From Cool and Raw to Hot and Humid
By Russell Russ
This May was about average for weather. This was very unlike the May of 2015 which was near record dry and was far and away the warmest May on record. The month started out cool and cloudy and many days had that early spring raw feel to them. Overcast skies and daily high temperatures only in the 40’s and 50’s gave it almost a March or April feel. It did warm up in mid-month and then towards the last week it really warmed up with hot and humid conditions. The weather conditions went from early spring to mid-summer. Our transition month this year.
May’s low temperature of 33 degrees was observed on May 10 and the high temperature of 89 degrees was observed on May 28. The 89 on May 28 was a record for that date, beating the old daily record of 86 from 2012. With an average monthly temperature of 55.9 degrees it was 1.1 degrees above normal. May 2015 was 61.8 degrees, the first and only time May’s average monthly temperature broke the 60 degree mark.
The total precipitation recorded for the month was 3.85 inches, 0.50 inches below normal. There were three thunderstorms observed this month, but nothing on the severe side. May’s average snowfall amount is 0.4 inch, this May there was just a trace of snowfall, from very light snow showers that occurred on May 15 and 16.
For 2016, January through May, our total precipitation amount is 16.71 inches. This is 3.97 inches below normal. We are below normal for the year so far, but it is not too bad yet and we are in better shape for rainfall than last year. May concluded the winter season for recording seasonal snowfall and the 35.5 inches of snowfall recorded this winter was the least amount on record for winter snowfall. A strange winter for sure.
What will June’s weather bring us? Through mid-month it appears that our rainfall deficit will be increasing. Rainfall continues to be below normal. Temperatures are running just a little below normal, although it has felt much cooler than normal. Breezy conditions June 8 through June 14 certainly contributed to the cooler than normal feel.
