Great Barrington — My 50-gallon rain barrel tucked under the porch drain spout (see photo above) is necessary every summer. Gardens, especially this year with now two months of below average rainfall, have really benefited from it, saving on my town water bill. And with this June only receiving 6 periods of rain in the barrels reservoir saved us. The .64” rainfall of this past Monday filled up the rain barrel and brought the month’s total to 2.58”, over 2” below the now 58-year average. This June turned out to be the 10th driest and is the second driest, after an even drier June two years ago.
Now we come to temperatures. June was cooler than average. Only 13 days were above and the rest below and sometimes as much as 14 degrees below. Overall daily temperatures were up and down. The readings would start cooler then warm to very warm. But only on two occasions did we reach 90. What made the month seem cooler was the more comfortable feel which was reflected in lower dew points.
My hops loved the cooler, drier air. We had just enough rain to fill our rain barrels.
Now comes July, traditionally the hottest and stickiest month of the year. We can only hope July will spare us this year. Forecasters tell us “Don’t hold your breath.”
Stay cool and safe.
June statistics
Wettest June: 2009 with 9.87 inches which carried us into a very wet summer of 25 inches which was a record amount,
At the time, it had been broken several times since.
FYI: Eight of the last 10 summers have been the wettest in my records.
The driest June: 1.18 inches 1988, 1997.
Hottest June: 1999 with a mean temp of 72.5. That month featured 8 days of 90-plus readings. it was on the way to 33 days at or above 90, the most in my records
Coldest June: 1985 with a mean of 61.5. That summer I recorded only one day at or above 90 and that was in August.
Now comes July, traditionally the hottest and stickiest month of the year. We can only hope this July will spare us.
June 2022 weather statistics
