Vermont Temperatures In June Were A Roller Coaster

Story of June, 2020. In a dry month, this thunderstorm teased
by poking above the treeline behind my St. Albans, Vermont house
then quickly scooted away, making sure I didn't get
any needed rain. Photo taken June 23.

Most of the time, I rate June and September in Vermont as the mellowest times of the year in the weather department.

True, months like June can have some pretty impressive rainfalls, floods and severe storms. But the two months I mention aren't generally known for temperature extremes, or big swings from one day or week to the next.

This June, though, was a roller coaster for sure.

In the first half of the month there were a couple days setting date records for the chilliest high temperatures - reaching only the 50s.

By the second half of the month, we were in a record heat wave.

Burlington's swings were common for what the state saw in June. We awoke to temperatures in the 30s on June 1, with frost in the cold spots. By the 5th, it was 90 degrees.  On the 13th, high temperatures were only in the 50s. By the 18th, Burlington was starting its June record breaking six consecutive days in the 90s.

Also in Burlington, there was very little rain all month, until the last two days, when 1.14 fell.

Overall in Burlington, the average temperatures for the month worked out to 69.0 degrees. That was 3.1 degrees above normal and enough to make June the tenth warmest on record.

June's temperature was closer to normal in towns away from the Champlain Valley, I think mostly because unlike the Champlain Valley, partial clouds and daily scattered thunderstorms tempered that long heat wave a little over the Green Mountains and points east.

So far this year, we've had nine days at or above 90 degrees in Burlington. Average for an entire year is five, so were off to a fast start in the hot weather department.

Pretty much everyone in Vermont was dry in June. Despite the rainfall in the last two days of the month, Burlington ended with only 1.88 inches of precipitation for June, which is right around half of normal.

Most other places in Vermont had similar precipitation deficits. An exception was Montpelier, which was lucky enough to be in the path of several thunderstorms during the month. They were only a third of an inch shy in rainfall, with a June total of 3.47 inches.

As always, what the next month will bring could be anything. However, there is a pretty remarkable, but not universal consensus that July will be hotter than average in New England. The first few days of the month, at least, look to be warmer than average.

Long range forecasts have been putting us in a moderate risk of a heat wave during the second week of July. We'll see how that pans out.

It could have been worse.  Miami, Florida just endured more than six days in which the heat index was 90 or more. This includes every hour during that period, including nights. Ugh!