June - A Dismal Month - Comes To An End

June has been hot and hotter and as dry as a month can be. I measured 0.00" precipitation here for the month. This makes the six month precipitation total at house only 2.24" - however, five years since 1999 have been drier here, with 2002 having only 0.49" through the end of June.

Last couple of mornings have been much cooler and quite pleasant - even though our long run (16) of days at 105 F and higher continues. Low here at house today was 63 F versus 70 or 71 F at the airport.

The first week in July continues, with a hostile large-scale pattern, as the 500 mb anticyclone that is off of northern Baja strengthens some and shifts northeastward over the Great Basin. The GEFS average heights at 500 mb (above - from 00 UTC last evening) is valid at 00 UTC on July 7th. Can't see much in the forecasts to cause excitement, and hard to say when we'll eventually have significant intrusion of mT air move northward into southern Arizona. Compared to last year (when the last week of June brought almost 2.50" of rain), we'll be off to a very slow start to the summer thunderstorm season.