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

General: June 1994 was relatively cool and very dry with a near normal number of fog days and seasonal winds.

Temperature: If the sun makes your day, June 1994 was not for you, at least in the Peninsula area and within a few miles of the Ocean and Bay! Both daytime and nighttime temperatures were below normal: 66.3^oF vs. 67^oF and 49.5^oF vs. 50.2^oF, for an overall average of 57.9^oF (0.7^oF below normal). Only eight days registered daytime maximums above normal and over half of the nighttime minimums were equal or less than normal. Although fog was not excessive, low clouds shielding the sun on at least seven other days, while often breaking during nighttime hours (at least seven nights), contributed to the combination of cool nights and days. Cooler than normal daytime temperatures this spring, especially in May and June, is a considerable contrast to the warm spring temperatures in both 1993 and 1992. In 1993, the May/June daytime maximums averaged over 5^oF warmer than those of the May/June just past! Maximum for the month, 91^oF, was observed on 10 June, while the month's low, 46^oF, was registered near sunrise on the 19^th. The 91^oF reading became a new high temperature record for the 10^th peviously 79^oF in 1985), while the 46^oF minimum is a record for the 19^th (previously 47^oF in 1983). One other daily temperature record was set: the 59^oF minimum on the 10^th is a new warm minimum (beats 54^oF, set just last year).

Precipitation: June's rainfall did little to increase the rain year total. Only 0.02" fell versus the 0.19" long-term average for the month. It is the calendar year's lowest monthly total. June is normally the third driest month of the year (after July and August). The 1993-1994 rain year (01 July 1993 through 30 June 1994) total is 13.91", which is only 74% of the normal 18.72", and 85% of the median value (16.42"). The 13.91" is the 11^th lowest rain year value in the last 43 years at the National Weather Service Climate Station in Monterey. Expectations were high for the year since just last year, 30.20" fell.

The 1993-1994 rain year totals in California were generally 60 to 80% of normal north of a Paso Robles/Fresno line, with much lower values in the central/southern Sierra and desert areas. Totals were near to above normal in extreme southern California, and limited south-central coastal and southern San Joaquin Valley areas.

The so-called Palmer long-term drought severity index classifies central coastal California as "severe draught". The index relates to long-term water supplies in aquifers, condition, either moderate, sever or extreme. The short-term crop moisture index, relating to conditions affecting on-going agriculture, rates the area as abnormally dry. According to this index, every part of California is classified as dry, either slightly, abnormally, excessively or severely.

Fog: There were thirteen days with one or more hours of fog in June 1994. Fifteen is the normal number. Overall, this spring, the number of fog days has been above normal (44 vs. 37), while the warm Spring of 1993 only recorded 31 fog days. The normally two foggiest months of the year, July and August, are still ahead of us, each averaging 21 fog days per month. As indicated in the temperature section, there were many June days with a low overcast, but not fog, contributing to below normal June 1994 temperatures.

Wind: For the most part, winds were seasonally high in June 1994, averaging 8.4 miles per hour (mph) at the Airport for the hours of 6 AM to 11 PM. The average daily maximum wind gust at the National Weather Service Climate Station was 24 mph, nearly equal to the long term average. The maximum gust was 38 mph from the WNW at 4:50 PM PDT, on 07 June, during a well developed sea-breeze condition.

Fort Ord Weather Summary: Data from the Naval Postgraduate School's automated weather station, located at the northern tip of Ft. Ord, follows:

The National Weather Service's Central Coast 30-day outlook for July is for near normal temperatures and below normal rainfall, with higher than normal rainfall and temperatures in August and September. Normals for the National Weather Service Climate Station Monterey: