High temperatures and below-normal rainfall combined for one of the hottest and driest months of June in the 126-year U.S. climate record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
In addition, the first half of the year brought 10, billion-dollar weather disasters. This makes 2020 the sixth consecutive year with 10 or more billion-dollar weather events — a record, according to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information.
The average June temperature for the contiguous United States was 70.3 F — 1.8 degrees above average. Above-average temperatures were observed across portions of the West Coast, Gulf Coast, the Southwest, Northern Plains and from the Great Lakes to New England.
It was the third driest June on record, with average precipitation of 2.72 inches, 0.21 inches below normal.
The year-to-date average temperature for the contiguous United States was 50 F — 2.4 degrees above the 20th-century average and the eighth warmest on record year-to-date. Florida had its hottest month on record year-to-date.
Despite June’s arid conditions, year-to-date precipitation was 16.32 inches — 1.01 inches above average. It ranked in the wettest third of the 126-year record.
This year is tied with 2011 and 2016 for having 10 disasters in the first six months; in 2017, there were a record 11 events by end of June.
