June didn’t just seem hotter than usual – it was. In fact, it was Houston’s hottest June on record.
The average temperature in June was 86.7℉, a number that accounted for the daily highs and lows. That broke the existing record set in 2011 by half a degree.
“In meteorological and climatological terms, that’s really a significant breakage of the record,” Space City Weather meteorologist Eric Berger said.
So why was it so hot?
“We were basically sitting beneath a ridge of high pressure for much of the month,” Berger said, explaining that the sunny days and light winds that persisted throughout June were a recipe for very hot days.
Rising temperatures can also be attributed to the effects of climate change, Berger said. Galveston Island broke its own record for the average temperature in June by more than a degree, indicating the Gulf of Mexico’s rising temperatures.
In terms of the weather in July and August, Berger admitted that, when comparing this year’s June to 2011, “it’s a little bit scary.”
After its record-breaking June, the summer of 2011 was the hottest ever recorded in Houston and the city suffered its worst drought on record.
However, Berger explained that research does not necessarily display a strong correlation between a hot June and a hot July and August.
“Just for the fact that we were so hot in June does not necessarily mean that July and August are going to be hot this summer,” Berger said.
With that said, next week will warm up again as a high-pressure ridge moves back into Texas. Berger predicted temperatures in the Houston area will be in the mid-90s with lots of sunshine.