Rainiest June on Record for Three States

The month of June was the wettest on record for three states and for nearly a fifth of the country, it was significantly wetter than average.

In figures released on Wednesday by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), nearly 19 percent of the U.S. saw what the agency classified as a “very wet” June, as opposed to just over seven percent of the country experiencing a “very dry” month.

For the states of Illinois, Ohio and Indiana, it was the wettest June on record. Two other states, Arizona and Pennsylvania, saw their second-wettest Junes, and more than half (29) of the US saw above average precipitation during the month, the majority of those states concentrated in the Northeast and Midwest.

Due to a strengthening El Nino, regarded by some as one of the strongest on record, warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific Ocean are helping to fuel different jet stream patterns, funneling more moisture and energy into parts of the United States. More specifically, a strong area of high pressure remained relatively stagnant across the Southeast, forcing ample amounts of moisture to pinwheel over it, starting in Texas and through the Ohio River valley and eventually into the Northeast.

Meanwhile, the Northwest continued to bake in excessive heat and unusually dry conditions. Washington State saw its third-driest June on record, and Oregon saw its ninth-driest. The same pattern has continued into early July, with record-setting temperatures continuing to spur wildfires across the region.

Stay with WeatherNation for all the latest this summer and through the fall as El Nino conditions are expected to continue to influence weather nationwide.

Meteorologist Chris Bianchi – Photo: NOAA