Above Normal Temperatures

June temperatures were above normal for much of the Midwest. Regionwide average temperature was 71.5°F, which was 2.5°F above normal (Figure 1). This tied for the 6th warmest June since 1895, and the 2nd warmest June in the last 30 years. The most extreme heat was in the first half of the month in the upper Midwest. Of more than 1,300 daily record high temperatures, over 1,000 occurred in the first half of the month. Maximum temperatures during the first half of the month were warmer in the northern half of the region than in the southern half (Figure 2). Much of Minnesota and western Wisconsin were 5 to 6°F above normal while much of Kentucky was near normal for the month. Several states had top-10 warmest June temperatures (Figure 3). Minnesota ranked 3rd warmest, Wisconsin 4th, Michigan 6th, and Iowa 9th. It was the warmest June in Minnesota and Iowa since 1988 and the warmest June in Wisconsin and Michigan since 2005.

Variable Precipitation Measured

June precipitation was varied across the Midwest. Rainfall totals in Minnesota fell short of 2 inches for most of the state while wet conditions, 5 inches or more, were measured from northern Missouri to southern Michigan (Figure 4). Regionwide precipitation was 3.91 inches, which was 0.63 inches below normal. Statewide, Minnesota had the 4th driest June on record (1895-2021) and the driest June since 1961.  Minnesota had just 39 percent of normal precipitation for the month and Iowa was at 59 percent of normal (Figure 5). Michigan had the 16th wettest June in history with 131 percent of normal precipitation. Southern Michigan received more than twice its normal monthly rainfall. A nearly stationary boundary draped from northern Missouri to southern Michigan during the last week of June brought repeated heavy rains to that area. For the period June 24th-30th, Missouri had 32 stations with 10 inches or more rainfall and Illinois had five stations exceeding that level.

Expansion of Drought Conditions in Upper Midwest

Warm and drier conditions in parts of the Upper Midwest led to expansion of drought conditions which covered about a third of the region in June. Nearly all of the drought was in the northern half of the region. Severe drought peaked at 11 percent of the region mid-month. A small area of extreme drought emerged along the Wisconsin-Illinois border near Lake Michigan. Some small pockets of abnormally dry conditions were scattered across the southern half of the region. As of the June 29th U.S. Drought Monitor, more than 15 million people were estimated to be living in drought-affected areas of the Midwest (Figure 6). 

Over 1,200 Storm Reports in June

After a relatively quiet month of severe weather in May, strong and severe storms were much more common in June. There were more than 1,200 severe wind, hail, and tornado reports across the Midwest during the month (Figure 7). Much of this severe weather occurred during the middle weeks of June. Highlights included tornadoes in southwestern Indiana on June 8th, which led to an injury near Patoka, Indiana. Winds on June 11 in western Missouri led to gusts as high as 90 mph. On June 12th, two children were injured as a passenger truck collided with a fallen tree downed by strong winds. Southeastern Minnesota recorded a large hail event on June 17th, with more than 20 reports of 2-inch hail. On June 18th, a widespread storm system brought severe weather to areas of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. A 4-inch diameter hailstone was recorded near Bridgewater, Iowa along with other irregularly shaped hailstones. An EF-2 tornado was reported near Fort Recovery, Ohio. The strongest event during the month was the EF-3 tornado near Naperville, Illinois on June 20th. Winds were estimated at 140 mph, with 11 people injured along a nearly 16-mile path. Several other tornadoes were reported on that day in Indiana as well. Scattered thunderstorms in the final week of June were also recorded, with light to moderate damage to trees and buildings reported. 

Flooding Reports 

Significant rainfall from northern Missouri through southern Michigan led to flooding and flash flooding from June 24th-30th.  Minor and moderate flooding appeared overnight in northwestern Missouri on June 25th. Flooding also impacted central Illinois and northwestern Indiana. Flash flooding led to agricultural and domestic impacts, with homes in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois seeing high water in lawns and basements due to the area’s flat terrain, and the Interstate 55 roadway southwest of town damaged by flooding and closed.  The Detroit, Michigan metro area was also severely impacted by flash flooding, as the Detroit Public Library and other public buildings were flooded. Interstate 94 in metro Detroit was closed for several days as water covered the roadway.