Strange Sunshine Hour Difference Between Boston and Suburbs (climate, warm, record)

[tom77falcons]

Milton MA, 12 miles southwest of Boston, averages 2358 annual hours of sun while Boston averages 2638.

Milton, Massachusetts - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Boston - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Milton lies between Boston and the Blue Hills. Would hills reaching over 600 feet diminish sunshine by close to 300 hours?

Then I noticed on this site: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/...ccd/pctpos.txt

that Blue Hill, MA right adjacent to Milton averages only 52% percent possible sun while Boston averages 58%. I noticed that Blue Hill receives around 8" more rainfall per year than Boston, but I am thinking the rainfall would be due to more pulling out moisture from weather systems over both locations, rather than inducing clouds while Boston remains clear.

When moving inland from the coast (Boston sunshine measured at Logan right on the ocean) could sunshine drop that dramatically over the course of 12 miles and 600 feet in elevation?

Any situations like this in any other countries around the world or within the US?

I wonder if people in the western burbs of Boston go into the city for sunshine, lol.

[RWood]

Originally Posted by tom77falcons

Milton MA, 12 miles southwest of Boston, averages 2358 annual hours of sun while Boston averages 2638.

Milton, Massachusetts - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Boston - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Milton lies between Boston and the Blue Hills. Would hills reaching over 600 feet diminish sunshine by close to 300 hours?

Then I noticed on this site: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/...ccd/pctpos.txt

that Blue Hill, MA right adjacent to Milton averages only 52% percent possible sun while Boston averages 58%. I noticed that Blue Hill receives around 8" more rainfall per year than Boston, but I am thinking the rainfall would be due to more pulling out moisture from weather systems over both locations, rather than inducing clouds while Boston remains clear.

When moving inland from the coast (Boston sunshine measured at Logan right on the ocean) could sunshine drop that dramatically over the course of 12 miles and 600 feet in elevation?

Any situations like this in any other countries around the world or within the US?

I wonder if people in the western burbs of Boston go into the city for sunshine, lol.

Perhaps Blue Hill's measurements are more accurate ... and what are the timespans?

[B87]

Milton's sunshine averages are from 1961-1990, Boston's are 1981-2010.

[nei]

Originally Posted by B87

Milton's sunshine averages are from 1961-1990, Boston's are 1981-2010.

So not only do we have global warming, we have global sunniness upon us!

[tom77falcons]

Originally Posted by RWood

Perhaps Blue Hill's measurements are more accurate ... and what are the timespans?

I think you may be right. Blue Hill Observatory seems to take their weather pretty seriously, and is a scientific observatory and not part of NOAA.

Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory


So as someone from the state you don't think it possible that it is due to being inland from the sea (sea breeze pushing clouds inland) and the elevation?

I wonder what instrument they use to measure sunshine. It doesn't tell you on the website, but the record for sunshine goes back to the late 1800's.