Robert J. Renard, Meteorologist
Volunteer Observer
Nat'l Wea Serv Climate Station
Monterey, California 93940

SUMMARY of the JUNE 2004 WEATHER ON THE MONTEREY PENINSULA

General: Daytime June 2004 temperatures were well below normal; nights were mild. Precipitation and number of fog days were only half of normal, while wind gustiness was a prominent feature of a majority of June 2004 days.

Temperature: June 2004 daytime temperatures, on the average, were cooler than those of the preceding May, April and March 2004. An average maximum of 63.9°F is a full 3°F below the 50-year June normal, and compares to May (64.7°F), April (65.9°F), and March (67.9°F) . Most unusual! In partial balance, the night-time minimums were mild, averaging 51.0°F (0.8°F above normal). In this case, the 51.0°F is the warmest average minimum for any month since 51.7°F last October! Overall, the month’s mean of 57.4°F is only 1.1°F below the normal. Breezy night-time conditions and low-cloud cover contributed to the positive night-time temperature anomaly. The high for the month, 72°F, on 15 June is the lowest absolute maximum for any June since 70°F in June 1952 – fifty-two years back! Only one new daily temperature record was set: A 55°F minimum early morning on the 18^th is the new “warm” minimum for the date, beating 54°F in 1985.

Precipitation: Just 0.10” was added to the rain-year total in the June just past. 0.20” is the 50-year climatological average for June. Thus, the rain year (1 July 2003 – 30 June 2004) ended up with 16.10”, which is 3.35” (or 17%) below the 50-year normal of 19.45”. This rain-year is the fourth consecutive rain year of below normal rainfall. This year’s total is also below the median (17.09”). As said before, two or more consecutive years with below median rainfall brings the word “drought” into focus. At this point, the NWS automated outlook gives little promise of “wet” for Central California through the end of the calendar year.

Wind: Wind/wind gustiness stole the weather show in June. There were 15 (9) days with gusts equal to or exceeding 25 (30) mph at the NWS Climate Station. High gust was 36 mph on both 6 and 16 June at the NWSCS. Persistently strong pressure gradient between high pressure in the northeastern North Pacific and lower pressure inland, and the occasional southerly surges as weak (mostly dry) low pressure troughs invaded the Central Coast, lead to the gustiness. Late afternoon, early evening wind chill temperatures in the high 30’s and low 40’s was an unpleasant feature of the winds on many days.

Fog: The fog season is yet to get under way. June is usually a significant transition month, but not this year. Only eight fog-days recorded (vice 15 normal), and most of those days were localized in time (late night, early daylight hours) and space (vicinity and inland a short distance from the Bay).

90-Day Average Temperature and Precipitation Outlook for the Central Coast: The National Weather Service 90-day outlook for July through September indicates near–to–above normal temperatures, with predominantly above normal temperatures for all of the Southwest U. S. Precipitation is expected to be near-to-below normal.

Rainfall (inches)		Normal Max/Min Temps (^oF)
July	0.07	July	68.0	51.9
August	0.10	August	69.3	52.8
September	0.27	September	71.8	53.0

Comparative Weather Data for Stations on/near the Monterey Peninsula & Salinas

June 2004

Following are comparative figures from eleven local observation sites:

National Weather Service Climate Station (NWSCS), (elevation 385') located in the western hilly section of Monterey;
National Weather Service Forecast Office (NWSFO) site (elevation 122'), located in the flat area of eastern Monterey, on the NPS Annex grounds adjacent to Airport;
Naval Postgraduate School Campus (NPS) site, Monterey; (elevation 45');
Ft. Ord (NPS) site (elevation 167') located just north of the Marina Municipal Airport (formerly Fritzschie Army Airfield). This is the site of the Naval Postgraduate School's wind profilers managed by Department of Meteorology;
Marina site, SE end of Marina located about 2-1/2 miles ESE of Monterey Bay (elevation 80');
Carmel Valley site near Carmel Village, vicinity of Ford Rd. and Lilac Lane (elevation 475’);
Salinas site, vicinity of W. Blanco Rd. within 1/2 mile of S. Main St.;
Carmel, located on Rio Road near east end;
Seaside, vicinity of Paralta and Military Aves;
Pacific Grove site, vicinity of Sunset and Congress Streets;
Big Sur Ranger Station, Highway 1, Big Sur.

Location	Temperature (^oF)				Precipitation (inches)			Wind (mph)
	Avg. Max.	Highest	Avg. Min.	Lowest	This Month	1July-30 June (rain year)	Normal	Peak Gust (dates)	Avg. Speed
NWSCS	63.9	72	51.0	48	0.10 ^a	16.10	19.45 ^@	36 (6^th, 16^th)	----
NWSFO	67.8	74	52.8	50	0.06 ^b	13.41	----	Data not	available
NPS	65.6	72	53.5	50	0.04 ^c	13.77	15.38 ^#	33 (28^th)	4.3^**
Ft. Ord (NPS)	64.4	70	50.0	45	0.00^b	10.39	----	37(7^th)	13.3^***
Marina	67.1	74	52.2	48	0.02 ^d	12.46	16.05 ^&	----	----
Carmel Valley	75.4	85	47.8	40	0.11 ^a	15.03	----	----	----
Salinas	70.1	77	52.2	48	trace ^d	10.31	13.85 ⁺	----	----
Carmel	----	----	----	Data	not	available	at	publication	----
Seaside	69.7	76	51.6	46	trace ^d	13.29	----	----	----
Pacific Grove	69.0	75	53.8	51	0.05 ^a	13.45	----	23 (28^th)	----
Big Sur	75.6	86	48.2	42	0.00 ^c	36.41	----	----	----

FOOTNOTES:

Observations for precipitation: a = 5 or 6 PM PST, b = midnight PST, c = 3 or 4 PM local, d = 7 or 8 AM local
(NOTE: for d: 24-h rainfall measured 8 AM, first day of the month counts for previous month)
@ = 53-year average, # = 46-year average, + = 21-year average, & = 17-year average.

* = Winds NWSFO from Mry Pen Airport (24-h period, midnight to midnight PST from automated observations on the airfield).

** = Winds at NPS, based on 1-min averages over 24-h period, 4 pm to 4 pm PST

*** = Winds at Ft. Ord, based on 2-min averages over 24-h period, midnight to midnight PST