Just How Warm and Wet has June Been in the Nation's Capital?

Severe Weather Reports from NOAA   (June 20, 2015)

June is continuing last month’s trend of being warmer than average in the Nation’s Capital.  However, unlike May, this month is poised to finish as one of the wettest on record.  Through June 25, Washington, D.C. has officially seen 9.18” of rain as measured at National Airport.  That’s more than double the monthly average of 3.78” according to the National Weather Service and would qualify this month as the fifth wettest June on record. 

Although no record highs have been set, 12 of the first 23 days of this month were significantly warmer than average with highs in the 90s.  In fact, daily high temperatures reached 96 degrees on two different days this month, making for the hottest weather since last August.  Through June 25, this has been the sixth warmest June on record in the Nation’s Capital.

It’s interesting to note that three of the wettest Junes on record in the Nation’s Capital (including this month) have occurred during the last 15 years.   The wettest June on record came in 2006 with a total of 14.02” at National Airport.  Since Washington, D.C. averages only 39.74” in a given year, getting more than a third of that in a single month is astonishing.  More recently nearly 10” of rain fell in the Nation’s Capital during the month of June 2013. 

Unfortunately, much of the rain that’s come this month has been associated with severe weather.  In just the last week, there have been three days with severe weather in the Mid-Atlantic Region.  For example, on June 20 the remnants of Tropical Storm Bill enhanced the rainfall that a cold front brought the Mid-Atlantic Region.  This cold front brought a significant amount of severe weather reported locally in addition to the daily rainfall record of 2.37” that was set at National Airport last Saturday.      

Although the 2006 record of 14.02” should be safe as D.C.’s wettest June, only another 2.36” needs to fall before the end of the month to make this the second wettest June on record.  Flood watches have already been issued across the Mid-Atlantic Region for more significant rain tomorrow and tomorrow night.

The Top Five Wettest June’s in the Nation’s Capital

1.  14.02”  (2006)
2.  11.53”  (1972)
3.  10.94”  (1900)
4.  9.97”    (2013)
5.  9.18”    (Through June 25, 2015)