A series of heatwaves from coast to coast caused June 2021 to be the hottest June on record in the U.S. The average June temperature across the contiguous U.S. was 72.6 degrees Fahrenheit, making it the hottest June in 127 years of record keeping and breaking the previous record set in 2016 by nearly a full degree. Eight states had their hottest June on record and six others marked their second hottest June.
One of the most extreme heatwaves in modern history impacted the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. and western Canada late in the month. Temperature records were not merely broken in the region; they were smashed over an incredibly hot four-day period from June 26th through June 29th when all-time records over 100 degrees were set at dozens of locations.
Portland, Oregon’s average high temperature over this period was 112 degrees, breaking the previous 3-day record by an amazing 6 degrees. The high on June 28th was 116 degrees, an all-time record for the city. Seattle set back-to-back all-time heat records of 104 on June 27th and then 108 on June 28th. In the previous 126 years, Seattle had only hit 100 degrees three times. It reached that mark 3 days in a row in June.
Crossing the border, the town of Lytton, British Columbia reached a temperature of 121 degrees on June 29th, the third day in a row in which the town registered a new all-time high temperature ever measured in Canada. To put this in perspective, this temperature is hotter than has ever been recorded in Las Vegas.
June was a hot month indeed.
**********
Web Links
June 2021 was the hottest June on record for U.S.
Photo, posted July 7, 2021, courtesy of Poyson / GPA Photo Archive via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.
Leave a Reply