The numbers are in and it was not a good month to trying to survive outdoors, according to figures compiled by the National Weather Service for our area.
There were no record-breaking temperatures, but temperatures in many places were above average.
Rainfall was slightly below normal in many places and probably would have been farther below normal except for rainfall in early June from Tropical Storm Cristobal.
Here’s a summary from major cities within Ancient Islands area. Average temperature and rainfall are in parentheses, followed by the year records were first kept.
Arcadia: 80.9 (80.2) ; 8.21 in. (9.1 in) 1899
Bartow: 81.9 (81.9) ; 8.26 in (7.24) 1892
Lakeland: 82.9 (80.8); 6.82 in (8.02) 1915
Wauchula: 80.9 (82.1); 7.5 in. (8.07) 1933
Winter Haven: 83.4 (82); 6.09 in. (7.71) 1941
The absence of presence of rainfall directly affects the Peace River, which flows through much of the area, because its flow is rainfall dependent in the absence of artesian flow due to the lowering of the regional water table.
Here’s a summary of river flow at selected spots today. Average flows for this date is in parentheses. Figures are in cubic feet per second.
Bartow at SR 60: 86.8 (220)
Fort Meade: 137 (245)
Zolfo Springs: 316 (812)
Arcadia: 515 (1650)