Poplar Bluff record for average June temperature falls

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Even though no single day records were set, last month marked the hottest June in Poplar Bluff, breaking a 1952 record, the Daily American Republic newspaper reported.

It also was the third driest.

"The average June temperature at the airport was 82.4 degrees, which is 6.4 degrees above normal," said Mike York, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky. "The hottest and driest location in the Paducah NWS forecast area was the Poplar Bluff area."

"In 1952, the average June temperature at Poplar Bluff was 82.1 degrees," York said.

Rainfall measured .55 inches at the airport during June. The last significant rainfall was 1.52 inches on May 20.

York said .48 fell in June 1952, but the driest June was in 1991 when rainfall was only .25.

Temperatures have been above normal in Poplar Bluff since May 22 except for June 30. Wednesday's temperature was 85 -- the coolest since 79 on May 21. There were four days in June when the temperature was 11 degrees above normal and two days at 10 degrees above normal. Twelve days ranged from 6-9 degrees above normal.

"The humidity was a significant factor in our June weather," York explained. "The high humidity often kept overnight low temperatures warmer than they would normally be."

This year, there were 13 days ranging from 95 to 99 degrees, 11 days of 90-94 and six days of 85-89. In 1952, there were three days ranging from 100 to 105 degrees, 18 days of 95-99, seven days of 90-94 and two days at 82 and 85. The 105 degree temperatures on June 29 and 30 in 1952 are still records. High temperatures on 20 June days in 1952 were higher than this year.

The 24 days in the 90s this year were the most during the past 10 years. The previous high number of 90-degree days in June during the past 10 years was 15 in 2009 and in 2005. The lowest was three in 2003.

"The humidity factored into dangerously high heat indices," York said.

Heat indices hit or exceeded 100 degrees on 13 of the 16 days between June 12 and 27 when temperatures ranged from 95-99.

Low temperatures in June 2010 ranged from 64 to 78. It only cooled off to 78 on June 9, 23 and 24. Low temperatures on 23 June days this year were higher than they were in 1952. With less humidity in 1952, low temperatures ranged from 51 to 75.

York said the Poplar Bluff co-operative observation station records date back to 1893, but they are "incomplete and therefore unofficial."

"The airport records only date back to 2001," York said.

During the past 10 years, the previous lowest rainfall in June was 1.84 inches in 2001. The highest was 6.21 inches in 2009. The average June rainfall is 3.59 inches.

September 2004 was the month with the lowest rainfall (.01) during the past 10 years. The next two lowest monthly totals during the past 10 years are .32 in October 2005 and .52 in January 2003.

Paducah, Ky. had 2.63 inches in June. In Paducah, the average monthly temperature was 79.6 or 5.1 degrees above normal. It tied with 1943 for being the third warmest June. The warmest was 83.3 in 1952.