/08  33/20/27/0/T/T/616/100             46 W   AERO 44 W   RMY 44
02/09  33/15/24/-3/T/T/303/49             30 SSE AERO 29 SSE RMY N/A
02/10  42/33/38/+11/..../0.0/000/00       39 SSW AERO 39 SSW RMY 39
02/11  40/36/38/+11/..../0.0/000/00       24 W   AERO 23 W   RMY N/A
02/12  41/30/36/+9/0.00/0.0/314/50        37 W   AERO 36 W   RMY N/A
02/13  35/31/34/+6/..../0.5/000/00        29 SSW AERO 29 SSW RMY N/A
02/14  33/8/21/-7/0.00/0.0/506/80         32 WNW AERO 32 NW  RMY 34
02/15  27/4/16/-12/0.00/0.0/508/80        31 SSW AERO 31 SSW RMY N/A
02/16  40/23/32/+4/0.00/0.0/006/01        38 SW  AERO 38 SW  RMY N/A
02/17  44/28/36/+8/0.00/0.0/582/91        25 WNW AERO 24 WNW RMY 24
02/18  37/27/32/+3/0.31/T/000/00          26 SE  AERO 26 SE  RMY N/A
02/19  42/25/34/+5/0.00/0.0/530/82        45 W   AERO 46 W   RMY 44
02/20  31/18/25/-4/0.00/0.0/389/60        32 W   AERO 32 W   RMY N/A
02/21  30/11/21/-8/0.00/0.0/651/100       24 NNW AERO 21 N   RMY N/A
02/22  44/23/34/+5/0.00/0.0/647/99        26 W   AERO 24 W   RMY 27
02/23  53/30/42/+12/0.00/0.0/636/97       21 SW  AERO 22 WSW RMY 23
02/24  60/32/46/+16/0.00/0.0/606/92       29 S   AERO 29 SSW RMY 31
02/25  53/40/47/+17/..../0.0/033/05       17 NE  AERO 18 ENE RMY 17
02/26  45/39/42/+12/..../0.0/007/01       23 ENE AERO 24 E   RMY N/A
02/27  49/27/38/+7/0.00/0.0/274/41        51 W   AERO 53 W   RMY 52
02/28  36/25/31/0/0.00/0.0/596/89         38 SW  AERO 38 SW  RMY 36
02/29  35/19/27/-4/0.00/0.0/256/38        32 W   AERO 32 W   RMY 34


PRELIMINARY CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MARCH 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

03/01  33/15/24/-7/0.00/0.0/..../..        28 WNW AERO 28 WNW RMY 27
03/02  52/24/38/+7/T/T/..../..             40 S   AERO 39 S   RMY 41
03/03  64/45/55/+23/..../.../..../..       30 S   AERO 30 S   RMY N/A
03/04  50/38/44/+12/..../.../..../..       56 W   AERO 56 W   RMY 58
03/05  51/32/42/+10/..../.../..../..       31 W   AERO 31 NW  RMY 32
03/06  47/30/39/+7/..../.../..../..        46 NE  AERO 45 NE  RMY 46
03/07  43/26/35/+2/..../.../..../..        42 N   AERO 43 N   RMY 44

03/08 The low since midnight is 26F, daily normal minimum is 24F 


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

RECORDS FOR MARCH 8
HIGH 66 IN 2012
LOW 2 IN 1986
PRECIP 2.20 INS. IN 2008
SNOWFALL 18.0 INS. IN 2013
PEAK GUST 69 MPH SSW IN 2008

RECORDS FOR MARCH 9
HIGH 75 IN 2016
LOW 1 IN 2007
PRECIP 2.67 INS. IN 1998
SNOWFALL 6.3 INS. IN 2013
PEAK GUST 102e MPH S IN 1942 [RECORD FOR MONTH]

TODAY'S REPORT PREPARED BY: Benjamin Turner