National Weather Summary

 

June 2014

 

1^st-7^th…Significant rain fell across the southern Plains. The rain improved prospects for summer crops and continued to revive rangeland and pastures. Prior to the arrival of heavy rain across the  southern Plains, multiple rounds of heavy showers and locally severe  thunderstorms crossed the  central Plains, Mid-South, and Midwest. Weekly rainfall totaled 4 inches or more in numerous locations across the central and southern Plains,

Tennessee Valley, and southwestern Plains. In contrast, little or no rain fell in Gulf and Atlantic Coast regions. Mostly dry weather also persisted on the northern Plains. Elsewhere, hot, dry weather dominated the West. The heat boosted irrigation demands and in drought affected areas stressed rangeland, pastures. Most of the country continued to experience warm weather. Weekly temperatures averaged as much as 10F above normal in northern California and were more than 10F above normal across portions of the southern Rockies. Cool conditions returned to the northern Plains, where temperatures averaged as much as 5F below normal. Early in the week, warmth continued across the Great Lakes region, where daily record highs in Michigan for June 1 included 89F in Pellston and 88F in Muskegon. Meanwhile, heat overspread the Southwest. El Paso, TX, reported four consecutive daily record highs (104, 109, 107, and 107F) from June 2-5. In

Arizona, Phoenix attained a daily record high (110F) on June 2. Elsewhere in Arizona, consecutive daily record highs were established on June 2-3 in locations such as Tucson (108 and 107F, respectively) and Douglas (104F on both days).  Albuquerque, NM, notched consecutive daily record highs (97 and 96F, respectively) on June 3-4. Heat also reached the High Plains, where daily record highs included 106F (on June 4) in Wichita Falls, TX; 101F (on June 4) in Portales, NM; and 99F (on June 3) in Garden City, KS. Heat shifted into the Southeast at week’s end, while cool air arrived across the northern Plains and Northwest. Melbourne, FL, registered a daily record high (95°F) on June 7, while freezes and daily record lows were reported on Montana’s plains at Simpson (29F) and Valentine (31F). In Maine, Bangor’s first 80F reading of the year (82F on June 7) was noted nearly 3 weeks later than the average date of May 19—and marked the latest such occurrence since 1993. Early week showers were heaviest across the upper Midwest, where record setting rainfall totals for June 1 included 2.47 inches in Sioux Falls, SD, and 2.37 inches in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN. On the northern Plains, daily record amounts reached 1.52 inches (on June 2) in Grand Forks, ND, and 0.99 inch (on June 1) in Miles City, MT. Later, the focus for heavy rainfall shifted southward. Extremely heavy rainfall, along with localized high winds, large hail, and flash flooding, battered parts of the southwestern Plains on June 3. In Nebraska, Omaha (5.30 inches on June 3) experienced its wettest June day on record, surpassing the 5.02-inch total of June 17, 1875.  Lamoni, IA, also received a 5-inch rainfall on June 3, netting 5.27 inches. Valentine, NE, reported 4.76 inches of rain during the first 7 days of the month, aided by a daily record total of 2.53 inches on June 6. Other daily record totals included 2.78 inches (on June 5) in Chanute, KS ; 2.75 inches (on June 4) in Paducah, KY; and 1.98 inches (on June 6) in

Amarillo, TX. In New Mexico, thunderstorm wind gusts on June 6 were clocked

to 79 mph in Clovis and 63 mph in Tucumcari.

 

June 8-14…Abundant rainfall gradually shifted from the central and southern Plains into the East. Slow recovery from a multi-year drought continued across the central and southern Plains, while most of the northern and eastern U.S. remained free of drought. Excessive rain fell in a few June 17, 2014 areas mainly across the South and East causing local flooding. In addition, severe thunderstorms dotted the central and southern Plains, South, and East. Meanwhile, mostly dry weather prevailed in the West, although an early-season heat wave gradually yielded to cooler conditions. Weekly temperatures averaged as much as 10°F above normal in California, despite a late-week cooling trend. By week’s end, freezes were noted across parts of the Intermountain West. Farther east, a late-week cold front triggered a new round of heavy rain, as well as locally strong thunderstorms, from the northern Plains into the upper Midwest. The rain eased short-term dryness on the northern Plains and maintained mostly favorable to locally excessive moisture reserves for summer crops. During the early- to mid-week period, heat gripped parts of the West. On June 8, highs surged to daily record levels in California locations such as Paso Robles (106F) and Gilroy (102F). The following day, record setting highs in California for June 9 reached 110F in Fresno and Bakersfield. Sacramento, CA, posted consecutive daily record highs (106 and 103F, respectively) on June 9-10. Meanwhile, heat also overspread parts of the South, where record breaking highs included 97F in both Charleston, SC (on June 10), and Corpus Christi, TX (on June 11). During a final day of Western and Southern heat, on June 12, record setting highs surged to 108F in Del Rio, TX, and 85F in Idaho Falls, ID. Toward week’s end, markedly cooler air settled across the Plains and Midwest. As a result, daily record lows for June 13 dipped to 39F in Sioux City, IA, and 40F in Norfolk, NE. At the same time, much cooler air also overspread the West. By Sunday morning, June 15,

