NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information
Global Hazards and Significant Events
June 2009
In the U.S., severe storms spawned an EF1 tornado near Denver, Colorado, causing damage across the area. Additional information can be found below.
As of June 30th, moderate to severe drought was present in parts of the Hawaiian Islands and the western and midwestern United States, while severe to exceptional drought persisted across much of southern Texas. As of June 30th, fourteen percent of the contiguous U.S. was in moderate to exceptional drought according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. This includes 18 percent of the western U.S., 29 percent of the South, and 10 percent of the Midwest.
As of June 30th, China had moderate to severe drought conditions across southeastern Tibet, eastern Northwest China, central Inner Mongolia, and northern Shanxi (Beijing Climate Center).
A heat wave across parts of the midwestern U.S. during the week of June 21st caused one fatality, killed seven show dogs, and set new maximum temperature records. In Wisconsin, the intense heat was responsible for causing roads and highways to buckle (Source: USA Today). Meanwhile, over 2,100 east central Nebraska cattle perished during the last week of June as temperatures and humidity levels rose (Source: Associated Press). For more information on the U.S. temperature records, please visit the U.S. Records page.
In India, an intense heat wave resulted in nearly 100 fatalities as high temperatures soared past 40°C (104°F) (Source: BBC News).
Heavy rain fell over parts of northern England, triggering floods on June 10th that caused the closure of roads and railway lines (Source: BBC News).
A severe storm system affected northern Texas on June 11th, producing heavy rains, frequent lightning, and strong winds that reached nearly 113 km/hr (70 mph). The storms were responsible for cancelling over 400 flights at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and for leaving over 260,000 homes and businesses without electricity. The Dallas Love Field Airport received a total of 134.6 mm (5.3 inches) of rain, setting a new daily record for June. The previous record was 91.4 mm (3.6 inches) set on 13 June 1989. According to reports, lightning may have caused a fire that decimated a house in the town of Heath near Dallas. The storms were also responsible for damaging the Fort Worth marina's roof and docks, and overturning docked boats (Source: Associated Press).
Severe storms that caused strong winds, hail, and tornadoes across parts the midwestern U.S. during the week of June 14th also brought heavy rain that pounded the region. Flood-weary North Dakota was drenched by heavy downpours, flooding streets and roads, and, according to reports, causing a bowling alley's roof to collapse due to the weight of water when nearly 152.4 mm (6.0 inches) of rain fell near Bismarck. Fortunately, no one was injured; however, damages to the bowling alley were estimated to be up to $2 million (Source: Associated Press). Bismarck received as much as 81.3 mm (3.2 inches) of rain on June 15th, surpassing the previous daily maximum rainfall record of 78.7 mm (3.1 inches) set in 1953. Meanwhile, Abercrombie, North Dakota, received 190.5 mm (7.5 inches) of rain on June 17th, shattering the previous daily maximum rainfall record of 50.8 mm (2.0 inches) set in 1959 and exceeding the previous all-time rainfall record of 124.5 mm (4.9 inches) set on 30 June 1958.
Torrential downpours during the week of June 21st prompted flood warnings across central Europe and claimed the lives of 13 people in eastern Czech Republic. Hundreds of people were evacuated from their houses as high waters threatened the area. The floods caused the closure of roads and railways, left whole towns without electricity (Source: AFP), and triggered mudslides in southern parts of the Czech Republic that damaged houses (Source: Associated Press). It was reported that the floods were central Europe's worst natural disaster since the 2002 floods when 17 fatalities were reported and water destroyed Prague's historic center, causing nearly $3 billion in repair costs across the country (Source: Reuters).
Violent storms brought severe winds and hail across central China on June 3rd, leaving 20 people dead and 117 others injured. Ferocious winds of 110 km/hr (68 mph) tore down trees, which collapsed into homes. Nearly 9,800 homes were destroyed and over 3 million people were left without water and electricity. It was reported that the storm caused up to 39 million U.S. dollars in agricultural losses (Source: Associated Press/AFP).
