The State Climatologist says June was warmer than normal in Iowa and the average rainfall was only slightly above normal despite a deluge of rain in some areas and near-drought in others. Harry Hillaker says not all the data’s in yet, but it looks like the average temperature in June will be about three degrees above normal.Hillaker believes June, 2005 will be one of the 15th warmest Junes on record. He predicts it’ll rank somewhere between 11th and 15th hottest. “Probably the hottest June since 1988 in the state,” Hillaker says. There’s been “wide variability” in rainfall patterns across the state in June, according to Hillaker. The statewide average for rainfall in June will be a third-of-an-inch to a half-an-inch above normal. Some areas of northwest and north central Iowa have had a lot more moisture, though. But on the other end of the state, parts of southeast and east central Iowa have been extremely dry. “Actually the fourth consecutive month they’ve been unusually dry,” Hillaker says. “In places like the Quad Cities and Burlington it’s been well below normal rainfall going back to March.” Hillaker says it’s been “pretty quiet” when it comes to severe weather like tornadoes and thunderstorms this spring.
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