MONTHLY SUMMARY: JUNE 1997 UPDATED: 7/13/97 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- After a record breaking cold start to June, thanks to a broad trough over the East, the latter half of the month produced more summerlike conditions with many sites producing record highs. Despite the warm second half of June, the month averaged below normal temperatures at most all sites. Precipitation for the month was near to well-above normal in and near the western Virginia southwest mountains, over much of NC, and SC. Well-below normal rainfall was noted for most of VA away from the SW mountains and over eastern NC. Danielle Desrosiers at RNK (NWS Blacksburg) informs me that there is no longer a formal monthly climate summary for ROA but ensures me that the data is still being maintained! (I know, like to me it makes no sense to you either!) Bill ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTES FROM "AROUND THE LEAGUE"- Arlington - NWS WBC notes the split personality of June. The first half of the month was cool and relatively cloudy. The latter half of the month was near or warmer than normal, including a hazy, hot, and humid stretch from the 20th through the 26th. A major severe thunderstorm outbreak occurred on the 18th. One of its thunderstorms blazed a path of damage from Great Falls, Virginia to Takoma Park, Maryland, through the northern suburbs of DC. Winds up to 80 mph blew down trees and knocked out power for thousands of people. (report from Chris Sterling, NWSFO Sterling, VA) Bridgewater - According to Clayton, precipitation recorded at his place was 2.42" above normal. "We were lucky. A number of places near here were quite dry. The most excitement for the month occurred on the 20th when a slow moving thunderstorm exploded over Bridgewater. The precipitation measurements in our small town varied from around 0.5 inch to 2 inches. So far this year, we have had only 4 tunderstorms. Last year at this time, we had 18. The average temperature for the month was about a degree below normal. The first part of the month was much below normal, but the hot days during the latter part of the month brought the average up." Centreville - From Paul comes this jubilation: "No snow!" Falls Church - Lowell sends these notes: "June was cool and dry. Without the heat from the 20th until the 26th, it would be a very cool June. Much or the rain occurred in the first 3 days with total rain 2.59", creating a departure of -0.27. Still this June was wetter than last June. The lowest max temp of 56 degrees was a new 17-year record, some -12.92 degrees, and 5 below the record. The month produced a mean temp departure of -1.99 degrees, making June the coolest since 1992." Falls Church - Erica sends these notes: "We had below average rainfall and the humber of days with thunderstorms. Our average high was 1.4 degrees below the norm. The average low was 3.2 degrees below the norm." Fredericksburg - Ken notes that the 1st 9 days of the month were very cool, averaging about 10 degrees below the norm. The 3rd had a high temp of only 54 degrees. The last 21 days averaged about 2 degrees above normal, or 16 degrees warmer that the 1st 9 days. At one point, 7 consecutive days reached at least 91 degrees (20th thru' the 26th). That week averaged 79.6 degrees, about 6 degrees above normal. The month averaged a little over 2 degrees below normal. Precipitation was very near normal. Hampton - In his monthly notes, Dave noted the below normal year-to-date precip deficit, -5.00". June's average temp was only 1 degree below normal despite a cold start and hot end. Most heating degree days ever for June (36!). The previous high was 21 in 1966. Herndon - Bob noted, what many of us have at times, that his louvered but unventilated weather shelter exhibits a hot box effect compared with average of "free air" observations nearby. (Editor's note: I have to keep mine in a northern exposure, out of sunlight and only receiving filtered light, because of that effect.) Louisa - John noted a rather steady barometer for the entire month of June. He adds that "I did not see it above 30.10 or below 29.90." Mechanicsville - Glenn noted strong t-storms moving through the area on the 14th with early morning downpours. Norfolk - From NWS AKQ... temps averaged 2.1 degrees below normal while precip was 2.71" below normal. Portsmouth - Since records were begun in 1976 at this site, only one June was drier than this, and that was in 1980 (0.94"). The month saw record cold and heat with new station record lows on the 4th (53), 9th (52), and 10th (51) and a record high of 100 on the 26th! Richmond - Temps averaged 2.5 degrees below normal while precip was 1.14" below normal (source: NWS AKQ) Roanoke - Wendell had his 2nd coolest June on record at 69.0 degrees. Only June 1992 was cooler at 68.3 degrees. Rainfall total for the month was high at 7.12" with 4.74" falling on the 1st day of the month. The month, however, ended on a very dry note. Weems - Woodstock - Asheville - The monthly average temp was 2.9 degrees below normal and the excessive rainfall (8.29") was some 4.06" above the norm. Brevard - The month was cool with rainfall 1/2" above the 7 year average. (from Bob Keehn) Charlotte - A whopping 6.83" of rain put this site 3.46" above the monthly norm. Meanwhile, the mean temperature was 2.7 degrees below the norm. Greensboro - NWS RDU notes that the Piedmont-Triad area had an average montly temp some 2.8 degrees below the normal. The 3.33" of rain was slightly below normal at -0.48". The daily lowest max temp was broken on the 4th, 6th, 7th, and 9th. The lowest max temp ever recorded here in June occurred on the 6th. Henderson - Raleigh - NWS RDU notes that the month was 2.8 degrees below normal while precip was 0.15" above normal. The daily low max temp was broken on the 6th and 7th and tied on the 4th! The lowest max temp ever recorded for the month of June was tied on the 6th. The daily highest minimum was broken on the 1st. Raleigh - According to Bob, the first half of June was relatively cool. Four days recorded with a high temp below 70 degrees. The second half of the month featured 8 daily highs of 90 degrees or more, including 7 days in a row! Roxboro - "June presented with a cool and wet beginning followed by a warm and dry ending. Precip and temps below normal- except minimum temps averaged exactly normal. Nothing too exciting. Several days of 90-plus max temps - typical for the area." [notes from Merriell A. Jay] Wilmington - NWS ILM's headline for June was: "...SECOND COOLEST JUNE IN WILMINGTON HISTORY..." The average temp was a -3.3 degrees. The month missed being the coldest on record by 1/2 degree. The rainfall was nearly average (but -0.86"). June normally produces no heating degree days, but this one totalled 20! Columbia - The average temp was 2.4 degrees below normal and precip was 0.30" above normal. Greenville-Spartanburg - The average monthly temp of 71.5 degrees was a whopping 3.5 degrees below normal! Precip- at 6.05" - was 1.25" above normal. Ruby - Franklin noted that the hot, dry weather continues. He's only had 3.5 inches or rain in 2 months. Other places have had over 4.0 inches in one storm! Farmers and gardeners are having a hard time in his immediate area. Tri-cities - The monthly temp average, according to NWS TRI, was 2.5 degrees below normal while precip ran 0.92" above normal. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- UPDATED MEMBERS' E-MAIL ADDRESSES: (posted by permission) BRE Bob Keehn Bob_Keehn@citcom.net BRI Clayton Towers Ctowers@rica.net POR Bill Trotter wtrotter@whro.org RAL Bob Woodson woods@pipeline.com CEN Paul Bassett III pbassett@nmaa.org WSH David Yowell deyowell@mnsinc.com FCH Erica Page erica@erols.com RMD Roy Britt rbritt@erols.com NEW Joyce Winfree joywood@shentel.net FRB Ken McKneely 10774.3710@compuserve.com -----------------------------------------------------------------------------