What’s Special about this June?

Davidsonville, Maryland  (June 28, 2016)  Courtesy: Nicole McKee

Near average temperatures today and tomorrow should leave this month approximately one degree warmer than average in Washington, D.C.  But, June 2016 pales in comparison to the extreme heat during the very hot Junes from 2010 – 2012.  In fact, June’s all-time hottest recorded temperature in the Nation’s Capital occurred just four years ago today when it was 104 degrees.  By comparison, this June’s hottest temperature was 96 degrees at National Airport on the 11^th. 

Temperatures have only reached the 90s on five occasions this month – as compared to twelve such days last June.  What’s helped make this month warmer than average has been some warm overnight low temperatures.  Also, National Airport had a near average total of 3.68” through June 28, while Dulles Airport in nearby Sterling, Virginia was significantly wetter than average with 6.35” of rain this month.  That’s largely due to the location and track of the thunderstorms that have occurred.

Most Mid-Atlantic residents will remember this month for the frequency of severe weather.  On June 16, baseball-sized hail occurred in Loudoun County, Virginia which caused extensive damage in the town of Bluemont.  Just a few days later on June 21, another round of severe weather brought an EF-0 tornado to Howard County, MD, and a number of severe wind gusts (58 mph per hour or greater).  Last night, the DC Metro Region saw another round of severe thunderstorms with more severe wind gusts bringing damage to parts of the area including Manassas, Virginia and parts of Silver Spring, Maryland.  Although not as common as in other parts of the country, June severe weather outbreaks can occur here.

Many Washingtonians have shifted their attention to the weather for the Independence Day holiday and the month of July.  Although NOAA’s temperature outlook is for near average temperatures over the next six to ten days, the month of July has an increased chance to be warmer than average across much of the eastern United States.  People can also continue to rely upon my colleagues and me on the WUSA9 weather team for the latest forecasts.

Weather Quiz

Source: NOAA

Which is the deadliest type of weather in the United States according to NOAA?

A.  Flooding

B.  Heat Waves

C.  Lightning

D.  Tornadoes

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Answer to Weather Quiz question from June 11.

False.  The earliest in the season it’s been 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the Nation’s Capital was June 5, 1925.  However, once National Airport opened in 1941 and became the official site for making weather observations in Washington, D.C., the earliest 100 degree day there was June 11, 2011, when a record high of 101 degrees occurred.

Atlantic Hurricane Season Off to a Fast Start

Tropical Storm Danielle in 2016  (Source: NASA)

2016 has already been a record setting hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean.  Earlier this week, Tropical Storm Danielle developed and that set a new record for earliest in the season that a fourth named storm developed.

It’s common for a few short-lived and relatively weak tropical storms to develop in late May, June and early July.  However, a combination of rare events have conspired to make 2016 an unusual year thus far.  Although four tropical storms have already been named in the Atlantic this year, there has only been one hurricane, Alex.  Tropical Storms Bonnie and Colin were both relatively weak tropical storms that brought prolific amounts of rain to the United States.  Fortunately, they didn’t linger and didn’t cause significant flooding as some past June storms have done.

Earlier this week, the National Hurricane Center identified and tracked Tropical Storm Danielle as it made landfall in Mexico.  Distinguished scientist, Dr. Philip Klotzbach, of Colorado State University determined Danielle became the earliest fourth named storm on record in the Atlantic Ocean when it was named on June 20.  That beat the old record that Tropical Storm Debby set just four years ago.  2012 was also the last busier than average hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean.

Although there has been a flurry of activity in the tropical Atlantic so far in 2016, there has also been an ongoing hurricane drought.  Since 2013, there have been only four major hurricanes – Category 3 of higher with sustained winds of 111 mph or greater – in the Atlantic Ocean.  The 30-year average for major hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean over the course of a season is approximately three.  The last time there were three consecutive Atlantic hurricane seasons with a below average number of major hurricanes was from 1992 – 1994 – when a total of just 2 developed.  However, one of those two major hurricanes was Hurricane Andrew in 1992, a notorious Category 5 hurricane.

Besides fewer major hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean over the last few years, no major hurricane has made landfall in the United States since 2005.  That’s the longest such streak on record.  It’s important to note that whether or not the season is busier than average, high impact storms can occur during below average seasons – such as Andrew in 1992.  The next tropical storm to develop in the Atlantic Ocean this season will be named “Earl.”