Hot and dry weather dominated the weather picture during the month of June 1999. The area-weighted average temperature for the twelve-state region was 2.7 degrees warmer than normal. This made it the 13th hottest June in 105 years of record and the warmest since 1994. Maine and Connecticut reported the largest departures at 4.3 degrees warmer than normal. This was the 2nd warmest June on record for each of these states. Delaware, meanwhile, was just 0.4 degrees warmer than the 1961-1990 average.
All portions of the region reported June to be a very dry month. The region overall averaged just 59% of the normal June precipitation allotment for the 8th driest June on record. Connecticut recorded their driest June on record with an average of only 0.48 inches (12% of normal). Rhode Island was also exceptionally dry with only 0.22 inches of rain for their 2nd driest June on record. Farther north, Maine finished the month closest to normal with 86%, while all other states averaged anywhere between 41% and 74% of normal.
The lack of precipitation, along with the warm temperatures, resulted in an intensification of drought conditions in the Northeast. Parts of Maryland and West Virginia were classified by the Palmer Drought Severity Index as experiencing extreme drought by the end of the month. Several other areas around the region were reporting moderate to severe drought conditions.
Monthly Summary of State Temperature and Precipitation Averages.
Only a trace of rainfall was reported at Boston's Logan Airport during June. This set the record for the driest June on record. The previous record was 0.27 inches in 1912. This also tied the record for the driest month, which was set in March 1915.
This was part of a 37-day dry spell that began on May 25th and extended through the end of June (rain fell on July 1). This was the longest stretch of days without measurable rain since a 28-day dry spell from October 1-28, 1947. The record number of consecutive days without measurable precipitation is 44 days from October 9 to November 21, 1924.
Maximum Temperature Records (degrees F) City Date New Previous Bridgeport, CT 3rd 85 83 in 1991 Hartford, CT 7th 98 96 in 1925 National Airport, DC 7th 98 97 in 1899 Blue Hill, MA 7th 93 89 in 1925 Boston, MA 7th 97 92 in 1925 Baltimore, MD 7th 96 95 in 1994 Portland, ME 7th 95 85 in 1956 Concord, NH 7th 96 93 in 1971 Atlantic City, NJ 7th 96 95 in 1984 Newark, NJ 7th 99 95 in 1984 Albany, NY (tie) 7th 95 95 in 1925 Massena, NY 7th 91 89 in 1984 Syracuse, NY 7th 92 90 in 1934 Erie, PA 7th 90 89 in 1941 Harrisburg, PA (tie) 7th 96 96 in 1925 Providence, RI (tie) 7th 96 96 in 1925 Burlington, VT 7th 94 92 in 1965 Montpelier, VT 7th 89 88 in 1965 National Airport, DC 8th 98 96 in 1899 Portland, ME (tie) 8th 90 90 in 1976 Baltimore, MD 8th 97 95 in 1984 Atlantic City, NJ 8th 98 96 in 1984 Atlantic Cty Marina, NJ (tie) 8th 95 95 in 1899 Newark, NJ (tie) 8th 97 97 in 1984 Binghamton, NY 8th 90 88 in 1984 Syracuse, NY 8th 94 92 in 1971 Philadelphia, PA 8th 95 94 in 1986 Baltimore, MD 9th 96 95 in 1984 Beckley, WV 9th 88 87 in 1974 Beckley, WV 10th 88 86 in 1964 Charleston, WV 10th 98 96 in 1947 Morgantown, WV 10th 94 92 in 1968 Mt. Washington, NH 12th 67 66 in 1969 Burlington, VT (tie) 24th 91 91 in 1980 Blue Hill, MA 27th 93 92 in 1966 Massena, NY (tie) 27th 93 93 in 1973 Syracuse, NY (tie) 27th 95 95 in 1941 Burlington, VT 27th 96 95 in 1941 Minimum Temperature Records (degrees F) City Date New Previous Buffalo, NY 16th 41 42 in 1964 Massena, NY 16th 38 39 in 1964 Rochester, NY 16th 41 43 in 1961 Syracuse, NY (tie) 16th 43 43 in 1984 Montpelier, VT (tie) 16th 37 37 in 1965 Pittsburgh, PA (tie) 18th 43 43 in 1986 Elkins, WV (tie) 18th 39 39 in 1986 Parkersburg, WV 18th 46 47 in 1986 Charleston, WV 19th 47 48 in 1980