How Does June 2015 Compare to Average?

Suburban Washington, D.C.   (June 2015)

June 2015 is now the second wettest June on record in the Nation’s Capital with a monthly total of 11.94”.  This month will also finish as the sixth warmest June on record in Washington, D.C., with an average temperature of 78.1 degrees (combining daily high and low temperatures).  That’s following the warmest May on record in the Nation’s Capital that saw less than half its monthly average amount of rain.

June has featured twelve days with temperatures in the 90s, including two separate heat waves.  Meteorologists define a “heat wave” as any period of at least three consecutive days with high temperatures of 90 degrees or greater.  The first heat wave occurred from June 11 – 16 and the second occurred from June 20 – 23.  This month’s hottest temperature was 96 degrees and occurred twice (on June 16 and June 23). 

This June has had seven days with widespread severe weather across the Mid-Atlantic Region.  In addition, on two separate occasions there were daily rainfall records set at National Airport (the official weather reporting site for Washington, D.C.).  On June 20, 2.37” of rain fell downtown in conjunction with multiple severe weather reports across the DC Metro Region.  This past Saturday, June 27, another 2.75” occurred at National Airport, while two EF-1 tornadoes touched down in Charles and St. Mary’s Counties in southern Maryland.  Although these tornadoes caused some damage, fortunately there were no fatalities.

The dramatic shift from being significantly drier than average in May to being the second wettest June on record illustrates the high degree of variability in weather patterns from one month to the next.  Despite the ample heat and prodigious rainfall that’s occurred this June, the month is ending with more comfortable weather.  High temperatures today in the Nation’s Capital were in the low to mid 80s – including 84 degrees downtown – slightly below the daily average of 88 degrees.  

Ironically, that’s a far cry from three years ago today when Washington, D.C. saw its hottest June day on record at 104 degrees.

Top Five Wettest June’s in Washington, D.C. (Source: National Weather Service)

1.  14.02"  (2006)
2.  11.94"  (2015)
3.  11.53"  (1972)
4.  10.94"  (1900)
5.  9.97"    (2013)

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Top Six Warmest June’s in Washington, D.C. (at National Airport)

1.  80.6°   (2010)
2.  79.4°   (1994)
3.  79.2°   (1943)
4.  78.8°   (2011)
5.  78.7°   (1981)
6.  78.1°   (2015)