Second Warmest June on Record

By Russell Russ                                                                              

Most of June had an abundance of beautiful summer weather and not much in the way of rain. It was hot and humid for several days mid-month, clearly telling us that summer was here. It was very dry for the first three weeks. Lawns were beginning to brown up. Through June 20, with just 0.31 inch of rainfall, it was standing as Norfolk’s driest June on record. Much needed rainfall did occur during the last week of the month, but this June still ended up being well below normal for precipitation.

June’s low temperature of 45 degrees was observed on June 16 and the high of 90 degrees was observed on June 19 and 20. The June 19 high surpasses the 86 from 1957 and 2016 and the June 20 high surpassed the 89 from 2012. As of June, Norfolk is nearly at its average number of days for hitting 90 degrees or above for the year. With an average monthly mean temperature of 67.6 degrees, it was 4.2 degrees above normal. This June ranked as Norfolk’s second warmest on record. Norfolk’s warmest June was in 1943 with 68.3 degrees, the coolest was in 1958 with 58.8 degrees. 

The total precipitation recorded for the month was 1.71 inches, 3.10 inches below normal. It would have ranked even higher had it not been for some rain and thunder showers during the last week of the month. There was no severe weather this month in Norfolk, but other parts of the state did see strong storms, including a small tornado in Harwinton on June 21. Norfolk’s driest June was in 1988 when only 0.61 inch was recorded. The wettest was in 2013 with 13.38 inches. 

For the first half of 2024, Norfolk’s total precipitation amount was 28.47 inches. After April, our rainfall surplus was at a peak of 6.28 inches. After June, the surplus was down to 3.05 inches. The first half of 2024 was 5.14 inches wetter than the first half of 2023. 

If you thought June was warm, then just wait until you see what July has in store for Norfolk. The heat really turned up in July. For the first eighteen days of the month, fifteen recorded highs in the 80s, with many in the upper 80s. No days topped 90, and no days set record high temperatures, but nearly three straight weeks of heat and humidity are unusual for Norfolk, even in July. For Norfolk, this July will certainly rank very high in comparison to any month ever recorded since 1932. Thanks to the 2.31 inches of rain from thunderstorms and heavy rain on July 17, July’s rainfall total was already 1.81 inches above normal with nearly two weeks remaining in the month. Heat and humidity often bring rain and thunderstorms and July was getting its fair share. 

In late June, news spread that the Great Mountain Forest (GMF) weather station was down and out. How quickly news spreads! Have no fear. The official weather observations for Norfolk are manually recorded every day using official National Weather Service equipment and there were no issues there. The station that was off-line was the electronic one owned by GMF that transmits data to various weather websites, most notably Weather Underground. Technical difficulties were remedied and the station, while getting quite old, is once again transmitting. Visit Weather Underground, station KCTNORFO2, to see conditions at GMF’s transmitting weather station.

Weather observations are recorded by the Great Mountain Forest at Norfolk’s National Weather Service Cooperative Weather Observer Station, Norfolk 2SW.