JUNE 2007 HIGHLIGHTS..

AVERAGE TEMP: 18.9 C ( 1.3C above normal)
RAINFALL: 118.9 mm (29.6 mm above normal)
(* Rob's Obs stats)

...WET AND WILD..

June 2007 will be remembered for its wet and often stormy weather that produced heavy rainfall and some of the most severe weather seen in southern Manitoba in many years. Rainfall for the month totalled 119 mm at my site, about 30 mm above normal, with even heavier rainfall amounts of 150 mm or more in other parts of the city (official airport total : 125 mm). Frequent thunderstorm activity was responsible for the heavy precipitation amounts, with at least 7 days with thunderstorms during the month. It was particularly stormy during the third week of June when thunderstorms were recorded on 6 of 7 days between the 18th and 26th. This period included a memorable severe weather outbreak on the 22nd and 23rd of June that produced at least 5 tornadoes across southern Manitoba, including an F4 that hit Elie, MB on the 22nd, and two F3s that hit southwest MB on the 23rd. The severe outbreak also produced damaging winds on the night of the 23rd causing widespread damage through the Whiteshell cottage area, with a gust of 107 km/h at the Winnipeg airport. Large hail was also recorded early on the 24th in north Winnipeg. The stormy wet weather has made it a challenging season for area farmers who have had to deal with wet fields, as well as wind and hail damage to crops.

The wet weather this June is in sharp contrast to the record dry weather last year. Consider that this year's rainfall in June alone was more than all of May, June, July and August combined last year (114 mm total) In addition, the 2 month total of 203 mm this May and June is equivalent to the entire rainfall recorded in all of 2006! (at my location) The stormy weather pattern this year is due to a storm track that has set up through the Dakotas with weather systems coming in every few days tapping warm moist air to the south and bringing showers and thunderstorms across southern MB. This is highlighted by the fact that the longest rain-free period during June 2007 was only 3 days.

Temperatures for the month were generally near to slightly above normal, with variable spells of warm and cool weather offsetting each other. Temperatures ranged from a high of 31C on the 12th to a cool 2c on the 5th, when patchy frost was recorded around the city.

All in all.. a wet and wild month.