Memorable June Heat Waves in the Nation’s Capital

 

 

 

Summer officially gets underway in June, but DC’s hottest weather doesn’t typically arrive until July and August.  Nevertheless, Washingtonians have had some memorable heat waves during the month of June.  Five of DC’s 10 warmest Junes have occurred just since 2010.

2020:  Although last June finished with a near average total of nine 90° days, the majority of those days occurred during a five-day heat wave from June 26 – June 30.  By comparison, this year’s first heat wave was from June 5 – June 7.  A “heat wave” is a minimum of three consecutive days high temperatures reach at least 90°.

2011:  DC’s fourth warmest June was noteworthy for several reasons.  The longest heat wave of the month was a six-day event from June 7 – 12.  It included two record highs: 99° on June 8 and 102° on June 9.  The June 9 temperature of 102° tied the existing record for the date.

2010:  This was the warmest June on record in the Nation’s Capital with 18 days of 90° heat, including an 11-day heat wave from June 19 – 29.  Six of those 18 days had high temperatures of 95°/+.  DC residents had a record high of 100° on June 24.  That was also DC’s first instance of triple-digit June heat since 1997.  Although more than a decade had passed since the last time Washingtonians experienced triple-digit heat in June, June 2010 was the first of three consecutive June’s with 100° heat.

1997: This was an unusual June since it got off to a very cool start.  The June 3 high temperature of 58° set a new record for DC’s coolest high temperature for the date.  There was a major shift in the weather pattern during the second half of the month, with a nine-day heat wave from June 20 – 28.  The hottest day was June 25 that featured a record high of 100°.  Despite the impressive heat during the final third of the month, June 1997 was still a cooler than average month.

1994: For nearly two decades, June 1994 held the distinction of DC’s hottest on record.  It also featured the longest heat wave of the summer with a 14-day heat wave from June 13 – 26.  The hottest day was June 15 with a record high temperature of 101°.  A total of five record highs were set during the month, including three consecutive records from June 14 – 16 that still stand today.  No June has had more than one day of 100° heat in the Nation’s Capital.