NOAA: U.S. Temperature and Precipitation Near-Average for June
July 10, 2009
The June 2009 temperature and precipitation for the contiguous United States were near the long-term average, based on records going back to 1895, according to an analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.
The average June 2009 temperature of 69.5 degrees F was 0.2 degree F above the 20th Century average. Precipitation across the contiguous United States in June 2009 averaged 2.90 inches, which is 0.01 inch above the long-term value.
U.S. Temperature Highlights
- Above-normal temperatures prevailed in the South, Southeast, and parts of the Northwest, while below-average temperatures were recorded in the Northeast and areas in the Southwest and North Central regions.
- Florida experienced its fourth-warmest June on record. On the cooler side were Massachusetts and Rhode Island, which experienced their ninth- and tenth-coolest June, respectively.
U.S. Precipitation Highlights
- Precipitation was below normal in the southern and northern tier states, but above-normal in the Northeast, West, and parts of the Southwest and West North Central regions.
- Moderate-to-exceptional drought covered 13 percent of the contiguous United States, based on the U.S. Drought Monitor. Drought conditions slightly worsened in the Mississippi Valley, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Drought improvements were seen in the southeastern Rockies and southern High Plains, but remained unchanged in the West.
Other Highlights
- Throughout the High Plains states, flooding and hail affected crops. In Nebraska, preliminary estimates indicate over 150,000 acres of crops were damaged by severe weather, with losses exceeding $10 million.
- There were 6,864 wildfires across the nation in June -- the fewest number of fires for the month over the past 10 years. The 525,937 acres burned during June was 435,409 acres below the 2000-2009 average. The 1,903,247 acres burned since January was near the 2000-2009 average of 1,927,474 acres.
NCDC’s preliminary reports, which assess the current state of the climate, are released soon after the end of each month. These analyses are based on preliminary data, which are subject to revision. Additional quality control is applied to the data when late reports are received several weeks after the end of the month and as increased scientific methods improve NCDC’s processing algorithms.
NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources.