June 2020 in the Midwest: Heat, Humidity, and Severe Weather

The month of June across the Midwest turned out to be drier and hotter than normal, with several rounds of severe weather. Due to the heat, the month came in 1.5 – 4.5 degrees above normal from Columbus to Chicago. In terms of precipitation, most areas saw 1-2” below normal for the month which is quite different relative to the previous months, where many locations saw a surplus. 

The first of the month began chilly with a few showers around as low temperatures in Columbus fell to 42 degrees! After this cold start, a warm front surged northward on the 2nd and 3rd which allowed temperatures to sky rocket into the upper 80s to lower 90s. This warm weather was not rain free as a round of severe thunderstorms pushed through. The severe weather was mainly confined to Indianapolis, Dayton and Cincinnati with some storms producing 55 – 65 mph wind gusts. This took down a few power lines and large trees. This warm front lingered across the Midwest on the 4th particularly in Columbus where it helped trigger another day of severe weather especially in the afternoon and evening. Wind gusts of 60 - 70 mph were observed as well as quarter to golf ball sized hail, which destroyed a few barns as well as healthy trees and power lines. 

In the wake of the severe weather, dry and hot conditions (mainly 80s) developed and continued from the 5th – 8th. The dry weather came to a close when a disturbance rolled through the Midwest on the 9th and 10th, while temperatures were in the upper 80s to lower 90s. This warm and humid weather fueled another bout of severe weather in Chicago, Dayton and Cincinnati. Due to the strength of the system, thunderstorm wind gusts of 70 - 80 mph were produced and took down numerous trees and power lines. In addition, a brief tornado was observed just to the northwest of Dayton. This system was slow to exit on the 10th, which allowed for widespread severe weather from Chicago to Columbus with well over 75 wind damage reports in Ohio! Winds were clocked in as high as 80 mph which destroyed small structures, large healthy trees and blew down numerous power lines which led to many power outages. 

Following these rounds of severe weather, a cooler and much drier air mass filtered into the Midwest from the 11th - 17th as temperatures remained mainly in the 70s (4-8 degrees below normal). This was a nice reprieve from the severe weather and heat. The cooler weather was short lived, however, as temperatures rebounded back into the upper 80s to lower 90s on the 18th – 20th. The days were mainly dry but a few locally strong storms developed which caused very isolated wind damage south of Aurora, Illinois and east of Dayton. The hot and humid air mass remained entrenched across the Midwest from the 21st – 26th. This air mass was accompanied by another disturbance which helped produce a few rounds of severe weather particularly on the 21st, 22nd and 26th. Again, damaging wind gusts of  60 – 80 mph resulted, and led to 4 semi-trucks being blown over in/around Chicago. In addition to the wind damage, some of these storms dropped up to 2” of rain particularly in Chicago, which led to areas of poor drainage and roadway flooding. Otherwise, the rest of the month featured above normal temperatures as highs rose into the upper 80s to lower 90s with heavy afternoon showers and storms. These storms led to areas of poor drainage and roadway flooding in Chicago and Indianapolis. 

June 1st - 28th precipitation and temperatures compared to normal. Courtesy of the Midwestern Regional Climate Center.