Highlights:Hot weather (weekly temperatures averaging at least 5 degrees F above normal) prevailed from the central and southern Plains into the Midwest and Southeast.Weekly temperatures averaged as much as 10 degrees F above normal in the middle Mississippi Valley.A strong ridge of high pressure across the Nation's mid-section resulted in temperatures above 100 degrees F as far north as Kansas and frequent readings of 95 degrees F or higher from the central Plains into the middle Mississippi Valley.Persistent highs above 95 degrees F were also noted in the Southeast.On June 25, a brief surge of heat resulted in highs above 95 degrees F as far north as Montana.
Later, heat began to build across the West, where on June 27 temperatures soared above 100 degrees F in California's Central Valley.In contrast, cool weather in the Northwest held weekly temperatures as much as 5 degrees F below normal.Precipitation generally became more scattered across the Nation due to the influence of a strong ridge of high pressure centered over the south-central U.S.Nevertheless, weekly rainfall still exceeded 2 inches at several locations across the central Plains and the Midwest.In fact, the combination of scattered showers, abundant soil moisture, and warmer weather promoted rapid crop growth across the Plains and the Midwest.On the southern Plains, however, developing drought increased stress on summer crops but favored winter wheat harvesting.Drought also expanded or intensified in the western and central Gulf Coast regions under a hot, mostly dry weather regime.Reproductive summer crops such as silking corn and blooming soybeans were most vulnerable to harm due to the excessive heat.Across the remainder of the South, significant rainfall was confined to Florida's peninsula and portions of Kentucky and Tennessee.Elsewhere, mostly dry weather in the West Coast States contrasted with isolated showers in the Rockies and Southwest.Tropical moisture surging northward from Mexico around the western side of the ridge of high pressure contributed to the showery pattern.
Record-setting heat for June affected several locations from the western Gulf Coast region to Florida.Apalachicola, FL, reached 100 degrees F on 3 consecutive days from June 21-23, matching its June record previously attained from June 27-29, 1998.Elsewhere in Florida, June records were broken in Vero Beach (102 degrees F on June 22; previously, 100 degrees F on June 27, 1950) and Pensacola (102 degrees F on June 23; previously, 101 degrees F on June 30, 1894, and June 27, 1988).Ft. Lauderdale, FL (100 degrees F on June 22), tied an all-time record most recently achieved on August 4, 1944.From June 16-27, Atlanta, GA, reached or exceeded 90 degrees F on 12 consecutive days-its longest such streak in June since 1988.Farther west, June records included 101 degrees F on June 24 in New Orleans, LA (previously, 100 degrees F on June 30, 1954); 102 degrees F on June 24 (previously, 100 degrees F on June 30, 1954) in New Iberia, LA; and 104 degrees F on June 24 and 26 (previously, 103 degrees F on June 30, 1980, and earlier) in Houston, TX.By week's end, Houston stood on the verge of its driest May-June period on record.Houston's driest such period occurred in May-June 1931, when 0.98 inch fell, while only 0.65 inch was measured from May 1-June 27, 2009.Heat also briefly surged into the Midwest, where Milwaukee, WI (94 degrees F on June 24), posted its first 90-degree reading since September 5, 2007, and experienced its hottest day since July 8, 2007 (also 94 degrees F).Very high dewpoint temperatures accompanied the heat wave, compounding stress levels on livestock.On June 23, the dewpoint temperature climbed to 83 degrees F in North Little Rock, AR, breaking the record of 80 degrees F (set on June 25, 1980) for that location.Elsewhere, scattered daily-record lows were mostly confined to the Far West.Paso Robles, CA (43 and 44 degrees F), opened the week with consecutive daily-record lows on June 21-22.In Idaho, McCall (28 degrees F) notched a record low for June 23.
Showery weather lingered early in the week across the Intermountain West, where Salt Lake City, UT, tied a record for its greatest number of days in June with measurable precipitation.Salt Lake City also had 17 days with measurable rain in June 1967.Meanwhile in Colorado, Denver's month-to-date rainfall climbed to 4.86 inches - its second-wettest June on record behind 4.96 inches in 1882.Similarly, New York's Central Park received June 1-27 rainfall totaling 9.40 inches, representing its third-wettest June behind 10.27 inches in 2003 and 9.78 inches in 1903.With 7.47 inches of rain, Bangor, ME, achieved its wettest June on record (previously, 7.46 inches in 2006).In stark contrast, San Antonio, TX, neared the end of its driest 22-month period on record.From September 1, 2007-June 27, 2009, only 23.90 inches (39 percent of normal) fell in San Antonio, compared to the 22-month record low of 26.33 inches set from December 1908-September 1910.
Elsewhere, scattered but heavy showers during the week resulted in daily-record totals in locations such as Denver (1.64 inches on June 23); Salina, KS (1.71 inches on June 25); and Cincinnati, OH (2.65 inches on June 25).In eastern North Dakota, where late-week rainfall topped 4 inches at a few locations, Grand Forks netted 2.77 inches in a 24-hour period on June 26-27.
In Alaska, generally cool weather (weekly temperatures as much as 2 to 6 degrees F below normal) accompanied locally heavy showers.On June 24-25, Valdez posted consecutive daily-record lows (38 and 40 degrees F, respectively).Meanwhile, more than an inch of rain drenched several locations across interior Alaska.For example, Eielson Air Force Base netted 1.17 inches in a 24-hour period on June 23-24, and Eagle received 1.38 inches in a 24-hour period on June 26-27.Farther south, gusty trade winds in Hawaii resulted in occasional showers, mainly in windward locations.On June 21, wind gusts were clocked to 48 miles per hour. at both Maalaea Bay, Maui, and Kamuela, on the Big Island.Elsewhere on the Big Island, Hilo's weekly rainfall of 2.77 inches boosted its June 1-27 sum to 5.36 inches (83 percent of normal).
National Weather Summary provided by USDA's World Agricultural Outlook Board.
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