Well, that was a hot time. June that is.

Fueled by a dozen 90-degree days — including a seven-day heat wave with the first 100-degree June day in 72 years — last month takes its place as the second warmest June in the 126-year Berks County temperature database.

At a final official average temperature of 76.1 degrees, last month nosed out June 1925’s 76.0 for second warmest. It only trails 76.6 degrees from 1943, and that month had 14 90-degree days.

The official Berks weather site is the automated equipment at Reading Regional Airport. In those earlier years, the site was in center city and was curated by U.S. Weather Bureau meteorologists.

The 101-degree day occurred on June 22 near the end of the heat wave.

The mild midcentury continues to hang tough, having the warmest March, April, May and June on record, resisting run after run by the current warm period, though not so many in June as the other months. In fact, the record holders for those months are all from the balmy 1940s.

June 1925 also had 12 90-degree days. There are two years tied at 11, 1945 and 2005. Both June 2024 and June 1943 had two near-miss 89s.

Some of last month’s achievements shouldn’t be a surprise because they were long overdue, says retired meteorologist Jeffrey R. Stoudt of Lincoln Park, who crunches the numbers and puts the weather in perspective.

“That max of 101 marked the first official triple-digit temperature since 100 on July 18, 2012,” he says. “That nearly 12-year return period is much longer than the average return period of five years for a calendar year with at least one triple-digit temperature.

“Therefore, it was long overdue. Also long overdue was an official triple-digit temperature during June. The last such in June was 102 on June 26, 1952, which still stands as the highest temperature during any June.”

The previous 100-degree day before 1952 in June was in 1925, only 27 years earlier.

“The likely key for allowing 100 or even 101 on this June 22 was the development of anomalous arid conditions, parched ground and stressed plants, from many days of meager rainfall,” Stoudt added. “By this day, more energy than normal was available to raise the air temperature a few more degrees, which otherwise would have been spent by evaporation and plant growth, especially under full summer solstice sun.

“Many normally slightly hotter regional cities, including Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware, had much more recent rain, and they fell short of 100. Baltimore, which also has been very dry, also reached 101.”

The drying conditions and accompanying mostly clear skies also allowed some cool daily low temperatures, he added.

Stoudt noted that on eight days last month the mercury did fall below 60 degrees. That’s fewer than during an average June but fairly many considering the outcome in the end.

Last month’s average of the high temperatures was 87.9, higher than in 1943 when it was 86.3. Twice as many nights last month cooled below 60 degrees than in June 1943, the overall temperature record holder.

But the high temperature average to beat was 87.1 degrees from June 1925, now the third-place June, and last month beat it by plenty.

The total of 2.73 inches of rain recorded at the airport was well below normal but far out of the 10 driest Junes.

For a comparison with Philadelphia International Airport, which is typically much warmer than Reading Regional due to the concrete and asphalt, there were only nine 90-degree days, and the average of high temperatures was 87.1 degrees.

But the nighttime cooling was far less, with only one morning below 60 degrees. The overall monthly average there was 77.4 degrees, 1.3 higher than Reading, fueled by the lack of overnight cooling.

June weather

76.1 degrees: Temperature

71.6 degrees: Normal

2.73 inches: Precipitation

4.77 inches: Normal

Records

High maximum temperature:

95 on the 19th (tie, 1919); 101 on the 22nd (96, 1921); 98 on the 23rd (96, 1908)

High minimum temperature:

72 on the 19th (tie, 1962 and 1994); 76 on the 22nd (73, 1959, 1964 and 1997); 77 on the 23rd (75, 1988)

10 warmest Junes (in degrees)

1943: 76.6

2024: 76.1

1925: 76.0

1923: 74.8

1952: 74.6

2010: 74.6

1949: 74.2

2005: 74.2

2008: 74.1

1934: 74.0

Source: National Weather Service

Berks Area Rainfall Networks June rainfall totals in inches:

• Elverson NE, 3.93

• Frystown, 3.74

• Dryville, 3.71

• Boyertown, 3.47

• Knauers, 3.47

• Bally, 3.33

• Womelsdorf, 3.28

• Morgantown, 3.25

• Wyomissing, 3.25

• Henningsville, 3.23

• Shartlesville, 3.20

• Cumru Township building, 3.12

• Lincoln Park, 3.12

• Wernersville, 3.11

• Cornwall Terrace, 3.09

• Mohnton, 3.09

• Reading E, 3.09

• Topton, 3.07

• Shillington, 3.04

• Hamburg, 2.96

• Birdsboro, 2.94

• West Reading, 2.89

• Oley, 2.83

• New Morgan, 2.82

• Auburn, 2.76

• Hopewell, 2.67

• Cacoosing, 2.60

• Lobachsville, 2.58

• Mertztown, 2.55

• Greenfields, 2.49

• Mohrsville, 2.46

• Oley Furnace, 2.44

• Mohrsville SW, 2.40

• Vinemont, 2.26