Atlantic City, N.J., was a relative cool spot as it broke five low temperature records and tied another in June, while Baltimore tallied three low temperature records, and Charleston, W. Va., marked its first 90-degree reading in more than a year, according to the climatologists at the Northeast Regional Climate Center.

Despite the panorama of temperatures at those locations, warmer weather finally returned to the Northeast during June, said Keith Eggleston, climatologist at the center. After experiencing the ninth coldest spring on record, the first month of the summer season brought more seasonable weather overall and some traditional summertime heat.

When the mercury hit 90 degrees on June 24, Charleston, W.Va., ended a record-setting, 400-day streak without a 90-degree temperature. The maximum temperature in Albany, N.Y., on June 21 was 94 degrees, the highest temperature there since July 14, 1995.

For the twelve-state Northeast region, the average temperature was 0.2 degrees warmer than normal for June. Maryland averaged 2.2 degrees cooler than normal, while Delaware, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey had small departures from normal. The largest positive departure -- meaning that it was warmer than average -- was plus 1.2 degrees for the state of New York.

The spring's dry weather continued into June. The Northeast recorded 79 percent of the normal June precipitation making the month the 25th driest June on record. Less than half the normal June precipitation was reported from eastern New York, across central and parts of southern New England, over much of Delaware and the southern tip of New Jersey. Massachusetts was the driest state with 44 percent of normal for its 10th driest June in 103 years of records. With 54 percent of its normal precipitation, Delaware recorded its ninth driest June.

For the Northeast, each of the last three months has been drier than normal. Between April 1 and June 30, the Northeast received 83 percent of the normal precipitation -- making it the 29th driest April 1-June 30 period. Statewide precipitation deficits during this period ranged from -0.03 inches in Maine to -3.35 inches in Delaware. This figure for Delaware represents only 69 of normal for this period and is their 11th driest such period on record.

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This release is available at http://www.cornell.edu/science/July97/NRCC.June97.bpf.html, with a link to other Cornell news releases and photographs. To receive Cornell news releases regularly via e-mail, send a message to cunews@cornell.edu.

New Weather Records

Daily Precipitation Records (inches)

City Date New Previous

Caribou, Maine 13th 1.70 0.97 in 1959

Maximum Temperature Records

City                          Date     New     Previous
Caribou, Maine                13th     1.70     0.97 in 1959

Maximum Temperature Records
City                          Date     New     Previous
Beckley, W.Va.                24th     86¡      85¡  in 1996
Baltimore (tie)               25th     98¡      98¡  in 1966
National Airport, Va.         25th    100¡      98¡  in 1981
Atlantic City Airport, N.J.   25th     96¡      95¡  in 1963
Harrisburg, Pa. (tie)         25th     98¡      98¡  in 1966

Minimum Temperature Records

City                          Date     New     Previous

Atlantic City Marina, N.J. (tie)
                              5th     46¡      46¡  in 1945
Wilmington, Del. (tie)        5th     46¡      46¡  in 1990
Baltimore                     5th     44¡      46¡  in 1965
Baltimore                     6th     46¡      47¡  in 1894
Atlantic City Airport, N.J.   7th     44¡      45¡  in 1958
Atlantic City Airport, N.J.   8th     42¡      43¡  in 1977
Baltimore                     9th     43¡      46¡  in 1913
Atlantic City Airport, N.J.   9th     41¡      43¡  in 1980
Caribou, Maine (tie)         15th     38¡      38¡  in 1971
Atlantic City Airport, N.J.  16th     44¡      47¡  in 1995
Atlantic City Airport, N.J,  17th     47¡      48¡  in 1995