Why last June had nearly 17 times as much rain in Denver as this year

DENVER (KDVR) — Last year it seemed to rain almost daily in June, but this year June brought the Mile High City nearly 17 times less precipitation than than it did last year.

Now, meteorologists are tracking moderate drought conditions around Denver for the first time in over a year.

So how did Denver go from the wettest June on record in 2023 to nearly breaking into the top 20 driest Junes ever just one year later?

How does last June’s rain compare to this year?

Denver got 6.1 inches of rain last June. This year, it wasn’t even close, with just .36 inches of rain accumulating over the month. That means last June was 16.94 times wetter than this June.

“Some pretty staggering differences, like night and day between two June’s,” said Greg Heavener, National Weather Service Boulder meteorologist. “We typically push close to 2 inches in the month of June across the Denver metro area. So, last year, you know, that is 300% of normal, and then this year we’re maybe 30% of normal.”

Heavener said not only was last June wetter than average, but this June was drier than usual too.

Last year, Denver saw nearly a month’s worth of rain in one day . There was more than the average monthly rainfall within the first week of June , then three weeks into the month, it became the wettest June on record.

Last June broke the record for the wettest by over an inch. This June only got about a quarter of an inch more rain than the second-driest June on record (0.08 inches in 1916). The driest June on record was 1890 when no measurable rain was recorded.

If Denver got 0.03 fewer inches of rain than it did, this June would have tied with 2017 for the No. 20 driest.

What made this June so much drier?

This year’s dry June was not a surprise for meteorologists. NOAA has been expecting this summer to be both warmer and drier than usual since May.

“That’s all part of the changing climate that we have that you can’t rely on, something normal on average to occur year-to-year out, and you’re going to have extremes, you know, extremely wet, like last year, or extremely dry, kind of like this year,” Heavener said.

Heavener explained that there has not been moisture streaming to Colorado from the Gulf of Mexico this year like it did last year.

He said that it started around mid-May 2023 when there was a good amount of rain that kept the area cooler and moist.

“All that ground moisture and even surges of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico streaming up in eastern Colorado were really the catalyst for the continued wetness that we saw in June, even in July of 2023,” he said. “This year we really did not have the pattern like that at all, where we didn’t see much of the way of any kind of Gulf of Mexico moisture across eastern Colorado.”

Heavener said meteorologists expect the rest of the summer to be drier than average. This year is a La Niña year, which is associated with drought conditions in the southwest. He said La Niña impacts, if any, will come in the fall.

However, Pinpoint Weather Chief Meteorologist Dave Fraser said a warmer and drier than normal summer outlook doesn’t give any details about the day-to-day weather.

What are the impacts of a dry June?

Last June, there was flooding along with flood risks around the metro area. Currently, the Denver metro area is under moderate drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor .

The first few months of wetter weather made good conditions for vegetation to grow, but now dry weather has caused drier soil and vegetation, creating enhanced wildfire risks and prompting burn restrictions and warnings from authorities.

“The concern is, as we continue to go through the summer, and we still remain hot, you know, and fairly dry, that does lead to greater risk for wildfire growth,” Heavener said.

People could see the impacts in day-to-day life if drought conditions get worse. Heavener explained that dry conditions can prompt municipalities to put water restrictions in place, which may prevent activities involving water including washing cars and gardening.

“Just like last June, we could get one very wet day to balance out the remainder of the month,” Fraser said. “So, you never give up on a season until it’s over. Plus, we still have a chance to get beneficial moisture when the monsoon rains kick in generally by late July into early August with soaking storms a possibility. Let’s hope that plays out.”

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.