The wet
weather pattern that characterized the second half of May is continuing into
early June. June is D.C.’s second
wettest month on average, with a monthly average of 3.78”, according to the
National Weather Service. It’s worth
pointing out that 13 of the last 20 June’s have been wetter than average in
Washington, D.C.
The D.C.
Metro Area has seen significant June rainfall from former tropical systems,
such as the remnants of Hurricane Agnes in 1972. Also, a stagnant weather pattern favorable
for persistent heavy rain can occur in June because atmospheric steering
currents are often weak. Such was the
case on June 25-26, 2006 when a total of 9.41” of rain fell. That contributed to making June 2006 the
wettest June on record with 14.02” of rain in the Nation’s Capital. By comparison, June 2017 was much drier than
average with only 1.13” of rain.
Average
high/low temperatures in Washington, D.C. range from 80°/62° on June 1 to
88°/70° on June 30. D.C.’s hottest observed
June temperature occurred relatively recently on June 29, 2012 (104°). Meanwhile, D.C.’s coolest June temperature on
record was on June 2, 1897 (43°). National
Weather Service data reveals that 12 of the last 20 June’s have been warmer
than average in Washington, D.C. That
includes the current streak of eight consecutive June’s with above average temperatures. This follows a 13-year stretch, from 1997
through 2009, when eight June’s were cooler than average in Washington, D.C.
An increased
amount of urbanization and development has heightened the urban heat island
effect. That’s helped keep urban and
suburban areas warmer than they used to be.
A good illustration of this trend is that Washington, D.C. has either
tied or set new record high or record high/low temperatures 26 times in June
over the last 20 years. That’s compared
to only two record low/high temperatures with no record low June temperatures
during that time in the Nation’s Capital.
Currently, NOAA’s outlook for June 2018 is for warmer and wetter than average
conditions in the D.C. Metro Area.
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