Daily record lows in Wyoming fell to 24F in Big Piney and 36F in Worland. Early week rainfall was heaviest across portions of the Plains, where record-setting totals for June 8 included 2.16  inches in McAlester, OK; 1.70 inches in Childress, TX; and 1.42 inches in Valentine, NE. Farther west, some late-season snow blanketed the central Rockies, where 2 inches fell in Gothic, CO, on June 8-9. Meanwhile, heavy showers also dotted the South and East. Among a large number of daily record amounts for June 9 were totals of 3.51 inches in Monticello, AR; 2.81 inches in Jackson, TN; 2.66 inches in Greenwood, MS; and 2.38 inches in Salina, KS. The parade of rainfall records continued through June 10, when record setting totals reached 3.69 inches in Lafayette, LA, and 2.59 inches in Philadelphia, PA. By mid-week, a new area of rain swept across the north-central U.S., resulting in a 2-day (June 11-12) sum of 3.74 inches in International Falls, MN. Heavy showers lingered in the East through June 13, when Vero Beach, FL (2.28 inches), and Bridgeport, CT (1.65 inches), collected daily-record amounts. At week’s end, heavy rain returned to the nation’s mid-section, particularly across the northern and central Plains. In a 24-hour period ending before daybreak on June 15, a remarkable 4.65 inches of rain drenched Sioux Falls, SD.

 

June 15-21…Rain fell across the upper Midwest, erasing vestiges of drought but triggering lowland flooding. Weekly totals of at least 4 to 8 inches were common across southern Minnesota, northern Iowa, and parts of neighboring states, sending rivers out of their banks and in some cases to record high levels. In contrast, warmer, drier weather accelerated summer crop development across the southern Plains, while nearly all of the northern and eastern U.S. remained free of drought amid scattered, locally heavy showers.

Heavy rain fell in isolated areas mainly in parts of Montana and southern Texas, as well as

Florida’s peninsula causing local flooding. Florida’s showers signaled the full scale arrival of the summer wet season, easing dryness related concerns in southern parts of the state.

Farther west, showers largely bypassed long-term drought areas on the Plains, despite unsettled pattern across the nation’s mid-section. Elsewhere, seasonably dry weather prevailed in the West’s core drought areas, although a period of cooler weather followed by a return to heat. Near- to below normal temperatures covered much of the West, while above normal temperatures stretched from the central and southern Plains into the Mid-Atlantic States. Early in the week, cool air covered much of the West and spread as far east as the Plains. On June 15, daily record lows in Wyoming dipped to 24F in Big Piney and 36F in Worland. On the same date, record setting lows in Nebraska included 35F in Alliance and 37F in Scottsbluff. Cool conditions lingered though mid-week in the Great Basin, resulting in daily record lows for June 18 in Nevada locations such as Ely (25F) and

Eureka (28F). Meanwhile, heat spread into the East, where daily record highs for June 17 soared to 97F in Washington, DC, and 90F in Erie, PA.  A day later, record breaking highs for June 18 rose to 97F in Georgetown, DE, and 95F in Atlantic City, NJ. During the warm spell, overnight temperatures remained above 75F in numerous locations across the central and eastern U.S. Specific lows included 76F (on June 17) in Salina, KS ; 77F (on June 19) in Louisville, KY ; and 78F (on June 18) in Philadelphia, PA. In contrast, a push of chilly air reached the northern High Plains by June 18, when the high temperature in

Great Falls, MT (49F), failed to reach the 50-degree mark. At week’s end, cool air overspread the Northeast and returned to the Northwest. Record-setting lows for June 21 fell to 32F in Meacham, OR, and 40F in Montpelier, VT. In a continuation from the previous week, torrential rainfall persisted across the upper Midwest. From June 14-16, rainfall in

Sioux Falls, SD, totaled 7.71 inches. Month-to-date rainfall in Sioux Falls through June 21 totaled 13.39 inches, surpassing station records for June (previously, 8.43 inches in 1984) and any month (previously, 9.42 inches in May 1898). Similarly, 9.27 inches of rain drenched Sioux City, IA, from June 14-17. With 12.10 inches of rain through June 21,

