EASTON MASSACHUSETTS
NORTHEAST BRISTOL COUNTY
CLIMATOLOGICAL REPORT
MAY 1996


Greetings to everyone !

The record books for May of 1996 are now closed. It is certainly hard to 
believe that the official Spring has come to a close as well and that the 
meteorological summer is now here.  The months of March, April, and May were
 cool and just scantly wetter than normal in town. May of 1996 was no 
exception continuing the cool trend.  The average temperature for May of 
57.2 degrees was 0.7 degrees cooler than the 4 yr normal.  Precipitation 
amounts for the month varied slightly through town depending on location. 
 While the S. Easton station recorded 3.80" in the gauge, Oliver Ames High
 School recorded 4.57" and Easton Center recorded nearly 4.20" of rainfall. 
The reason some gardens were watered more than others was due to the 
convective nature of our 16 rainy days.  By the way, just as a reminder of 
just how long the Winter of 1996 lasted, although Easton never experienced 
any snow this month, some places did.  Towns as close as Bellingham and 
Milton with elevations of 300 feet or higher have a trace of snow on their 
record books from the cold rain that fell on the 6th as the wet snow flakes 
mixed in these higher reigons.
 	June 1 is not only the start of the meteorological summer, 
but it is also the beginning of  hurricane season!  Now that you have just
 about recovered with your battle from the brutal winter, you now must keep 
an eye on the tropics.  The first named storm for the 1996 tropical season 
will be Arthur if a system does develop in the Atlantic soon..
	Here are the weather summaries for May and for the meteorological 
Spring as recorded  at Easton's weather station.  May was certainly another 
active weather month.  The first half of the month was highlighted by the 
unseasonable coolness and the impressive backdoor cold front of the 11th.  
A late season freeze occurred at the station on May 14th, the usual 
occurrence of the first apple blossoms in the area according to historical 
research back to the 1800s.  The second half of the month was highlighted by 
the unusual warmth on the 20th and 21st setting up the atmosphere for 
destructively severe thunderstorms on the 21st. High temperature of 94 
degrees on the 21st will remain a record for a while to come. Anyways, that 
line devistated the Brockton, Whitman area where life will not be the same 
for months to come.  Fortunately Easton was spared the brunt of this severe 
line of storms...Our peak gust as measured at Oliver Ames High School located
 in North Easton was 63 MPH from the WNW.  This clocked gust was probably 
the extent of the downburst in North Easton.  The result of this high wind 
led to considerable tree and line damage mainly from Easton Center 
(geographical) northward...The new intermediate school also saw the brunt 
of the storm as newly installed insulation was blown hundreds of yards away 
from the building site.  Power outages in Easton ranged anywhere from 0 
(no power loss at all) to two days in areas closest to the Stoughton border.

 

	SKY PHENOMENON:  Rather interesting ...Parhelion or Sun dogs are on 
the booksfor the 24th....as high thin cirrus clouds began their approach late
 in the afternoon.

MAY 1996

TEMPERATURE (°F)						
Highest			94	21st			 	
Lowest			32	14th			
Highest Min.		62	21st		 
Lowest Max.		52	30th			
Average High		68.7				
Average Low		45.7
Average for May:	57.2

PRECIPITATION
Total for May:			3.80"
Departure from Normal:		+0.36"
Days with Measurable Rain:	16
Greatest Amt. in Observational Day:  0.93" on the 30th
Maximum Rainfall Rate (courtesy of OAHS):  1.43" per hour on the 11th 
Total for the Year to Date:	23.67"
Departure for Year to Date:	+4.57"

WIND
Peak Gust at Oliver Ames High School:  63 MPH from the WNW on the 21st at 
4:12 PM
	
WEATHER
Days with THUNDER	3
Days with FOG		4
Days with DAMAGING WIND	1				 

BAROMETRIC PRESSURE
Lowest was 29.38" on the 12th and the Highest was 30.50" on the 7th

DEW POINT/RELATIVE HUMIDITY
Average 5PM Dew Point	43°
Average 5PM Humidity:	55%

OFFICIAL SPRING

TEMPERATURE (° F)
Average for the period:		46.6
Departure from Normal:		-1.0°
Highest				94	May 21st
Lowest				4	March 10th

PRECIPITATION
Total Liquid:			13.11"
Departure from Normal:		-0.87"
Greatest Amt. in Obs. Day:	1.45" on April 10th
Total Snowfall, Ice:		33.3"
Measurable Precip		40 out of 92 days

Josh Nichols
Easton, MA weather observer
75613.1534@compuserve.com
Weather Hotline508-230-2590
Lyndon State Freshman Class '96-97
	


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