Total precipitation was about half the normal for June in the south and mid-Island region, as the trend toward apparent drought conditions this year started early in the region.

Accumulated rainfall of 21.1 millimetres at his Chemainus home was recorded by Chris Carss, a weather observer/statistician for Environment and Climate Change Canada. The normal is 43.5 mm.

Keith Rush keeps records at his Thetis Island home that showed only 18.6 mm of precipitation in June. The average June there is considerably lower than Chemainus, with 31.6 mm.

Carss indicated the early stages of the month from June 1-8 were mostly sunny with seasonally warm temperatures. June 9 and 10 changed to cloudy and cooler with occasional rain before June 11-16 conditions improved to variable cloud with temperatures returning to near normal.

鈥淪ome thunder could be heard on the 13th, but there was no precipitation,鈥� Carss added.

June 17-20 continued with variable cloud, he noted, but with a few showers and temperatures returning to a few degrees below normal. The rest of the month from June 21- 30 saw another spell of sunny and warm weather that began conveniently on the customary first day of summer.

Here is the detailed breakdown of Carss鈥� records:

Temperature Statistics

Mean maximum 22.4 C, normal 21 C.

Mean minimum 12.0 C, normal 11.8 C.

Extreme maximum 28.5 C on June 7.

Extreme minimum 8.5 C on June 1.

Precipitation Statistics

Total days with rainfall (including mixed weather days with some sunshine) 4, normal 10.

Accumulated rainfall 21.1 mm, normal 43.5 mm.

Other Statistics

Days mostly or partly sunny and dry 26, normal 14.

Days with mixed weather 2.

Total days mostly or partly sunny (including mixed weather days) 28.

The June rainfall total on Thetis Island was considerably below the 59.3 mm in June of 2022. The highest June rainfall there was 62 mm in 2012 and the lowest just 6 mm in 2015.

The year-to-date rainfall total of 426.8 mm for Thetis Island is running far behind the 547.9 mm to this point last year.

For the July outlook, 鈥渢emperatures are expected to peak early in the month with highs reaching the low 30s,鈥� Carss indicated. 鈥淎fter that, there will be a return to near normal values in the low to mid 20s. Rainfall will be well below normal and is expected to be restricted to mid-July with sunshine predominating for the rest of the month.鈥�

don.bodger@chemainusvalleycourier.ca
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