Sioux City also set records for June rainfall (previously, 8.78 inches in 1967) and precipitation in any month (previously, 11.78 inches in May 1903). In South Dakota, record high crests were established on June 17 along the Big Sioux River from Hawarden downstream to Akron. Records along that section of the Big Sioux River had been established in May 1993 or April 2001. In Sioux City, the Big Sioux River crested 6.63 feet above flood stage on June 19, rising to its highest level since April 1969. June 18 featured particularly widespread Midwestern rainfall, with amounts reaching 4.27 inches in Sisseton, SD; 3.93 inches in Muskegon, MI; and 2.91 inches in Dubuque, IA. On the same date, heavy rainfall on the northern Plains led to record setting totals in locations such as Jamestown, ND (2.45 inches), and Cut Bank, MT (2.37 inches). Cut Bank’s 2-day (June 17-

18) rainfall climbed to 3.60 inches. Later, the 19th was the wettest June day on record in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN, where 4.13 inches fell (previously, 3.48 inches on June 29, 1877). Across the remainder of the country, selected daily-record rainfall totals included 4.31 inches (on June 20) in Del Rio, TX, and 1.69 inches (on June 19) in Quillayute, WA.

 

June 22-28: Pounding rains fell across areas of the Plains, the Midwest, and South causing flooding.  Weekly rainfall amounts in excess of 4 inches were scattered across all three regions, boosting month to date totals to 10 inches or more in several locations. Farther north, cool and rainy weather perpetuated pockets of lowland flooding. Across the remainder of the Midwest, showery weather also resulted in local flooding. Meanwhile, heavy showers also fell in the South. However, excessive amounts were mostly confined to the central Gulf Coast region. In contrast, showers largely bypassed portions of the southern Mid-Atlantic States. Elsewhere, seasonably dry weather prevailed from California to the southern Rockies, while showers provided beneficial moisture to the interior Northwest. Weekly temperatures trended above normal in the eastern and western U.S., with readings averaging as much as 5F above normal in the eastern Plains. Heavy showers persisted early in the week across the central and southern Plains and parts of the Midwest. Record setting totals for June 22 included 4.28 inches in Waco, TX, and 1.77 inches in Dodge City, KS. The only wetter June days on record in Waco were June 17, 1938, with 6.40 inches, and June 14, 1927, with 5.46 inches. On June 23, daily record amounts reached 3.03 inches in Oklahoma City, OK, and 2.57 inches in Springfield, IL. Locally heavy showers also developed in the southern Atlantic region, where Savannah, GA (6.65 inches), reported its wettest June day on record. Previously, Savannah’s wettest June day had been June 29, 1999, when 6.60 inches fell. Later, the Plains and upper Midwest experienced a temporary reprieve from heavy showers, as the axis of heavy rain shifted eastward. Daily record totals for June 24 climbed to 3.54 inches in Cleveland, OH, and 2.50 inches in Lake Charles, LA. Very heavy showers lingered for several days along the Gulf Coast, resulting in daily-record amounts in Louisiana locations such as Lake Charles (6.94 inches on June 27) and Baton Rouge (3.53 inches on June 25). Meanwhile, unusually heavy summer rainfall overspread the Northwest, where record-setting Oregon totals for June 26 included 0.88 inch in Troutdale and 0.46 inch in Hillsboro. Heavy rain spread as far east as Montana, resulting in daily record amounts for June 26 in locations such as Miles City (2.08 inches) and Butte (1.48 inches). At week’s end, torrential

rains returned to parts of the central U.S. Record setting totals for June 28 included 4.37 inches in Garden City, KS, and 2.96 inches in Minot, ND. With a monthly sum of 10.88 inches, Garden City also experienced its wettest June and month on record (previously, 9.38 inches in June 1989 and 10.43 inches in July 1979, respectively). Farther north, June

and all-time monthly rainfall records were also set in locations such as Sioux City, IA (16.65 inches), and Sioux Falls, SD (10.70 inches). Temperatures rarely strayed from typical early-summer levels, leading to only a few daily record readings. However,

heat was fairly consistent in Florida, leading to daily-record highs in locations such as Fort Myers (97°F on June 26) and Sarasota-Bradenton (97F on June 27). During the mid to late week period, breezy conditions accompanied a surge of cooler air into parts of the West. On June 25, a wind gust to 68 mph was clocked in Wendover, UT. In northwestern

Wyoming, Lake Yellowstone ended the month with three consecutive freezes (31, 30, and 29°F, respectively) from June 28-30.

Jim G. Munley, jr.
http://www.jimmunleywx.com