NATIONAL WEATHER SUMMARY

 

JUNE 2015

 

1-6: Dry weather finally overspread the south-central U.S., following a record setting May deluge. However, moderate to major flooding continued along several rivers from the western Gulf Coast region into the mid-South. Cool but mostly dry weather in the eastern Midwest.  Meanwhile, showery weather prevailed from the northern Rockies into the upper Midwest, generally benefiting immature crops. Elsewhere, early week showers in the

Northwest yielded to hot, dry conditions, while out of season showers developed toward week’s end in the Four Corners States. Weekly temperatures averaged 5 to 10F above normal across much of the Northwest, but were at least 5F below normal in many locations from the Great Lakes region into New England. Early week frost was reported in portions of the Great Lakes States, particularly in Wisconsin, northern Lower Michigan, and northeastern Minnesota. Cool weather lingered for much of the week in the Northeast, where Boston failed to reach the 50F degree mark on consecutive June days for the first time on record. Boston, which reported highs of 49F on June 1 and 2, had only once before not reached the 50F degree mark in June: 49F on June 5, 1945. Other locations that did not reach 50F included Marquette, MI (high of 48F on May 31), and Worcester, MA (48F on June 1). Farther west, however, a surge of warmth led to daily record highs for June 1 in Greybull, WY (87F), and Rapid City, SD (86F). Late week heat began to build across the Northwest, but widespread, record setting highs were not reported until June 7.

 

7-13: Hot, dry weather persisted in the Northwest. In fact, record setting heat boosted weekly temperatures as much as 10 to 15F above normal in northern California and the interior Northwest. In contrast, near to below normal temperatures covered the Four Corners States. Farther east, showery weather returned to the central and southern Plains.

Early-week temperatures soared to record-setting levels in the Northwest. In Washington, for example, four consecutive daily record highs were established from June 7-10 in locations such as Wenatchee (99, 103, 99, and 96F); Yakima (101, 105,

101, and 98F); and Hanford (102, 105, 101, and 99F). Pendleton, OR, posted a trio of daily record highs (96, 102, and 96F) from June 7-9. At the height of the Western heat wave,

on June 8, highs soared to triple-digit, daily-record levels in Gilroy, CA (109F); Riverside, CA (105°F); Medford, OR (105F); and Lewiston, ID (100F). In Redding, CA, a string of four consecutive triple-digit days ended with a daily record high of 108°F on June 9. Redding collected another daily record high, 109F on June 12, when Western heat shifted southward late in the week. Other record setting highs in California on June 12 included 110F in Red Bluff and 106F in Ukiah. Late week heat also spread from the Ohio Valley into the Mid-Atlantic States. On June 12, daily-record highs in Pennsylvania reached 95 F in Philadelphia and 93 F in Reading. In contrast, temporarily cooler conditions in the Northwest led to daily record lows for June 13 in Washington locations such as Pullman (34F) and Whitman Mission

(37F). 

 

14-20: Hot, mostly dry weather covered the Southeast. Weekly temperatures averaged as much as 10F above normal in Virginia and the Carolinas, while readings peaked near 100F in the southern Atlantic States. The sustained period of heat, combined with diminishing topsoil moisture reserves, led to a marked increase in stress on pastures. Hot, dry weather also covered the West. Temperatures averaged as much as 10F above normal, particularly across the Intermountain West and the Desert Southwest. In the latter region, maximum temperatures ranged from 110 to 120F.

Triple-digit, daily record highs were set in several Southeastern locations, including Fayetteville, NC (101°F on June 15); Columbia, SC (101F on June 16 and 17); Charlotte, NC (100F on June 18); and Orlando, FL (100F on June 19). On June 16, the day with the most widespread Southeastern heat, daily record highs reached 100 F in locations such as New Bern, NC; Augusta, GA; and Wilmington and Raleigh-Durham, NC. During the mid to late week period, intensifying Southwestern heat also led to several records. For example, Phoenix, AZ, collected consecutive daily record highs (114 and 115F, respectively) on June 17-18. Other record-setting highs for June 18 soared to 119F in Thermal, CA, and

116F in Yuma, AZ. In California, Barstow-Daggett closed the week on June 19-20 with a pair of daily record highs (111 and 114F). In contrast, scattered daily record lows across the nation’s norther tier included 28F (on June 15) in Gold Butte, MT, and 36F (on June 19) in Marquette, MI.

 

21-27: Dry weather prevailed in the West, accompanied by building heat. The hot, dry conditions increased stress on rain-fed crops, especially in the Northwest. Weekly temperatures averaged at least 10F above normal at numerous locations across the

Northwest and Intermountain West. Cool conditions on the northern Plains were soon replaced by record setting heat. Havre, MT, registered a daily record low (38F) on June 22, followed by a high of 100F on June 27. Havre’s highs continued to climb, reaching 103F on June 28. Meanwhile, heat persisted for much of the week in the Southeast, where triple-digit, daily record highs included 101F (on June 22) in Augusta, GA, and 100F (on June 22 and 23) in Charlotte, NC. Farther west, South Lake Tahoe, CA, ended the week with four consecutive daily record highs (87, 90, 89, and 87F) from June 24-27. Similarly, MT. Shasta City, CA, posted three daily record highs in a row (95, 99, and 97F) from June 25-27. Numerous Western locations, including Pendleton, OR (104 and 109F); Yakima, WA (104 and 108F); and Helena, MT (98 and 103F), closed the week with consecutive daily record highs. In each case—Pendleton, Yakima, and Helena—June records were also broken on the 27th. Pendleton’s previous record had been 108°F on June 17, 1961; Yakima’s standard had been 105F on June 23, 1992; and Helena’s mark had been 102F on June 21, 1900. Walla Walla, WA, followed its highest June temperature on record (109F on June 27) with the highest June reading in Washington (113F on June 28). On the 27th, lows in Oregon of

71F in Portland and Salem marked the first June day on record in both locations that the temperature failed to fall below 70F. Similarly, the June 26 low of 91F in Las Vegas, NV, represented the first time in June that the temperature in that location did not dip below the 90-degree mark.

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