Severe storms in northeastern Italy spawned a tornado on June 6th, ripping off roofs and leaving 20 people injured—including a women who was in serious condition and needed surgery (Source: Associated Press).
An EF1 tornado touched down near Denver, Colorado on June 7th, overturning a car and damaging homes and a shopping mall. The tornado damaged the mall's heating, ventilation, and air conditioning units, and also caused some roof and window damage, forcing the mall to close. It was reported that the tornado may have been on the ground for approximately 30 minutes with an 8- to 10-mile path. One person was injured (Source: Associated Press).
A series of storms battered parts of the U.S. during the week of June 14th. Across the central, midwestern, and parts of the southeastern U.S., the storms brought strong winds, hail, heavy rains, and dangerous tornadoes, damaging buildings, triggering floods, and knocking out power to thousands of residents (Source: Associated Press). On June 17th, vicious storms spawned an EF2 tornado in Austin, Minnesota that uprooted trees, downed electricity lines, sent debris flying, caused damage to homes, and flipped vehicles. Meanwhile, in Norborne, Missouri straight-line winds of more than 119 km/hr (74 mph) were responsible for knocking down trees and walls of a building, and damaging roofs. In western South Carolina, the severe storms brought quarter-sized hail and strong winds, killing one person when the violent winds downed a tree on her car (Source: Associated Press).
In Nebraska, severe storms spawned EF0-EF2 tornadoes on June 17th, downing power lines, overturning nearly a dozen railroad train cars, and damaging two farms (Source: Associated Press).
Across western North Carolina, severe storms rumbled through the region on the 18th, leaving nearly 17,000 customers without electricity, making roads impassable as trees were downed across numerous roads and according to reports, trapping some people in their cars by fallen trees. The storms brought torrential rain, wind gusts between 56-72 km/hr (35-45 mph), and nickel-sized hail (Source: Asheville Citizen-Times). In western Michigan, storms spawned tornadoes that destroyed or damaged three homes and other buildings on June 19th.
For more information on the U.S. Tornado events, please visit the U.S. Tornado 2009 Overview page.
Hurricane Andres developed as a tropical depression off the southern coast of Mexico on June 21st, strengthening to a tropical storm later that same day and thus becoming the first named storm of the East Pacific 2009 hurricane season. Andres tracked towards the northwest, slowly increasing in intensity. On June 23rd, Andres strengthened into a category one hurricane, reaching its maximum sustained winds near 120 km/hr (75 mph or 65 knots). Although Andres did not make landfall over Mexico, the storm brought heavy rain along its southwestern coast. Andres flooded homes and streets and was responsible for killing a fisherman (Source: Reuters). According to reports, Andres was East Pacific's latest arrival of a named storm in four decades (Source: Associated Press). The East Pacific hurricane season officially begin on May 15th and ends on November 30th. Andres weakened to a depression by the 24th.
Tropical Storm Nangka formed in the western Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippine Islands, on June 22nd as a tropical depression. Nangka strengthened to a tropical storm and reached its maximum sustained winds near 83 km/hr (52 mph or 45 knots) by the 23rd. Nangka moved towards the west, making landfall on Borongan, Eastern Samar, Philippines on June 23rd. The storm dumped heavy rain and hail, slashed the islands with strong winds, spawned a tornado, and triggered landslides. Eight fatalities were reported with 12 others missing, and the storm forced over 44,000 people to evacuate their homes due to rising waters (Source: AFP). The storm exited the Philippines, entering the South China Sea, and by the 26th the storm weakened to a depression.
For basin tropical cyclone statistics, please visit the Tropical Cyclone Summaries by Basin page.
No significant extratropical cyclones reports were received during June 2009.
In western Canada, frost blanketed most of the area during the first week of June, affecting their canola (rapeseed) crop. In Manitoba, it was reported to be the worst frost in memory, due to the frequency and area covered (Reuters).