rain, rain, go away

It hardly seemed necessary to check the weather forecast during the month of June. A glance out the window almost invariably indicated that it was rainy, drizzly, cloudy, foggy or a combination of all four.

“We have an abundance of rainfall this month. Everybody knows that. It’s pretty amazing,” said meteorologist Butch Roberts, of the National Weather Service.

As of June 28, 5.15 inches of rain had fallen in Concord during the month of June, and there had been 19 foggy days. Average rainfall for the first 28 days of June is 2.88 inches in Concord—2.27 less than this year. Last year’s rainfall was also above average, with 4.70 inches falling by June 28.

There was even more rain in Portland, Maine, where 8.17 inches had fallen by June 28. That’s more than five inches more than the city’s June average of 3.06 inches. In fact, Portland’s monthly average was surpassed in a single 24-hour period from June 18 to 19, when 3.33 inches poured down. Last year, the city had just 3.63 inches in June.

It was too soon to tell whether any parts of New Hampshire or Maine would set new records for rainfall in June, but Roberts said several areas were on the cusp. “We’re wetter than normal. We’ll have to wait the next few days to see if we set any records,” he said.

Roberts said a ridge of high pressure over the middle of the country has been responsible for the excessive rainfall. That unmoving ridge has left a “trough” over New England that has dumped rain over the region on a near daily basis, he said.

“Usually patterns like that tend to move on, but everything’s blocked up right now,” Roberts said.

June weather reached extremes across much of the planet, Roberts added, with some areas experiencing extended periods of dry heat and others suffering from heavy rainfall and flooding. He said he has been watching the weather in Europe, where the same basic pattern has remained.

The forecast on June 29 called for five more days of rain and clouds across most of the Northeast. The weather will eventually change, Roberts promised (“knock on wood”), but not until after some more wet days.
“It looks like we’re stuck for a little while longer,” Roberts said.

For the entire year so far, 21.76 inches of rain had fallen in Concord by June 28, about three inches above average. A total of 25.12 inches had fallen in Portland, 2.61 inches more than average. 

kayak through history

Kayaking can bring people closer to the Great Bay Estuary’s natural diversity—and its history. The Great Bay Discovery Center’s Bay View program will offer an educational presentation on kayaking the estuary’s rivers on Wednesday, July 8. 

Whereas the Great Bay’s rivers once teemed with industry and commerce, they are now primarily used for recreation. The presentation on Wednesday will include photos, artifacts and historical information on the rivers. There will also be a list of places to launch kayaks, along with maps and information about the Discovery Center’s guided kayak tours. There will be a display of books pertaining to the area, and discussion will include some of the conditions kayakers might face in Great Bay.

The presentation helps celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. It begins at 7 p.m. at the Hugh Gregg Coastal Conservation Center on the grounds of the Discovery Center at 89 Depot Road, Greenland, 603-778-0015. The event is free and light refreshments will be served.