JUNE 2004 WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR NEW MEXICO

June 2004 had contrasting weather across the state, with precipitation generally above normal in the east, especially the northeast, while the west overall was drier than normal.  Temperatures across New Mexico were fairly close to normal.

High pressure aloft continued to dominate the Land of Enchantment through the first half of June 2004, but there were a couple of episodes of severe weather, aided by intrusions of moist air into the east and an active dry line.  The first surge of moisture was actually from a large complex of thunderstorms over the Texas panhandle on the 2nd.  Outflow winds from these storms moved west across the eastern plains on the evening of the 2nd and pushed through the canyons and passes of the central mountains during the early morning hours of the 3rd.  A wind gust to 63 mph was recorded at the Albuquerque airport.  The increase in moisture helped spawn isolated severe weather on the 3rd over southwest and northeast New Mexico, which continued over small portions of the northeast and east central plains on the 4th and 5th.  After mostly dry and warm weather from the 6th through the 8th, a cold front pressed into the northeast and again delivered a surge of moisture.  Isolated severe weather was reported over the northeast on the 9th. The 10th through 15th was mainly dry and very warm to hot.  The following week proved to be quite active in terms of severe weather across New Mexico. A cold front pressed south across the eastern plains on the 16th, igniting a round of thunderstorms with isolated severe weather across the east on the 16th and 17th.  Another cold front crossed the eastern plains on the 18th, refreshing the low level moisture and causing more storms and some severe weather on the 18th and 19th.  After a brief break on the 20th, yet another cold front moved south across the plains on the 21st, delivering more moisture and severe weather for primarily the northeast.  This time the moisture squeezed into the Rio Grande Valley early on the 22nd.  In addition, some tropical moisture advanced north from Mexico on the 22nd, helping trigger isolated thunderstorms over portions of western New Mexico on the 22nd and 23rd.  Meanwhile the east stabilized enough to prevent any severe weather on these two days.  Then the 4th cold front in 8 days kept the east moist on the 24th through 26th with another round of thunderstorms with isolated severe weather and minor flooding; the most active of these three days being on the 24th. Two more cold fronts kept the east very moist on the 26th and 27th. Daily rounds of thunderstorms were the norm especially across the east from the 26th through 29th.  The most active days were the 27th and 29th with isolated severe weather reported on the 27th and heavy rains on the 29th. A gradual drying trend began mainly across western New Mexico at the close of the month. 

A Stormy Period From the 16th - 21st

.It was a stormy period from the 16th through 21st, with only one day, the 20th, with no reports of severe weather.  Even though high pressure was centered near or a little west of New Mexico during this time, the low levels of the atmosphere were quite moist, thanks to a series of cold fronts that swept south through the eastern plains.  This was the focus for much of the severe weather, from the east slopes of the central mountains to the Texas border.  The first front dropped into the eastern plains on he 16th, igniting thunderstorms on the 16th and 17th.  The radar loop above shows a severe thunderstorm on the evening of the 16th, just southwest of Portales, where 1.00 inch hail was reported.  The radar image above and to the right is from the late afternoon on the 17th, and shows a severe storm around Logan and San Jon, where 1.00 to 1.75 inch hail was observed.  The radar loop to the right is from the 18th, which shows a severe thunderstorm around Amistad, and later around Clayton, which produced 1.25 and 1.75 inch hail respectively, during the evening hours.  The image below reveals a severe storm near Springer, which dumped 1.25 inch hail near this community during the late afternoon hours.  The final radar loop below and to the right shows a very potent storm over the far northeast, which formed a tornado near Hayden, as well as 1.75 to 2.75 inch hail around Hayden and Amistad.

TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION DATA FOR ALBUQUERQUE - JUNE 2004

Albuquerque daily actual maximum (red bars) and normal maximum (purple line) temperatures - June 2004

The average maximum temperature for June  2004 was 88.8o, which was 1.4 degrees below the 30 year normal of 90.2o.

Albuquerque daily actual minimum (blue bars) and normal minimum (purple line) temperatures - June 2004

The average minimum temperature for the month was 61.4o, which was 2.0 degrees above the normal of 59.4o.   The average temperature for June  was 75.1o which was just 0.3 degrees above the normal of 74.8o.  There were no record maximum or minimum temperatures recorded in June 2004.

Albuquerque daily precipitation - June 2004

SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS NEW MEXICO - JUNE 2004