June Weather Review

Here are the Jason's Weather Station totals and averages for the month of June 2007.

June Temperature Discussion: Temperatures during the month of June where very near the 30-year average with the average temperature for June 2007 at 80. Also, heating degree days were at the 30-year average (0) while cooling degree days were at 96% of normal.

June Rainfall Discussion: Rainfall during the month of June was very near normal with the monthly rainfall total at 93% of normal. The wettest day during June 2007 was June 19 where 1.00 inch of rain fell during the evening hours as a squall line moved west out of the Atchafalaya Basin. This line also produced a wind gust to 22 MPH. This rainfall total is a far cry from June 16, 1934 when a category one hurricane made landfall at Morgan City and dumped 9.60 inches of rain in Lafayette.

• Average Temperature: 80 (at average)
  
• Highest Temperature: 100 at 3:10 PM on June 11 (record = 106 on June 27, 1930)
  
• Lowest Temperature: 65 at 6:20 AM on June 5 (record = 53 on June 15, 1933)
  
• Heating Degree Days: 0 (Explanation) (at average)
  
• Cooling Degree Days: 441 (Explanation) (96% of normal)
  
• Rainfall: 5.65 inches (93% of normal)
  
• Rainiest Day: 1.00 inch on June 19 (record: 9.60 inches on June 16, 1934)
  
• Strongest Wind Gust: 25 MPH at 9:20 PM on June 9
  
• Days where temperature exceeded 90: 24
• Days where rainfall was measured: 14
• Days where rainfall exceeded 0.10 inch: 11
• Days where rainfall exceeded 1.00 inch: 0

Year-to-date totals

• Average High: 77 (normal = 78)
• Average Low: 56 (normal = 58)
• Average Temperature: 66 (normal = 68)
• Heating Degree Days: 987 (108% of normal)
• Cooling Degree Days: 1,071 (110% of normal)
• Highest Temperature: 100 on June 11
• Lowest Temperature: 29 on January 29
• Days where temperature exceeded 90: 32
• Days where temperature fell below 32: 4
• Rainfall: 28.56 inches (92% of normal)
• Wettest Day: 2.92 inches on May 22
• Days with measurable rainfall: 57
• Days where rainfall exceeded 0.10 inch: 44
• Days where rainfall exceeded 1.00 inch: 7
• Highest Wind Gust: 28 MPH on February 24
  

Visit to Galveston, Texas

Today I visited the site of the deadliest natural disaster in United States History - Galveston, Texas. On September 8, 1900, a category four hurricane roared ashore just west of the island, placing the city in the destructive right-front quadrant. This produced wind gusts as high as 160 MPH and a storm surge of 16 feet. The devastating storm surge killed over 6,000 people and caused $483 million in damages (2006 dollars).

Reminders of this catastrophe in the city include the 17-foot seawall along the Gulf of Mexico. The other is the 27-minute multimedia presentation at the 21st Street Pier know as "The Great Storm". This film shows a short history and overview of 1900 Galveston. It also shows peoples' accounts of the hurricane based on their letters and journals. This film is a must-see for anyone visiting the island.

Also of interest, this Wednesday (June 27) will mark the 50th anniversary of Hurricane Audrey's landfall at Cameron, LA where over 500 people were killed and over $1 billion in damages was inflicted by this powerful category four hurricane (2006 dollars).

Weekly Outlook - 6/25/07

The main weather story this week will be the threat for heavy rains.

An upper-level trough over the southern plains will help to pull in moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. This in combination with daylight heating will allow for the development of afternoon showers and thunderstorm. Due to the tropical nature of these storms, they will be capable of producing large rainfall totals in a short period of time. Also, most storms will move slowly and train over an area, allowing for enhanced rainfall totals. Storm total rainfalls through Wednesday will average around one inch statewide, but some areas may recieve as much as 4.00 inches of rain.

This will produce the possibility of flash flooding, especially along coulees and bayous as well as low-lying areas where large amounts of rain fall in a short period of time. Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio and/or local media for farther details and possible warnings. Also, do not drive where water of unknown depth covers the roadway. Driving through deep waters is the number one cause of all flood-related deaths in the United States.

Note that I will be away from the office this week and unable to do regular updates; however, some hotels I stop at may have internet access, allowing me to update this blog.

Watching the Southwest Caribbean

Thursday afternoon, a system of thunderstorms known as a Mesoscale Convective System (MCS) flared up over the southwestern Caribbean Sea. This is associated with a tropical wave and accompanying 1009 MB low.

Development is not expected at this time as wind shear values are very high. In some places, over 45 MPH of wind shear. Wind shear is high winds at high altitudes that shear the tops off of thunderstorms and thus inhibit vertical development. Now for the catch. Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are very high in areas and are at average above 85 degrees and in some locations as high as 90, especially over the Gulf Loop Current. However, computer models are very consistent in keeping high wind shear over the Gulf and Caribbean as far as the models can predict. This pretty much keeps us in the clear for the next week though I will continue to monitor this system, just in case. Below you will find an Infrared Satellite Image of the system and a wind shear analysis map.

8:45 PM CDT June 21, 2007 Infrared Satellite Image (Source: NASA)

Wind Shear Values (Source: CIMSS)